Climates strongly influence what vegetation grows, and so ecological zone locations can be understood by climate patterns, which are quite predictable. Air is most heated at the equator. The heated air and incorporated water vapor move upward, and then poleward, returning to earth hotter and drier partway to the poles. They create circulation patterns that are repeated at higher latitudes and mirrored in the northern and southern hemisphere. The Earth’s rotation (coriolis effect) causes these circulation patterns to become west-blowing (easterly) winds at the equator and east-blowing (westerly) winds at mid-latitudes. Ocean currents also move predictably because of the differential heating, coriolis effect, and winds. The winds and oceans cause heat, cold, and precipitation to occur in predictable places. The Earth’s tilt further causes the sun, wind, and rain patterns to shift northward and southward and create seasons. Consequently, seasonal weather patterns, storms, monsoons, and other weather events become quite predictable—as do the vegetation cover types.