I should add that the coriolis effect is really only valid at some distance away from the equator. It's a function of the change in distance from the earth's axis of rotation as the wind moves across the earth's surface.
N or S hemisphere isn't really relevent to wind speed (apart from determining wind direction around the pressure system!)
In the tropics it all falls apart due lack of coriolis effect so 'streamlines' (wind direction) & 'isotachs' (wind speed) are used on tropical met. charts to denote wind velocity.
[This message has been edited by Tinstaafl (edited 16 April 2001).]