ELI5 Hurricanes - why don't they hit the West Coast?

Why don’t hurricanes seem to hit the West Coast of the USA or Europe? What is the Coreolis effect and why does it determine which direction a hurricane spins? They say the water flushes down a toilet or down a drain in opposite directions in the northern and southern hemispheres - fact or fiction? Why did hurricanes all have female names at one stage? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: kristin9898, baroncoop, puzzlealbatross, competitivetable1, vinnaey, agate_ and bizitmap. To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail: [email protected]