Because its peculiar orientation gives Uranus a reversed temperature pattern, wherein the poles are warmer than the equator, some astronomers had predicted that Uranus might have a global wind system very different from that of the other giant planets. However, even though the Sun was shining almost straight down on the south pole of Uranus when Voyager 2 observed it, the dominant winds on Uranus turned out to be zonal, just as they are on the other giant planets. The Coriolis effect that we discussed in Chapter 9 is more influential than are individual atmospheric temperature patterns in determining the fundamental structure of the global winds on all the giant planets.