The name anticyclone was first introduced by sir Francis Galton, the English meteorologist, in 1861 to describe weather conditions opposite to those of a cyclone. Anticyclones are characterized by fine weather and weak winds.
In weather maps and climatic chances anticyclones appear as a region in which the pressure is higher than n its surroundings. So when the weather forecaster starts to talk about anticyclones you can be prepared for the weather to remain stable for some time, usually sunny and with occasional light rain.
In a cyclone or low-pressure area the winds circulate anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Cyclones are usually areas of strong, violent winds and indicate bad weather.