meteorology 2 Flashcards
how is the data measured
surface measurements
weather balloons
how often do they gather weather data
every 6 hours
taken in degrees and dew point
taken in the shade
no wind
6feet above grass
temp and dew point
usually in millibars pressure is abbreviated 1013.2 on the model becomes 132 998.2 on the model becomes 982can also be in inches of mercury 29.92 is sea level
pressure
large chunk of air that acquires characteristics of location
temp
moisture
air masses
warm
tropical
cold
polar
dry
continental
moist
maritime
boundary between 2 different air masses
air masses collide and the weather can change dramatically
fronts are always attached to low pressure, never high pressure
front
types of fronts
cold fronts
warm fronts
stationary
pressure rises temp drops winds shift to the north rain cumulonimbus clouds
cold fronts
pressure drops temp increases winds shift to the south rain is produced Stratiform clouds cirrus, altostratus, stratus and nimbostratus
warm front
neither cold nor warm air is advancing
soaking rains produced
nimbostratus clouds
stationary front
show the pressures across the country by using isobars
show the pressure
usually in inches or millibars
every point along isobars the exact same pressure
pressure maps
the change in pressure between isobar lines
common interval is 4 or 5 millibars or .10 inches
isobars never cross or touch
isobars interval
clear skies above the high pressure
winds move in a clockwise direction
cool air is sinking from upper atmosphere
pressure values decrease away from pressure center
no fronts
high pressure
an educated prediction of the future weather
based on observation
climate
General trends
our weather systems move from west to east
move about 1/3 of US in 24 hours
forecast
cloudy skies
warmer temps
lower pressures
winds rotate counter-clockwise
low pressure
clear skies
lower temps
higher pressure
winds rotate clockwise
high pressure
rain cloudy skies warmer temps lower pressure higher dew points south winds
warm fronts
typical cyclone
area of very Low pressure
winds rotate in a counter clockwise direction
originate off the west coast of Africa as thunderstorms
hurricane
over warm water - typical 80° high humidity low wind shear rain bands eye wall eye
formation
wind moving in different directions
wind shear
when is storm season in the Atlantic
June 1st- November 30th
produce rain during hurricane
rain bands
the fastest winds, surrounds eye
eye wall
2 types of cyclones
tropical depression
tropical storm