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Exploring Meteorology: Air Masses, Jet Streams, and Weather Systems

Uncover the world of meteorology, study air masses and jet streams, understand weather patterns, and learn about weather observation systems and forecasting methods. Discover how imbalanced heating contributes to weather variations and why summer is warmer than winter.

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Exploring Meteorology: Air Masses, Jet Streams, and Weather Systems

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  1. Chapter 12 Meteorology

  2. Meteorology = the study of meteors? • Meteoros = anything high in the air • Meteorologists study: • Hydrometeors: rain, snow, sleet, hail • Lithometeors: dust, smoke, haze, particles • Electrometeors: lightning, thunder • Weather (short term) vs. climate (long term)

  3. Imbalanced heating • What makes summer warmer than winter? • Number of hours of daylight and angle of the sun’s rays

  4. Air masses • Movement of air and water distribute heat around the earth • Air masses take on the properties of their source regions. • Polar = cold • Tropical = warm • Maritime = humid • Continental = dry • Arctic: very cold/dry

  5. Coriolis Effect • Moving air curves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere • Creates global wind systems: • Polar easterlies • Westerlies • Trade winds • Horse latitudes • Equatorial low (ITCZ)

  6. Jet Streams • Narrow bands of fast westerly wind • Position varies seasonally • Polar and subtropical • Storms form along jet stream paths

  7. Weather Fronts Stationary front

  8. Pressure Systems • In a low pressure system, air rises, cools and forms clouds • Air sinks in a high pressure system, usually associated with fair weather

  9. Weather Observation Systems • Automated surface observing system • Radiosonde (upper atmosphere weather balloon) • Weather radar (including doppler) • Weather satellites (infrared, visible and water-vapor imagery)

  10. Weather Data • Temperature (thermometer) • Air pressure (barometer) • Wind speed (anemometer) • Relative humidity (hygrometer)

  11. Weather Station Models • A station model is a record of weather data for a specific place at a specific time • Uniform way of communicating weather data • Lots of information in a small space

  12. Map with weather stations

  13. Same map with Isotherms

  14. Same map with Isobars

  15. Short and Long Term Forecasts Short-term Long-term Less reliable because of great number of variables involved Based on large scale circulation patterns and weather cycles • More detailed and accurate • Hourly forecast based on present weather • One- to three-day forecasts based on larger systems such as low pressure systems

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