Chap 3 Weather maps Surface station model Use

Chap. 3 - Weather maps

Surface station model Use on surface maps Shows the following: 1. Temperature 2. Dew point temperature 3. Significant weather 4. Pressure (reduced to sea level value 5. Wind speed/direction 6. Cloud cover

Surface observations http: //www. rap. ucar. edu/weather/surface/ Pressure analysis Isobar – line of constant pressure Location of strongest wind Cyclone – region of low pressure Anticyclone – region of high pressure http: //www. rap. ucar. edu/weather/model/

Contour analysis of temperature (isotherms) Contour analysis of dew point (isodrosotherms)

This morning at 1513 UTC (0923 CST)

Variations in T produce variations in p. Variations in p, in turn, produce wind. So temperature and wind are related. Therefore, non-uniform heating in the atmosphere produces horizontal wind. Sources of non-uniform heating: a) Variations in solar radiation b) Latent heating/cooling c) Vertical motion

Analysis of the height of the 500 mb surface (standard analysis) Identify the trof (trough) axis, which represents a key feature on this map. Analysis of the pressure value at a height of 5700 m above MSL.

Upper air observation model

850 mb analysis of height and temperature. Individual observations from weather balloons are plotted. Fig. 3. 6

Upper air maps and vorticity (lab)

Vertical cross sections are important analysis tools that reveal vertical and horizontal variations in atmospheric structure: temperature moisture precipitation wind Fig. 3. 8

Homework None from Chapter 3. Lab exercises. Review: today’s weather situation http: //www. rap. ucar. edu/weather/upper/