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Midlatitude Weather Patterns: Connecting the Dots

Midlatitude Weather Patterns: Connecting the Dots. Global temperature pattern (lower troposphere) Pressure pattern aloft (upper troposphere) Wind pattern aloft Midlatitude cloud patterns (storms). Global Temperature Pattern 00Z Dec 6, 2012. Global Temperature Pattern.

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Midlatitude Weather Patterns: Connecting the Dots

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  1. Midlatitude Weather Patterns: Connecting the Dots • Global temperature pattern(lower troposphere) • Pressure pattern aloft(upper troposphere) • Wind pattern aloft • Midlatitude cloud patterns (storms)

  2. Global Temperature Pattern00Z Dec 6, 2012

  3. Global Temperature Pattern Warm at low latitudes,cold at high latitudes Sun strikes low latitudes most directly, high latitudes least directly In between, a rapid transition across a narrow zone at midlatitudes polar front “Wobbles” or waves in the polar front alternating “tongues” of warmer & colder air

  4. Pressure Pattern Aloft (Upper Troposphere)

  5. Pressure Pattern Aloft (Upper Troposphere) Pressure aloft is much lower than it is at sea level, but … Winds are created by pressure differences between places at the same altitude At a given altitude aloft, we see: higher pressure at low latitudes lower pressure at high latitudes and: Rapid transition in pressureacross a narrow zone at midlatitudes Large pressure gradient

  6. Pressure Pattern Aloft (Upper Troposphere) “Wobbles” in the pattern at midlatitudes: Troughs (of lower pressure) Ridges (of higher pressure) Pattern looks just like thetemperature pattern in the lower troposphere!

  7. Connections: Temperature in Lower Troposphere and Pressure Aloft Strong physical connectionbetween temperature in lower troposphere and pressure aloft: Warmer air near earth’s surface  higher pressure aloft(compared to other areas at same altitude) Colder air near earth’s surface  lower pressure aloft Rapid transition in temperature across midlatitudes (polar front)  rapid transition in pressure aloft (large pressure gradient) “Tongues” of colder air near surface  troughs in lower pressure aloft “Tongues” of warmer air near surface  ridges of higher pressure aloft

  8. Pressure Pattern and Winds Aloft (Upper Troposphere) Large pressure gradient aloftat midlatitudes  large pressure-gradient force there  fast winds there(polar jet stream) Jet stream “wobbles” correspond to troughs and ridges in pressure pattern and tongues of cold and warm air below

  9. Pressure Pattern and Winds Aloft (Upper Troposphere)

  10. Winds (Jet Stream) Aloft andTemperatures in the Lower Troposphere

  11. Midlatitude Cloud Patternsand the Jet Stream ** Dashed lines outline areas with fast winds at 300 mb level, identifying the jet stream.Note the troughs and ridges in the pattern. **Infrared satellite image highlights deepest, coldest-topped clouds, including comma-shaped pattern of several midlatitude cyclones, which are located just ahead (east) of troughs.

  12. Midlatitude Weather Patterns: Connecting the Dots • Global temperature pattern(lower troposphere) • polar front • tongues of colder & warmer air • Pressure pattern aloft (upper troposphere) • troughs and ridges • Wind pattern aloft • polar jet stream • troughs and ridges • Midlatitude cloud patterns (storms) • midlatitude cyclones • Located just ahead of troughs and behind ridges in the jet stream

  13. Midlatitude Weather Patterns: Connecting the Dots • Anything that can affect the temperature pattern in the lower troposphere might affect the location of the jet stream and hence the path followed by midlatitude cyclones, and hence affect precipitation at midlatitudes • What might affect temperature patterns?

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