Meterology

Latitude

- earth's distance North or South of equator measured from the earth.

• Runs east-west

• positive= north

Parallel

• Line connecting all points along the same latitudinal angle

Longitude: 

• Angular distance east or west of the prime meridian measured from the center of the earth.

Meridian

• Line connecting all points along the same longitude

Atmosphere

thin gaseous layer surrounding the earth

Hydrosphere

All of the earth's water

• Frozen portion (Cryosphere)

Lithosphere

earth's crust and portion of upper mantle; the entire solid planet

Biosphere

all living organisms of the earth

Surface

AWOS/ASOS stations

ASOS measures wind levels @ 10m

Upper air

• Radiosondes, sensors ascend through atmosphere tethered to helium-filled balloon

• Dropsondes, sensors dropped from aircraft

Radar

• detection and ranging. Ultra high frequency radio waves, reflected, emit 1000+ pulses each second.

  • Reflectivity

  • Storm relative velocity

  • velocity

Radar Reflectivity

• Scattered energy

• Will also detect dust, pollution, insects, ect.

Satellite Data

• 2 main types

  • Geostationary (GOES), same place over equator

  • Polar Orbiters (POES), orbit from pole to pole

Visible Imagery

• Scattered/ reflected sunlight

• Brightness controlled by albedo

• Track storms, fronts

• ONLY useful in daylight

Infrared Imagery

• Measures heat

• Useful day and night

Maps

850mb map, 700mb map, 500mb map, 300/250mb

850mb map

shows advections of air masses

700mb map

shows shortwaves

500mb map,

halfway point between surface and tropopause

300/250mb,

level of the jet stream

3 types of balance

• Hydrostatic

• Geostrophic

• Gradient

Isopleths

connect points of equal value

Interpolate

between stations to approximate isopleths location in all other places

Ridge (high)

Coriolis effect may increase to counteract the PGF and centrifugal forces, causing supergeostrophic winds.

Supergeostrophic

flow, wind faster around curved high than in a purely geostrophic (straight) environment

Trough (low)

Centrifugal force is acting with the Coriolis force, reducing the coriolis force and causing subgeostrophic winds.

Subgeostrophic

flow, wind slower around curved low than in a purely geostrophic (straight) environment.

Zonal

when winds blow parallel to line of latitude (mostly east->west)

Meridional

when winds blow parallel to meridian lines (mostly north->south)

Mesoscale Models

runs for 3days or less