Weather Patterns and Fronts Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes about weather patterns, wind direction, and fronts.

Jet Stream

Bends and kinks in the jet stream that can lead to cold air outbreaks and warm air moving north.

Wind

Driven by the pressure gradient force, moving from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

Wind Direction Evolution

The shift in wind direction as a warm front approaches, passes, a cold front approaches, and passes.

Winds near a warm air mass

Tend to have a southerly component in the Northern Hemisphere to keep the zone warm.

Winds behind a cold front

Tend to have a West Northwest component as colder air swings down.

Winds in a cool sector

Air tends to come from the north to northeast, bringing cooler air towards the low.

Isobars

Lines connecting equal air pressure, used to determine wind direction.

Occlusion

The process where warm air at the surface is lost, leading to the breakdown of a weather system.

Conditions behind a cold front

Characterized by dry, clear skies and colder temperatures after the front passes.

Convective Lifting

Warm air rising, common in the afternoon and evening, driven by surface heating.

Cold Front Thunderstorm

A thunderstorm happening at two in the morning, typically caused by a cold front.

Thundersnow

An unusual weather event where a thunderstorm occurs during snowfall, due to a large temperature gradient.