Friday, September 16, 2011

Great North Atlantic Loop

IR satellite imagery, sea level pressure (contours), dynamic tropopause
(color fill), and 925-mb winds
The loop above illustrates several key large-scale atmospheric processes that are important for weather prediction.  In fact, I could probably give an entire exam for synoptic-dynamic meteorology from this loop alone.  Can you more advanced Wasatch Weather Weenies identify them?

2 comments:

  1. I see extratropical transition of hurricane Maria(?), I can't really tell if it builds the downstream ridge much though.

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  2. Finally, a couple of contributions! With regards to the ridge, you can see how the diabatic heating ahead of Maria (?I've forgotten the name by now too) does erode the dynamic tropopause off the coast of New England.

    A few other processes: Trough fracture ver the sub-tropical atlantic, which leads a weak depression as the tropopause depression moves east toward the Caribbean.

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