Weather
Physical Geography
Atmospheric Lifting Mechanisms
Convergent Lifting, Convectional Lifting , Orographic Lifting
Frontal Lifting
Two Air Masses Meet
Cold Fronts
Warm Fronts
Air Masses
Humidity
Marine (m)
Continental (c)
Temperature
Polar (P)
Tropical (T)
Frontal Lifting
Cold Fronts
Cold air forces warm air aloft
Warm Fronts
Warm air moves up and over cold air
Life Cycle of a Midlatitude Cyclone
Storm Tracks
Open Stage
Occluded Stage
Storm Tracks
Midlatitude Cyclone
Weather Forecasting
its easier than you think!
Location of the cyclone
Location of cold & warm fronts
Circulation pattern
Wind speed
Violent Weather
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes
Tropical Cyclones
Thunderstorms - Cumulonimbus
Violent Convective Storm
High temperatures, humidity & instability
Release Latent Heat sustains rise of air
Creates updrafts
Ice Crystals coalesce
Eventually fall
Create downdrafts
Lightning
Step Leader
Streamer
Thunder
Tornadoes
Los Angeles Tornado Alley
Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes)
Hurricane:
Storm Surge
Low Pressure & Wind
Historical Hurricanes
Galveston 1900 (6,000-8,000 deaths)
Hurricane Andrew: 1992
1995 Atlantic Storm Season
1995 Atlantic Storm Season
2004 Atlantic Storm Season
2005 Katrina
Delta Flooding
Levees
Storm Surge was Predicted
MRGO
Mississippi River Gulf Outlet
Rita
El Niño
What conditions do we associate with El Niño?
Normal January Conditions
High Pressure over Tahiti & Indian Ocean
Low Pressure over Australia
Trade winds strong & consistent
Warm water blows towards east coasts
Cold water upwells along South America
El Niño Conditions
Pressure cells weaken
Trade winds decrease or reverse
Warm water collects along equator
Upwelling of cold water on west coast ceases
El Niño and La Niña
El Niño Results
Worldwide
Dry Pacific NW
Storms pushed N
Wet Gulf Coast
Southern California?
Varies
Not wetter or drier, but storms more intense
El Niño, What do I need to know???
Normal
Air moves from STH to ITCZ
Trade Winds push currents West
Warm water & storms to West
El Niño
STH & ITC PGF weakens
No significant ocean current pushing warm water West – so it builds up in
East Pacific
Storms in East Pacific
California Results unpredictable