Chap. 3 - Weather maps
Surface station model
Use on surface maps
Shows the following:
1. Temperature
2. Dew point temperature
3. Significant weather
4. Pressure (reduced to sea
level value
5. Wind speed/direction
6. Cloud cover
Surface observations
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/surface/
Pressure analysis
Isobar – line of constant pressure
Location of strongest wind
Cyclone – region of low pressure
Anticyclone – region of high pressure
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/model/
Contour analysis of temperature
(isotherms)
Contour analysis of dew point
(isodrosotherms)
This morning at 1513 UTC (0923 CST)
Variations in T produce
variations in p.
Variations in p, in turn,
produce wind.
So temperature and wind
are related.
Therefore, non-uniform
heating in the
atmosphere produces
horizontal wind.
Sources of non-uniform
heating:
a) Variations in solar
radiation
b) Latent heating/cooling
c) Vertical motion
Analysis of the height of the
500 mb surface (standard
analysis)
Identify the trof (trough) axis,
which represents a key
feature on this map.
Analysis of the pressure
value at a height of 5700 m
above MSL.
Upper air
observation
model
850 mb analysis of height and temperature. Individual observations
from weather balloons are plotted.
Fig. 3.6
Upper air maps and vorticity (lab)
Vertical cross sections are
important analysis tools
that reveal vertical and
horizontal variations in
atmospheric structure:
temperature
moisture
precipitation
wind
Fig. 3.8
Homework
None from Chapter 3. Lab exercises.
Review: today’s weather situation
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/upper/