Meteorology             Natural Science 1005

Courses
Astronomy
Meteorology
Geology

Links
Astronomy
Meteorology
Geology

Please note: the questions listed are not the only items that you need to know. The questions point out basic information to help understand some topics, some concepts that may not be obvious to all students, and some of the more difficult concepts.

Upper Air Charts   D2L explanation

• How are upper air maps similar and different from a surface map that shows isobars?

• What causes a higher height or a lower height on an upper air map? 

• Why are the lowest heights on an upper air map typically to the north?

• Can you look at an upper air map and identify:
  -- An upper trough?
  -- An upper ridge?
  -- Areas where there is colder weather at the surface (compared to areas east and west)  [Can you also explain WHY they are colder?]
  -- Areas where there is warmer weather at the surface (compared to areas eat and west)  [Can you also explain WHY they are warmer?]
  -- Zonal flow  [and associated weather]
  -- Meridional flow  [and associated weather]

• Study help--upper air features (ridges, troughs, jet streaks,...)
  --Good writeup from the NWS.  Several pages with some practice.

The Wind   

• What determines how strong the wind is?

• What is a force? What is a gradient? What is the pressure gradient force?  
  --Description of pressure gradient force

• How can you tell the relative strength of the pressure gradient? 

• How can you tell from a upper air map what direction the upper air blows?  

• How can you tell from a surface map generally what direction the surface wind blows? Explain the influence of friction.  

• Study help--Forces and winds

Why does the atmosphere stay around the Earth?   

Why does warm air rise and cold air sink?

Jets  

• Describe the jet stream

• Why is the jet stream where it is? [What causes the jet stream?]

• Why is the jet stream stronger in the winter than the summer?

• Why is the jet stream farther north in the summer than the winter?

• Video--jet stream UK    world