Class Notes for Meteorology 302.01

Bruce Lichti and Pacifico Garcia

3/15/04

 

Readings for this Week:

Vasquez: Now In. pp. 1-20 (Introduction; Chapter 1)

Sheets and Williams: Finish the whole book.

Williams (Nothing New)

What You Have Completed So Far
Chapters 1-4 and part of 5); Chapter 9, 148-161

Zebrowski (Nothing New)What You Have Completed So Far
Chapters 1 and 2; Chapter 3, pp. 53-62; 77-83; 96-101; Chapter 5, pp. 143-145; 157-163 Chapter 8, 229-251;

Review:

Reviewed the steps and time required for publication of scientific papers. Papers are reviewed by an interdisciplinary panel to draw from more than one field of experience.

Scientific method: overview of it one more time. 2 chief questions concerning writing assignment: meteorology and scientific method. He wants a good exposition of scientific method for each of the authors. Mention somewhere in the writing assignment how the scientists used SOME part of the scientific method in their research.

 

Links:

            More About Temperature (past links): Continents are made up of rocks, minerals (metals: Silica, Quartz, and Aluminum). The continents absorb and release heat faster than the oceans (Daytime + ocean cold, sand hot. Nighttime = ocean warm, sand cold). Greater range during seasonal changes (more time to heat up or cool off the continent). Refer to the isotherm chart link Eastern Pacific Sea Sfc Temps . The thermal fluxuation is what causes low and high pressure areas.

Reviewed the Ocean Surface Circulation- Know the five gyres and their direction of rotation (clockwise in northern hemisphere)…remember California Currents (cold) and Gulf Stream (warm). They are the source of the water vapor that fuels storms. Hurricanes need 80 + degree water to exist.

 

NEW LINK: “Completed hurricane links”

Tropical Cyclone Definitions: Know the different classifications of storms based on wind speeds.

(0) Circle NOT filled in = tropical depression

(0) Circle NOT filled in BUT with “wings” = storm, 39 to 73 MPH

(0) Circle FILLED IN AND with “wings” = hurricane

(Saffir/ Simpson Scale starts at 74 MPH and goes up from there.)

Hurricanes = Cyclones

 

Tropical Cyclone Tracks: Hurricanes move from East to West. Observation of why it forms…know how to forecast this site of tropical storms.

 

Storm Prediction Center link: Central Texas = slight risk (15%). Means that for large hail (3/4”) there is a 15% chance that it will be within 25 miles of you.

 

Construct your own weather map---> how nature creates pressures of winds

Jet Stream: Wind moves parallel to the isobars and it is faster where they are the closest together.

 

When the barometer goes up and the surface pressure goes down = divergence. Divergence: Lateral spread of air---> only way nature creates area of low pressure air.

 

Conceptual Divergence Rule of Thumb: Air moves out at the top of the column (creates a low on the ground) and moves in at the bottom.

Conceptual Divergence 2à look at it for next time

 

Review link for descriptions of: stationary, cold and warm fronts for Wed.

Review wave cyclones.