Class Notes December 6, 2004

Done by: Michelle Cristofani

Assignments:

None Posted

Homework:

Nothing Assigned

Housekeeping:

Looked at the 12/6/2004 current circulation map at 500mb.

Observed storms headed toward the California Coast and what type of wave cyclones:

Types of Wave Cyclones

1. Low-Latitude storms

2. Middle-Latitude storms

3. High-Latitude storms

Did a class exercise on weather predictions/forecasts for the areas of Eureka, Ca and Auburn, Alabama.

Looked at the storm schematic for mid-latitude and high latitude storms.

Looked at the difference characteristics between the different wave cyclones.

Chart can be found on website under Strom Type Characteristics.

Orographic: how the mountains effect the production of rain

Instability: also think of the CAPE

Notice that depending on the wind direction the orography for mid and high latitude

storms change the rain amount.

+ 90 degree angle S, SW wind (Mid Latitude)

- not 90 degree angle Wonds parallel to the mountains (High Latitude)

Notice that for High Latitude storms that the temperatures are cold aloft due to the cold

air from Canada and Alaska so the snowline is higher due to the more air layers in between the ice crystals that have fallen to the ground.

Notice that low latitude storms bring the most amount of rain and are associated with the

most floods that occur in California

California flooding problems due to rainfall from low latitude storms and from snow melt. Levees built along streams help reduce the flooding. Some canals have dams, called Weits, that allow water to flood a certain area called a bypass so that the levee is not taken over by water. Another Weit drains the bypass when the canal can hold the extra amount of water.