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3/31/12 Coriolis Effect Ê  Moving particles (air) are deflected to the right in the northern hemisphere (left in southern hemi.) Ê  Important: perceived from the air particles view point Ê  Wind movement Coriolis Effect and Fronts Ê  High pressure to low pressure Jet Stream Fronts Ê  Narrow band of fast moving Ê  Narrow region separating two high altitude winds Ê  185km/h air masses of different temp. and density Ê  10-­‐12km high Ê  Types Ê  Cold Ê  Warm Ê  Stationary Ê  Occluded Cold Front Warm Front Ê  Cold air forces warm air Ê  Warm air rides up over up along a steep front cold air along a shallow front Ê  Warm air rises, cools, Ê  Light long lasting rain condenses, and forms clouds and precipitation Ê  T-­‐storms likely Ê  Cumulonimbus clouds Triangles point in the direction of movement 1 3/31/12 Warm Front Stationary Front Ê  Cloud Sequence Nimbostratus Stratus Ê  2 air masses with similar Altostratus Cirrostratus pressures and temperatures meet and stall Ê  Can turn into either warm or cold front Occluded Front Ê  Cold air mass rapidly over takes a warm front Ê  Warm air is forced upward Ê  Resembles a warm front then a cold front Pressure Systems Ê  High Pressure System Pressure Systems Ê  Low Pressure System Ê  Air sinks to the surface and then is deflected outward to the right Ê  Air is rising Ê  Clockwise spinning Ê  Air is moving into the system Ê  Fair weather Ê  Counterclockwise motion Ê  Clouds and precipitation 2 3/31/12 Pressure Systems Pressure Systems 1. cold front 2. warm front 3. stationary front 4. occluded front 5. surface trough 6. squall line 7. dry line 8. tropical wave Weather Maps 5. A surface trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure. 6. A squall line is an organized area of thunderstorm activity typically associated with a cold front. 7. A dry line is the boundary between air masses with significant moisture differences. 8. A tropical wave is an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of cloudiness and thunderstorms. 3 3/31/12 4