ATOC 185 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: January 1998 North American Ice Storm, Wind Shear, Coastal Erosion

• School: McGill University
• Department: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
• Course: ATOC 185
• Professor: John Stix

Document Summary

Transport of warm waters off to the east. Ocean deepens towards the west because the shallow area deepens as water transported there by winds drivinge east to west. Winds themselves are driving circulation which is fed back along west coast through upwelling. Strong el nino years associated with strong vertical wind shears in atlantic hurricane activity weaker than usual. Neither an el nino or la nina influences hurricanes in north atlantic. Wild fire also represents a huge health hazard. Wihtout shrubs and pasture land dust an dparticulate matter become significant problem during el nino. Areas of flooding, water borne diseases become significant issue. In very humid climates froughts turn rivers into strings of pools = preferred sites of other types of mosquitoes. El nino has large impact on north american weather. Reduction in atlantic ocean hurricane activity because of strong upper level winds producing too much wind shead for hurricane to continue to exist.