EAPS 10200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Pressure-Gradient Force
8 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Cyclones: areas commonly marked on weather maps are pressure centers. Normally marked with an h or l these represent high and low pressure centers, respectively. In low pressure centers wind blows inward and counterclockwise while in high pressure centers winds blow outward and clockwise. Weather gen. -low pressure low pressure system causes an inward flow of wind (cyclonic flow) which causes convergence on the surface. The inward flowing air has no where to go but up. This rapidly rising air represents a net increase in pressure. Since warm air is rising a tall column is established with clouds and precipitation: often divergence aloft creates a surface low and if it is strong enough it acts like a powerful vacuum sucking air up. Weather gen. -high pressure: a high pressure system causes an outward flow of wind (anticyclonic flow) on the surface which is divergence. The outward flowing air on the surface is accompanied by convergence aloft.
