ATMO 336 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Arctic Air, Jet Stream, Polar Front
4 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of surface low pressure areas in the middle latitudes of the globe. Are sometimes referred to as cyclones: a near circular air flow that is in the same direction as the rotating earth. In northern hemisphere, winds around low pressure centers blow counterclockwise and spiral inward, causing clouds and precipitation to form where air rises. A winter storm will show up as a large area of surface low pressure on a surface weather map. Much of the energy for winter storms or cyclones comes from the temperature difference between cold air masses from the arctic and warm air masses from the tropics. Most of the action occurs where these two masses clash. Polar front: the generic name given to the boundary that separates warm tropical air masses from cold arctic air masses. Air mass: a large area of air with nearly uniform properties of temperature and humidity.
