ATOC 182 Study Guide - Lapse Rate, Ice Pellets, Freezing Rain
12 Sep 2013
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Document Summary
Colorado cyclones are closer to the cold air coming from the northwest than east. The lifting mechanisms (cold fronts) are stronger than they are on the east coast. Colorado cyclones also have a second lifting mechanism on top of the cold front, the rockies mountains. These mountains add to the lifting of the warm air. There is more contribution from latent heat release from the condensation and more heat from the warm ocean. Cold waves are more common in canada and us than in western europe because the cold air coming from the arctic (arctic air mass) and western europe mostly experiences air coming from the ocean (polar air mass). The air is colder coming from the arctic because the heat capacity of land is much less than water therefore the air stays cold. Instability: to have lake effect snow you need the atmosphere to be absolutely unstable.
