Baroclinic Features
Define Baroclinic
Moving weather features
______ vorticity is associated with major short-wave troughs and indicates ______ vertical motion.
Positive and upward
Select as many options that apply
Increase cold air advection behind axis
a. Deepens trough
b. Fills trough
c. Builds ridge
d. Weakens ridge
A/D
Unstable wave stacks ______ towards ____ air aloft.
back and cold
Using Petterssen’s Rule, what upper air areas would be conducive for frontogenesis?
At and ahead of the long wave trough, major short wave trough, or low height center
Define a front
The transition zone between two air masses
______ vorticity is associated with major short-wave ridges and indicates _______ vertical motion.
Negative and downward
Select as many options that apply
Increase divergence aloft ahead of axis
a. Deepens trough
b. Fills trough
c. Builds ridge
d. Weakens ridge
A/D
Two factors that continue to deepen mature waves are increased ___________________________.
divergence aloft and conservation of angular momentum.
Location of inactive cold front
Extends equatorward from the low center or triple point
Define a triple point
The intersection of cold, warm, and occluded front
Upward vertical motion and Downward vertical motion is found on what side of a major short wave ridge
Upward-West
Downward-East
Select as many options that apply
Increase warm air advection behind axis
a. Deepens trough
b. Fills trough
c. Builds ridge
d. Weakens ridge
B/C
Decaying wave stacks?
Vertically
Slope of active cold front
1:100
Define a cold front
The leading edge of a cold baroclinic air mass
Cold air advection and Warm air advection occur on which side of a major short wave trough
CAA=West
WAA=East
Explain how a major short-wave ridge initiates anticyclogenesis
As air cools, it subsides, or sinks. This adds to the surface pressure, building the surface high, and results in anticyclogenesis.
With an unstable wave Coriolis force ______ thus _______ PGF and surface convergence
increases and increasing
Describe the movement of a stationary front
Less than 5 knots and slightly poleward during the day and slightly equatorward at night
Define Cyclogenesis
The formation or deepening of lower heights or pressure
A jet maximum is observed between ____mb and ____ mb, travels along the ______, and can reflect down to ______ mb as a major short-wave trough.
300, 200, jet axis, 500
What is the vertical structure associated with the surface high?
Stacks back to warm air aloft/ beginning from the surface to the TROP the entire system slants back to the west
Explain how a major short-wave trough initiates cyclogenesis
As a major short-wave trough approaches the thermal gradient, pressure falls throughout the area. Temperature advection begins as the cold air moves south and warm air moves north to try and balance the atmosphere. This advection deepens the upper-level trough, further increasing the divergence area ahead, which deepens the surface low
Describe the associated weather and location of a warm front
Primarily stratiform and continuous with the greatest part ahead of the front in cooler air. Cumuliform clouds and thunderstorms can be imbedded.