Questions tagged [meteorology]
The study of how the earth's atmosphere works, including weather forecasting. Use this tag for questions about the earth's weather. When asking questions specifically about the atmosphere, also include the [atmosphere] tag.
771
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14
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2answers
877 views
How can odor travel be tracked
Odd question, but what data would be needed to to calculate how far winds will carry a strong odor (such as the smells of a restaurant, pizza parlor or burning wood/building?
There is wind direction ...
11
votes
1answer
265 views
Sea breeze - magnitude of horizontal pressure gradient?
What is the range of horizontal pressure gradients typically caused by the differential heating of land and water under sea breeze conditions?
7
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1answer
250 views
Resources to determine temperature probability for a given location on a given date
What tools or resources are available (free) on the web to determine the probability of a given point on the earth to be at or above (or below) a specific temperature on a specific date.
Some [...
25
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3answers
3k views
Equinoxes and solstices: start of the season or mid-season?
In the United States, the upcoming autumnal equinox is marked on most calendars as the "first day of autumn." Similarly the solstices are commonly called the "first day of summer" and "first day of ...
13
votes
1answer
155 views
Great Lakes - cookie cutter clouds
On 2014-07-10, in the afternoon, the GOES East satellite image in the visible showed a mass of cloud in central North America. However, in the middle, the Great Lakes stood out in a most extraordinary ...
11
votes
1answer
764 views
How much energy is needed to alter the path of a hurricane?
Suppose we spot an Atlantic hurricane very early. How much energy should we expend to alter its track:
with nuclear detonations (let's forget about the side effects for the moment)?
with a large ...
10
votes
1answer
872 views
What are Tetens coefficients?
Tetens coefficients appear in a few meteorological/climatological models that I've been looking at,for example APSIM:
svp_A = 6.106
svp_B = 17.27
svp_C = 237.3
...
14
votes
2answers
6k views
July/August hottest months (northern hemisphere): because of continued warming or other effects?
In the northern hemisphere, July and August are the hottest months statistically1, but the days start shortening after June 21st.
Is this just because the Northern Hemisphere keeps heating up after ...
10
votes
1answer
537 views
Why do rainbows appear to have a fixed structure?
Why do rainbows appear to have a fixed structure when a bunch of raindrops are 1. moving, and 2. granular?
8
votes
1answer
126 views
Why does the Northern polar vortex usually have two centers?
From http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Polar_vortex
polar vortex
A planetary-scale mid- to high-latitude circumpolar cyclonic circulation, extending from the middle troposphere to the ...
8
votes
2answers
175 views
What determines the differences in results between various weather models?
It's often said that the ECMWF model is more accurate than the GFS. But what are the reasons why? Also, how does the NAM compare with these two and other forecasting models?
11
votes
1answer
279 views
How can you explain this storm phenomenon?
It's been a while since this happened, so I don't have many details. About 3 years ago, we had a popup storm here in Louisville. It was completely unexpected and unpredicted. That's not the strange ...
12
votes
2answers
154 views
What is a source of worldwide temperature data that also includes extreme weather?
I often need to calculate heat balances for large biogas plants, an important factor is outside temperature. I normally use the weather data from Klimadiagramme.de where I can find the mean monthly ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
Why do some places have rain frequently? [closed]
There are some places on Earth which holds the record of being "The wettest place on Earth". On what factors these places differ from other normal places?
An example of wettest place on Earth is ...
6
votes
1answer
196 views
Am I observing orographic rainfall?
I don't know an awful lot about meteorology, so please bear with me.
My wife (who has a Geography degree) told me that rain can be generated when moist air is pushed up the side of a mountain. This ...
4
votes
1answer
450 views
How are jet streaks formed?
"Jet Streak Dynamics I: The four-quadrant model" - explains their effects on frontogenesis.
But how are they formed to begin with?
12
votes
1answer
420 views
How is the Rossby Radius used to determine that synoptic weather systems are 1000-2000km across?
In one of his presentations, Sandy MacDonald (of NOAA and ESRL) talks about the Rossby Radius of Deformation in connection with the size of synoptic weather systems: he describes how it sets the ...
20
votes
1answer
744 views
What data does a skilled meteorologist look at to predict thunderstorms?
An uneducated layman like me would just look at CAPE numbers and make rough guesses on possible thunderstorms. In a related but non-duplicate question, vertical wind shear is discussed.
If we are ...
9
votes
1answer
64 views
Is there a reliable way to identify regions with negatively-correlated winds?
When examining the potential for large-scale electricity grids, and when identifying the lowest-cost ways to generate clean electricity, a recurring theme is of spreading wind generation across a wide-...
8
votes
1answer
415 views
How does the amount of mass in an atmosphere affect the seasonal changes and dynamics of the planet's climate?
I was thinking about this question, which may turn out to be simple, about climate dynamics: How does the amount of mass in an atmosphere affect the seasonal changes and dynamics of the planet's ...
10
votes
1answer
130 views
Is there a convenient place to get vertical wind shear info for my location?
Now that it's thunderstorm season here in New Hampshire, it would be nice to be able to find out what the vertical wind shear is like at the altitudes that affect thunderstorm formation, to guess ...
10
votes
2answers
4k views
Is the urban heat island effect stronger during a particular season or part of the year?
It is known that cities tend to be warmer than the surrounding landscapes, and this is known as the "urban heat island effect".
In the summer there is greater heat output from air conditioning ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
If there's acid rain, is there such thing as acid snow?
If so, would the acid snow just be as damaging?
9
votes
1answer
474 views
How can I downscale daily values of relative humidity?
I have a dataset (The ISIMIP interpolation of CMIP5 output) that contains daily values of the following variables:
...
7
votes
1answer
130 views
Does over-cropping large areas really change the amount of rainfall?
I heard that at one time the Sahara desert was cropped in wheat for the Roman Empire, and that cropping without adding back to the soil was what caused the desert to form. I also heard that this is ...
21
votes
2answers
3k views
How do tropopause folds form and do they have any impact on synoptic scale weather?
What is the process that creates a tropopause fold? Do these features have any significant impact(s) on weather patterns or the atmosphere?
11
votes
3answers
229 views
Is it right practice to validate temperature data with reanalysis data?
For a project I am working on I received raw data from many meteorology stationes.
Is it right practice to test this data against air temperature from noaa's ncep/ncar data?
5
votes
1answer
112 views
How common is it for warm fronts to be responsible for record high temperatures?
Warm fronts are associated with an increase in temperature and precipitation.
But are they often associated with record high daily maximum temperatures, given that they often result in an increase in ...
11
votes
2answers
315 views
How do meteorologists grade their past forecasts?
In every professional field, practitioners may come home at the end of the day and say "Yeah! I knocked it out of the park!", or alternatively "Oh, man. Gotta do better tomorrow." What about ...
11
votes
1answer
269 views
Are sandstorms like regular storms?
What's the difference between sandstorms and regular storms? Are they more than just strong wind within deserts?
14
votes
1answer
626 views
How long does it take for the atmosphere to mix?
If I release a say, one litre of gas, at a particular point on the planet, how soon, on average, would it take to be distributed evenly (mixed) across the entire earth's atmosphere?
1
vote
1answer
583 views
How to perform precipitation data analysis? [closed]
I want to make precipitation data analysis for the Latvian territory.
I only have meteorological stations and reanalysis data.
My data from meteorological stations are in the format:
...
16
votes
3answers
3k views
Why does the so called “tornado alley” exist?
75% of the world's tornadoes occur in the USA, and within the USA these tornadoes are most likely to occur in particular regions of the country, such as the well known "tornado alley". The diagram ...
8
votes
1answer
9k views
Why does the wind periodically change direction?
Image Subtitle: Wind going across the page - and changing direction
To clarify, imagine you were sat in a boat in the middle of a lake recording the wind direction every minute. You notice that the ...
17
votes
1answer
828 views
Why do tropical cyclones not tear themselves apart?
A tropical cyclone is the generic term for a hurricane, typhoon, or tropical storm. Tropical cyclones derive their energy from evaporation of water at the ocean surface which ultimately recondenses ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the difference between a high-resolution model and a regular model run?
So we have high-resolution models like the HRRR (High Resolution Rapid Refresh). But what exactly is the difference between a high-resolution model and a regular model? I realize that the higher ...
12
votes
1answer
2k views
Is there any correlation between La Niña/El Niño and seismic activity?
I've read in the past that extreme precipitation levels may have an effect on seismic activity, and wondered if anyone has ever analysed the La Niña / El Niño cycles to see if there are any ...
19
votes
2answers
264 views
Will tropical cyclones form and be sustained in areas they previously were not due to global climate change?
With global climate change, is it possible that tropical cyclones (as seen in the Atlantic basin for example) are going to form and be sustained in regions where they previously did not, for example ...
4
votes
0answers
40 views
What determines the eastward speed that mid-latitude high pressure/low pressure systems move at?
Do they move at the group velocity of Rossby Waves? Or do they move at the phase velocity of Rossby Waves? Or some other speed?
13
votes
1answer
2k views
How accurate are climate proxies in giving us a clear picture of global average temperatures throughout Earth history?
Since reliable modern records of climate only began in the 1880s, proxies provide a means for scientists to determine climatic patterns before record-keeping began, though it appears that the the ...
14
votes
2answers
3k views
Why is the Atlantic Hurricane Season defined as being between June 1 and November 30?
Historically, the Atlantic Hurricane Season has shifted, as close as June 15 to October 31, but since 1965, it has been between June 1 and November 30(1).
Why is the Atlantic Hurricane Season defined ...
15
votes
1answer
541 views
What constitutes a blizzard in meterological terms?
Blizzards are most commonly associated with a large amount of snowfall and low visibility. However, snow squalls can induce low visibility whereas a 12" snowfall doesn't have to induce low visibility.
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