Chapter 7

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. The islands of Hawaii lie in what surface wind regime of the general circulation?

The islands of hawai fall in the “trade wind” regime of general wind circulation.

The islands of Hawaii lie in the trade wind regime of the general circulation.

The trade winds are the winds that blow from the northeast in the winter and from the east in the
summer. Trade winds are caused by the subtropical high-pressure zone cantered over the Pacific
Ocean, which produces a consistent pattern of atmospheric circulation across the region.

2. The two jet streams commonly found near the tropopause in winter are the___ and the ___

The two jet streams commonly found near the tropopause in winter are the polar jet stream and the
subtropical jet stream.

The polar jet stream is located at around 55°-65°N and is associated with the boundary between cold
polar air and warmer mid-latitude air. It brings storms and colder weather to northern latitudes.

The subtropical jet stream is located at around 30°N and is associated with the boundary between
tropical and subtropical air masses. It influences the weather in the southern United States and
northern Mexico.

2. The dry monsoon occurs during what season?

The dry monsoon season typically occurs during winter in some parts of the world.

The dry monsoon season is characterized by cool and dry weather with low humidity and little to no
rainfall. In some parts of the world, such as in India, the dry monsoon season happens during the
summer season and is marked by high temperatures and low rainfall. It's worth noting that the
timing and characteristics of monsoon seasons can vary widely depending on the region and climate.
2. Define "mesoscale."

Mesoscale is a term referring to circulations with horizontal dimensions of one to one thousand
miles.

Mesoscale meteorological phenomena can include weather systems such as thunderstorms, squall
lines, and mesoscale convective complexes, as well as wind shear, temperature inversions, and other
features that can have significant impacts on local weather and climate. The term "mesoscale" is
used in contrast to smaller-scale microscale phenomena (such as individual clouds or gust fronts)
and larger-scale synoptic phenomena (such as high and low pressure systems).

1. Clouds and precipitation are typically greater on the western side of the Sierra Nevada mountain
range in California than on the eastern side. Why?

The Sierra Nevada mountain range is oriented SE-NW in the prevailing westerlies therefore airflow is
upslope on the west side with adiabatic cooling and more clouds and precipitation, and downslope
on the east side with adiabatic warming and less clouds and precipitation.

When moisture-laden air from the Pacific Ocean encounters the mountains, it is forced to rise, which
cools the air and causes the moisture to condense and form clouds. As the air continues to rise over
the mountains, it loses moisture through precipitation. This means that the western side of the
Sierra Nevada range, which faces the ocean, receives the majority of the moisture from the
prevailing westerly winds, resulting in more clouds and precipitation.

On the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada range, the descending air from the mountains is now drier
and has already lost most of its moisture, resulting in less precipitation. This region is known as the
Great Basin Desert, which receives only about 5-10 inches of precipitation per year. The rain shadow
effect is a common phenomenon that occurs around the world where mountain ranges are
positioned perpendicular to the prevailing winds.

2. What is the usual direction of the trade winds in the Southern Hemisphere?

In the Southern Hemisphere, the trade winds usually blow from the southeast.
These winds are known as the southeast trade winds because they originate from the southeast
direction. They blow across the tropics in the Southern Hemisphere and are driven by the
subtropical high-pressure system located over the oceans.

1. One of the common reasons that both the ITCZ and the Polar Front are favored regions for bad
weather is that surface winds in both regions ____ forcing upward vertical motions.

Converge

In the ITCZ, trade winds from the Northern Hemisphere converge with trade winds from the
Southern Hemisphere, these cause warm, moist air to rise and form thunderstorms and heavy
rainfall. In the Polar Front, the warm air from the mid-latitudes get mixed with the cold, polar air,
causing a strong temperature gradient and resulting in a zone of low pressure. The converging winds
in this region cause the warm air to rise, leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation. In both
cases, the upward vertical motions of air lead to the formation of clouds and precipitation, which
mostly results in bad weather.

DISCOVERY QUESTIONS

1. You are responsible for advising an oceanic research group on the operation of an aircraft flight to
do a low-level photo survey of the Atlantic between Panama and Gibraltar. You will be flying at
about 1,000 feet MSL at an airspeed of 170 knots. Flights will be made one day a week for a year.
There will be a full crew and scientific equipment going one way. The direction is arbitrary. The crew
and equipment will return by commercial airline. It is up to you to minimize the cost of the missions
(fuel, crew duty time, etc.). On the basis of average conditions in January and July, what would your
meteorological advice be?

First we should go ahead and analyze the weather conditions between Panama and Gibraltar in the
months of January and july.

January:

In January, the North Atlantic area is majorly dominated by cold air masses, which leads to a higher
probability of bad & stormy weather conditions, including low clouds, strong winds, and high waves.
The jet stream is said to be more intense in January, which can cause significant amounts of
turbulence at lower altitudes.

July:

In July, the North Atlantic is generally has a high pressure, which indicated to us that there is
relatively stable weather conditions. However, occasional tropical storms or hurricanes can occur in
the area and these can produce severe weather conditions, including strong winds, thunderstorms,
and high waves.

Considering the information that we have analyzed, it is very important to have a reliable weather
forecasting system and maintain close communication with the meteorological agencies to monitor
weather conditions along the flight route. The weather during the month of July seems to be a
better weather condition for the airplane to conduct the required flight in my opinion. As it’s a high
pressure we know that we can expect better weather conditions in the area. But as mentioned it is
still important to check the weather each day before starting the flight operations.

1. A minimum time track (MIT) is not necessarily the shortest path between two locations, but it is
the fastest. Your company aircraft flies a daily, round trip flight from London to New York for a
period of one year. The airspeed is 300 knots at an altitude of 18,000 feet MSL. On the basis of
January and July conditions, give a rough estimate (draw a map) of the average annual MITs for out
and return flights from London to New York. Discuss your reasoning. Would your answers change for
flights at 300 mb? For an aircraft flying at Mach 3? If so, how

Lets first look at the weather patterns in the months of January and July.

In January, the jet stream over the North Atlantic is usually strong and located further south, which
means that flights from London to New York will likely take a more northerly route to take get help
from tailwinds. On the other hand, in July, the jet stream is usually weaker and located further north,
and flights will likely take a more southerly route to not be affected or slowed by the headwinds that
prevail in the area.

For an aircraft flying at an airspeed of 300 knots at an altitude of 18,000 feet MSL, the MIT for the
London to New York route in January would likely take a more northerly route, crossing over Iceland
and Greenland, before descending south towards New York. In July, the MIT would likely take a
more southerly route, crossing over Ireland and the Azores before descending towards New York.

Here is a rough estimate of the MIT for the London to New York route, based on January and July
conditions:

If the flight were to be conducted at 300 mb (approximately 30,000 feet), the MIT would likely be
different, as the winds at that altitude are different from those at 18,000 feet. An aircraft flying at
Mach 3 would also have a different MIT, as the optimal route would depend on the atmospheric
conditions and the performance characteristics of the aircraft. Generally, an aircraft flying at Mach 3
would likely fly at a higher altitude to take advantage of reduced air resistance, which could affect
the optimal route. Therefore, the MIT would change for flights at 300 mb or an aircraft flying at
Mach 3, and the route would need to be optimized accordingly.

1. You want to fly a balloon across the Atlantic. For technical reasons you must fly below 5,000 feet
MSL. You want dependable (stead) winds. Where and when should you attempt your crossing?
Discuss.

Attempting to fly a balloon across the Atlantic Ocean at low altitude can be challenging due to the
distance, weather patterns, and safety concerns. However, if you have to fly below 5,000 feet MSL
and want dependable winds, the best time and location for your crossing would be during the winter
months in the southern hemisphere, specifically from South America to Africa.
During the Southern Hemisphere winter, the prevailing winds in the upper atmosphere blow from
west to east across the Atlantic Ocean, forming the southern hemisphere's jet stream. While you
may not be able to fly at the jet stream's altitude due to technical reasons, you can take advantage
of the strong and dependable winds by flying below the jet stream.

Attempting to fly a balloon across the Atlantic Ocean at low altitude is a challenging task. However,
flying during the Southern Hemisphere winter, from South America to Africa, can provide
dependable winds and avoid hurricane season. Proper planning and preparation are necessary to
ensure a safe and successful journey.