Cap 10 Local Wind Flashcards
(35 cards)
Devices to mesure the wind?
10 metres above ground to measure the wind
And devices used are :wind vane,cup anemometre
Speed is in knots and true north
Wind strength
Calm»_space;» is 1knt or less
Gale force»> mean 34-47 kts
Storm force»> 48-63kts
Hurricane force»> Greater or equal to 64kts
Gust ?
Sudden increase of 10kts or more less tha n 1 min
Squall
Similiar to gust but last more than 1min
Lull
Is a sudden drop in wind speed
Veering mean
When wind is changing in clockwise direction
Backing
When wind changes in anticlockwise
Isotach line
Area of equal wind strength
Four type of forces
> pressure gradient
Coriolis effect
centrifugal force
friction force (below 1000ft -3000ft above the surface)
Coriolis force at the equator and poles
Coriolis force is greater at the poles and least at the equator
Coriolis force
Coriolis force= 2 X omega X density X V X sin lattitude
Cs proportinality
> Cs is proportional to wind speed
cs is proportional to latitude (higher =more deflection)
cs is proportional to density ( greater density ,more deflection)
Geostrophic wind
Blowing parallel to isobars.
PGF=CF
WIND SPEED PROPORTINALITY
~WIND SPEED IS PROPORTIONAL TO pgf
~WIND IS INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO DENSITY
~WIND IS INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO LATITUDE
At baout 5 degrees from equator cs become s neglibile
Speed formula
V= (PGF)/(2X OMEGA X DENSITY X SIN lat
For reading the wind scale
For same isobars spacing the windspeed is faster at low latitudes
Gradient wind
In a low pressure sys the PGF IS LESS BECAUSE THE Centrifugal forceis opposing it.
In a high pressure sys the PGF become stronger because the Centrifugal force is helping the pfg
Gradient wind is less stronger in a low
In a low pressure system the PGF becomes less stronger because the centrifugal force acting in the opposite direction (same direction as Coriolis force) of the PGF.
In a high sys the speed is hegher
In a low sys the speed is low
Friction layer
2ft -3000ft vertical extent
Mainly affected by wind speed and terrain and stability
Night time friction layer
Night time may reduce to 1 to 1500ft
Friction layer
Surfaces friction reduces wind speed
Coriolis force reduces as wind speed reduces ,so its more like to go direct to the low from high
Sea and land surface wind
Surfaces wind is 50% and 30 degrees less (backing) from geostrophic wind over the land.
Surfaces wind 70% and 10 degrees less (backing) than geostrophic wing over sea
Diurnal variation of surface wind
Daytime thermal turbalence mixes slow moving surface air with the faster free stream air above (high wind speed at the surface )
At night no thermal activity so no mixing,just slow moving surface air (slow moving air at the surface) but could find wind shear because of the inversion and the high speed over the friction layer
Wind backing by 45 degree and is 1/4 of the geostrophic wind (northern hemispher)