Mid-Latitude Wave Cycle: Life Cycle, Stages, Winds, and Weather Conditions - Prof. Arthur , Study notes of Geography

Download Mid-Latitude Wave Cycle: Life Cycle, Stages, Winds, and Weather Conditions - Prof. Arthur and more Study notes Geography in PDF only on Docsity! MID-LATITUDE WAVE CYCLONE *** a low pressure cell that forms & moves along a front. Counter-clockwise circulation (NH) around the cyclone tends to produce the wavelike deformation of the front. Stages of the Wave Cyclone Life Cycle: pg. 283 Avg. life cycle is 5-7 days --- Stage 1: 2 air masses; a cold & a warm are set-up along a front & move parallel to it --- Stage 2: a wave forms & warm air starts to move pole-ward while cold air moves equator-ward --- Stage 3: cyclonic (counter-clockwise) circulation develops, with general convergence at the surface and uplifting; warm air overrides the cold air (frontal wedging); Cold front & warm front established. --- Stage 4: Cold front moving faster than the warm front and begins to overtake it; occlusion begins, forming the occluded front pg. 283 --- Stage 5: full development of an Occluded front & maximum intensity of the wave cyclone. Steep pressure gradient & strong winds pg. 283 --- Stage 6: pressure gradient weakens, energy exhausted & system dissipates Don’t forget: the closer the two #s are, then the higher the RH The farther apart the two #s, the lower the RH Winds of a Wave Cyclone: pg. 284 -- Warm sector: primarily southwesterly to southerly -- Cool sector: southeasterly to easterly & then northeasterly -- Cold sector: northerly to northwesterly to westerly