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Upper Air Maps
Here is an 500 mb upper air map. The height contours are in blue and the red dotted lines are temperature. Notice, that high heights are associated with warmer air.
It is important to identify the troughs and ridges on these upper air maps. Here is an example of the relationship between the weather at the surface and the flow of air at middle levels of the atmosphere. In particular, note the position of the cold front and low pressure system at the surface on the west coast. Is this under a trough or a ridge when viewing the upper air map at 500 mb? Also notie the upper level ridge of the 500 mb map that is over the central US (i.e. Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, etc.) and the weather at the surface. Do notice a relationshipt between the cloudiness beneath the ridge? Now make observations about the relationship between the weather at the surface and the flow at 300 mb. Also note the relationship between the upper air troughs and the infrared satellite image.
Return to upper air map lesson. Return to Lab 101 Main Page
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