Hodographs. Assignment 13. Due April 17

Discussion: review information in the Djuric text on hodographs.

5 soundings are provided for 12UTC April 10: GSO; TLH; FFC; UIL; and SLC. Wind speeds are in m/s. Assume that the winds are approximately in thermal wind balance with the mean temperature field.

1. What are the official names of these locations, where are they, and what are the primary synoptic-scale weather features in the vicinity of these stations?

2. For each hodograph and for each significant layer (not every bump and wiggle):

• a. Label the direction of warm/cold mean temperature as a function of height
• b. Indicate the type of advection (warm/cold/none) of the mean temperature by the mean wind through the layer.
• c. Identify the 100 mb layer in which the advection of the mean temperature by the mean wind is the strongest.
  • i.Using the latitude of the station and the magnitude of the thermal wind, compute the magnitude of the horizontal gradient (degree C/degree lat) in mean temperature.
  • ii. Estimate the mean wind speed through the layer and determine the magnitude of the mean temperature advection (degree C per day) for that layer.
• c. Indicate whether the structure in that layer is: barotropic; equivalent barotropic; or baroclinic
• d. Identify the level in the upper troposphere where the wind speed is a maximum. What is the direction of the warmest and coldest air above and below this level?
• e. Identify layers in which the winds are not likely to be in geostrophic wind balance. Why are they not likely in geostrophic wind balance?