html> MET 3510

Sounding Evaluation

You will become familiar with plotting a sounding on a skew-T, log p diagram and begin to become familiar with sounding characteristics.
Assignment 1. Due January 11

  • Refer to the skew-T manual for reference.

  • Following is the data from 12z, January 7.
    SNPARM = PRES;TMPC;DWPC;SPED;DRCT;HGHT
    STID = SLC STNM = 72572 TIME = 010107/1200
    SLAT = 40.78 SLON = -111.97 SELV = 1288.0
    STIM = 1200

    PRES(mb) TMPC(C) DWPC(C) SPED(m/s) DRCT(deg) HGHT(f)
    878.00 -5.10 -6.20 2.00 240.00 1288.00
    1000.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 257.00
    925.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 -9999.00 879.00
    850.00 -7.10 -8.20 1.00 210.00 1545.00
    823.00 -6.10 -10.50 3.67 103.32 1797.24
    819.69 -5.67 -10.65 4.00 90.00 1829.00
    797.00 -2.70 -11.70 5.45 82.73 2050.12
    788.64 -1.79 -15.35 6.00 80.00 2134.00
    777.00 -0.50 -20.50 5.22 66.38 2252.33
    759.07 -1.88 -23.02 4.00 45.00 2438.00
    746.00 -2.90 -24.90 4.90 29.19 2576.05
    730.44 -2.73 -31.36 6.00 10.00 2743.00
    709.00 -2.50 -40.50 8.32 2.27 2978.92
    702.84 -3.05 -41.05 9.00 0.00 3048.00
    700.00 -3.30 -41.30 10.00 0.00 3080.00
    669.00 -5.70 -47.70 11.23 3.09 3436.89
    650.45 -5.04 -47.04 12.00 5.00 3658.00
    630.00 -4.30 -46.30 13.65 5.00 3909.24
    625.68 -4.75 -46.28 14.00 5.00 3962.00
    601.26 -7.37 -46.14 14.00 355.00 4267.00
    555.25 -12.61 -45.86 12.00 355.00 4877.00
    500.00 -19.50 -45.50 13.00 335.00 5680.00
    471.99 -22.86 -47.05 13.00 330.00 6096.00
    415.83 -30.24 -50.46 13.00 320.00 7010.00
    400.00 -32.50 -51.50 13.00 320.00 7290.00
    381.09 -35.29 -53.79 13.00 330.00 7620.00
    304.70 -48.20 -64.36 13.00 330.00 9144.00
    300.00 -49.10 -65.10 13.00 330.00 9250.00
    277.15 -53.10 -67.36 13.00 325.00 9754.00
    251.85 -57.93 -70.09 16.00 310.00 10363.00
    250.00 -58.30 -70.30 16.00 310.00 10410.00
    239.95 -60.44 -70.30 19.00 310.00 10668.00
    236.00 -61.30 -70.30 19.80 310.57 10772.19
    207.41 -59.74 -71.08 26.00 315.00 11582.00
    200.00 -59.30 -71.30 26.00 315.00 11810.00
    150.00 -56.30 -81.30 27.00 300.00 13620.00
    138.00 -53.90 -79.90 25.79 295.97 14154.35
    121.97 -57.12 -81.97 24.00 290.00 14935.00
    116.22 -58.38 -82.78 23.00 295.00 15240.00
    100.57 -62.15 -85.20 16.00 305.00 16154.00
    100.00 -62.30 -85.30 16.00 305.00 16190.00

    Plotting Data

  • 1) Using a No. 2 pencil, plot temperature and dew point temperature as a function of pressure. Use a small plus symbol to denote the observation and then connect the observations with straight solid (dashed) lines for temperature (dew point). NOTE: plot only observations that are in whole mb.

  • 2) Plot wind speed and direction according to the standard meteorological convention. Plot the winds at mandatory levels and observations that correspond to wind reporting levels as discussed in class. Be sure to follow the convention on the orientation of the wind barbs.

  • 3) Identify the base and top of all inversions and stable layers.
  • 4) Identify the height (m and mb) of the tropopause.
  • 5) Identify the base and top of saturated layers.
  • 6) Discuss the change in wind with height, noting any significant features in the wind profile.