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 3. Due January 21

  • Refer to the skew-T manual for reference.

  • Following is the data from 12z, January 14 at Salem Oregon.
    SNPARM = PRES;TMPC;DWPC;SPED;DRCT;HGHT
    STID = SLE STNM = 72694 TIME = 030114/1200
    SLAT = 44.92 SLON = -123.00 SELV = 61.0
    STIM = 1200
    PRES(mb) TMPC(C) DWPC(C) SPED(m/s) DRCT(deg) HGHT(m)
    1019.00 8.20 8.20 2.00 190.00 61.00
    1000.00 8.60 7.60 4.00 260.00 214.00
    989.05 8.50 5.63 6.00 325.00 305.00
    979.00 8.40 3.80 5.72 326.38 389.44
    953.04 6.69 2.52 5.00 330.00 610.00
    925.00 4.80 1.10 4.00 330.00 855.00
    918.32 4.49 1.17 3.00 330.00 914.00
    884.52 2.91 1.53 2.00 310.00 1219.00
    878.00 2.60 1.60 2.19 304.42 1279.21
    872.00 2.40 0.70 2.36 299.26 1334.75
    867.00 2.20 -3.80 2.50 294.92 1381.27
    856.00 1.40 -3.60 2.82 285.30 1484.35
    850.00 1.00 -6.00 3.00 280.00 1541.00
    819.89 -0.31 -14.44 4.00 265.00 1829.00
    789.16 -1.69 -23.37 6.00 265.00 2134.00
    776.00 -2.30 -27.30 6.87 265.00 2268.22
    759.40 -3.80 -26.30 8.00 265.00 2438.00
    730.47 -6.50 -24.50 9.00 255.00 2743.00
    718.00 -7.70 -23.70 10.62 248.94 2878.16
    713.00 -8.50 -15.50 11.27 246.48 2932.41
    708.00 -8.70 -12.30 11.93 244.00 2986.96
    700.00 -8.90 -12.20 13.00 240.00 3075.00
    671.00 -10.30 -11.40 13.56 231.60 3402.61
    649.05 -11.64 -12.61 14.00 225.00 3658.00
    623.00 -13.30 -14.10 13.49 219.88 3972.50
    599.12 -15.46 -16.49 13.00 215.00 4267.00
    553.00 -19.90 -21.40 13.99 229.84 4870.52
    552.51 -19.96 -21.51 14.00 230.00 4877.00
    525.00 -23.50 -28.00 17.08 239.25 5254.07
    508.57 -24.93 -29.30 19.00 245.00 5486.00
    500.00 -25.70 -30.00 21.00 245.00 5610.00
    467.31 -27.92 -32.27 27.00 235.00 6096.00
    440.00 -29.90 -34.30 29.71 229.19 6528.91
    400.00 -35.70 -40.70 34.00 220.00 7200.00
    375.73 -39.23 -44.23 36.00 215.00 7620.00
    300.00 -51.90 -56.90 45.00 230.00 9130.00
    299.33 -52.00 -57.02 45.00 230.00 9144.00
    271.74 -56.57 -62.11 50.00 235.00 9754.00
    250.00 -60.50 -66.50 44.00 240.00 10280.00
    235.10 -55.96 -63.30 38.00 240.00 10668.00
    228.00 -53.70 -61.70 32.26 236.81 10861.76
    224.07 -53.86 -62.26 29.00 235.00 10973.00
    200.00 -54.90 -65.90 30.00 235.00 11700.00
    185.27 -54.47 -69.20 30.00 245.00 12192.00
    153.28 -53.42 -77.37 17.00 245.00 13411.00
    150.00 -53.30 -78.30 18.00 245.00 13550.00
    141.00 -55.10 -81.10 21.06 242.45 13946.62
    132.86 -55.10 -81.10 24.00 240.00 14326.00
    115.14 -55.10 -81.10 21.00 245.00 15240.00
    104.65 -55.10 -81.10 17.00 250.00 15850.00
    100.00 -55.10 -81.10 16.00 250.00 16140.00

    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.

    Coded Message
    72694 TTAA 64121 72694 99019 08200 19003 00214 08610 26008 ^M^M
    92855 04837 33007 85541 01057 28006 70075 08933 24025 50561 ^M^M
    25743 24540 40720 35750 22066 30913 51950 23087 25028 60556 ^M^M
    24086 20170 54961 23559 15355 53375 24534 10614 55176 25031 ^M^M
    88250 60556 24086 77269 23597 41828 51515 10164 00007 10194 ^M^M
    30507 26014=^M^M