Upper Air Maps

Introduction

Upper air maps are maps of the atmosphere between 1 and 10 miles above the ground. They are used extensively in weather forecasting, both short range and long range. This module will introduce some conventional upper air maps, explain how to interpret them, and describe their use in weather forecasting.

Learning Objectives

• Become proficient at inferring winds from height contours
• Be able to use the maps to forecast the movement of weather systems and the evolution of temperature and vertical motion

Table of Contents

1. Geostrophic Balance Revisited
2. Optional: Estimating the Actual Wind Speed
3. Winds and Heights: Mix and Match
4. Tropopause Maps
5. The 300 mb Map
6. The 500 mb Map
7. The 700 mb Map
8. The 850 mb Map
9. Some Tough Review Questions
10. Summary

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