On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 22:57:41 +1200,
Lawrence D¹Oliveiro , in
wrote:
+ I keep seeing descriptions (e.g.
+ http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gl)/guides/mtr/fw/fric.rxml) of winds
+ blowing parallel to isobars. Yet surely this is not physically possible?

Geostrophic winds happen rarely in the real world. And they are, by
definition, the component parallel to isobars. The ageostrophic
component is perpendicular to the isobars. So, in reality, the winds
look like this:

wind = geostrophic + ageostrophic

Now that's a bit of a simplification since those are vectors
(direction and speed).

James
--
Consulting Minister for Consultants, DNRC
I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow
isn't looking good, either.
I am BOFH. Resistance is futile. Your network will be assimilated.