What does a front look like?
 

I know the diagrams of fronts in the books, showing the sloping boundary
between the warm and cold air, etc. But what do they look like when they
pass over my garden (a) as seen from the ground, and (b) on the data
from the AWS?

Or are they too varied to be able to see one for certain?

Hugh

--

Hugh Newbury

www.evershot-weather.org

What does a front look like?
 

On Jul 27, 4:08*pm, Hugh Newbury wrote:
I know the diagrams of fronts in the books, showing the sloping boundary
between the warm and cold air, etc. But what do they look like when they
pass over my garden (a) as seen from the ground, and (b) on the data
from the AWS?

Or are they too varied to be able to see one for certain?

Hugh

--

Hugh Newbury

www.evershot-weather.org

Wind should veer (eg southwest to west) on the passage of the front.
Otherwise the change can be highly variable as regards temperature
change, cloud type and amount, and precipitation.

Len Wood
Wembury,SW Devon

What does a front look like?
 

"Len Wood" wrote ...
On Jul 27, 4:08 pm, Hugh Newbury wrote:
I know the diagrams of fronts in the books, showing the sloping
boundary
between the warm and cold air, etc. But what do they look like when
they
pass over my garden (a) as seen from the ground, and (b) on the data
from the AWS?


.... as Len has hinted, you've asked a question to which entire
chapters of elementary text books are devoted - and still you wouldn't
get the definitive answer!

If you look at this link first (US based, but a good 'primer', and
based on the 'Norwegian' frontal theory which of course has developed
considerably over the past 100 years), then you'll get an idea of the
'ideal' .... then it's a case of looking at each 'real' example in
turn and working out how they behave by comparing your data (and
observation) with the ideal ....

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/gu...rnts/home.rxml

then click on each front etc. .... it's called 'cardboard' meteorology
(from the cut-out models that used to be used in MET training schools
to demonstrate fronts etc.), but you've got to start somewhere :-)

Martin.


--
Martin Rowley
West Moors, East Dorset (UK): 17m (56ft) amsl
Lat: 50.82N Long: 01.88W
NGR: SU 082 023

What does a front look like?
 

On 27/07/10 18:12, Martin Rowley wrote:
"Len Wood" wrote ...
On Jul 27, 4:08 pm, Hugh Newbury wrote:
I know the diagrams of fronts in the books, showing the sloping
boundary
between the warm and cold air, etc. But what do they look like when
they
pass over my garden (a) as seen from the ground, and (b) on the data
from the AWS?


... as Len has hinted, you've asked a question to which entire
chapters of elementary text books are devoted - and still you wouldn't
get the definitive answer!

If you look at this link first (US based, but a good 'primer', and
based on the 'Norwegian' frontal theory which of course has developed
considerably over the past 100 years), then you'll get an idea of the
'ideal' .... then it's a case of looking at each 'real' example in
turn and working out how they behave by comparing your data (and
observation) with the ideal ....

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/gu...rnts/home.rxml

then click on each front etc. .... it's called 'cardboard' meteorology
(from the cut-out models that used to be used in MET training schools
to demonstrate fronts etc.), but you've got to start somewhere :-)

Martin.



Len, Martin, thanks for that. I suspected as much, but there's always a
chance that there's a cunning way of looking at these mysterious things.

Hugh

--

Hugh Newbury

www.evershot-weather.org

What does a front look like?
 

"Hugh Newbury" wrote in message
...
On 27/07/10 18:12, Martin Rowley wrote:
"Len Wood" wrote ...
On Jul 27, 4:08 pm, Hugh Newbury wrote:
I know the diagrams of fronts in the books, showing the sloping
boundary
between the warm and cold air, etc. But what do they look like
when
they
pass over my garden (a) as seen from the ground, and (b) on the
data
from the AWS?


... as Len has hinted, you've asked a question to which entire
chapters of elementary text books are devoted - and still you
wouldn't
get the definitive answer!

If you look at this link first (US based, but a good 'primer', and
based on the 'Norwegian' frontal theory which of course has
developed
considerably over the past 100 years), then you'll get an idea of
the
'ideal' .... then it's a case of looking at each 'real' example in
turn and working out how they behave by comparing your data (and
observation) with the ideal ....

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/gu...rnts/home.rxml

then click on each front etc. .... it's called 'cardboard'
meteorology
(from the cut-out models that used to be used in MET training
schools
to demonstrate fronts etc.), but you've got to start somewhere :-)

Martin.



Len, Martin, thanks for that. I suspected as much, but there's
always a
chance that there's a cunning way of looking at these mysterious
things.

Hugh

--

Hugh Newbury

www.evershot-weather.org


.... whatever you do, don't be put off! These 'ideal' cases are a good
way to start - then you can pick up on some of the variations later.
For example, this evening's cold front should show strong elements of
the diagrammatic 'ideal', with a wind veer, drop in dew point, and
change in cloud character as the colder, post-frontal air kicks in -
possibly complication (aren't there always), is that Exeter have drawn
*two* cold fronts on the 12Z ASXX - the rearward one marks the
'proper' polar maritime air mass, though again, at this time of year
it's heavily modified. There probably won't be much (if any) rain on
it though - a short burst of drizzle is all I'm expecting here.

Martin.


--
Martin Rowley
West Moors, East Dorset (UK): 17m (56ft) amsl
Lat: 50.82N Long: 01.88W
NGR: SU 082 023

What does a front look like?
 

"Hugh Newbury" wrote in message
...
On 27/07/10 18:12, Martin Rowley wrote:
"Len Wood" wrote ...
On Jul 27, 4:08 pm, Hugh Newbury wrote:
I know the diagrams of fronts in the books, showing the sloping
boundary
between the warm and cold air, etc. But what do they look like when
they
pass over my garden (a) as seen from the ground, and (b) on the data
from the AWS?


... as Len has hinted, you've asked a question to which entire
chapters of elementary text books are devoted - and still you wouldn't
get the definitive answer!

If you look at this link first (US based, but a good 'primer', and
based on the 'Norwegian' frontal theory which of course has developed
considerably over the past 100 years), then you'll get an idea of the
'ideal' .... then it's a case of looking at each 'real' example in
turn and working out how they behave by comparing your data (and
observation) with the ideal ....

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/gu...rnts/home.rxml

then click on each front etc. .... it's called 'cardboard' meteorology
(from the cut-out models that used to be used in MET training schools
to demonstrate fronts etc.), but you've got to start somewhere :-)

Martin.



Len, Martin, thanks for that. I suspected as much, but there's always a
chance that there's a cunning way of looking at these mysterious things.

Hugh


Fronts are not simple things, we have occlusions, warm fronts, forward
sloping cold fronts, rearward sloping cold fronts, upper cold and warm
fronts, trowals, seclusions etc but with an AWS you will always notice
*something change* when a front goes through, most often wind direction,
dewpoint and temperature.

Cheers,

Will
--

What does a front look like?
 

On 27/07/10 18:46, Martin Rowley wrote:

....

Martin, Will, v many thanks for your help. The link looks a great place
to start, and I'll keep an eye on wind veer, DP/Temp drop. Let's hope we
get some fronts during daylight so I can see what the sky looks like too.

Hugh

--

Hugh Newbury

www.evershot-weather.org

What does a front look like?
 

"Martin Rowley" wrote ...

mega-snip
- the rearward one marks the 'proper' polar maritime air mass,
though again, at this time of year it's heavily modified. There
probably won't be much (if any) rain on it though - a short burst of
drizzle is all I'm expecting here.


.... and we didn't even get that!

Martin.


--
Martin Rowley
West Moors, East Dorset (UK): 17m (56ft) amsl
Lat: 50.82N Long: 01.88W
NGR: SU 082 023