Abstract
Jet streams, a current of fast winds located about seven miles up near the tropopause, are major weather driving factors in the mid-latitudes. Using the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis data resources for the period 1979 to 1988, we defined the latitudinal distribution of daily wind maxima by month, and analyzed latitudinal distribution of the highest daily wind speed at the selected longitude in the 19th week of the year. We showed the typical diving pattern of jet stream over Central America in spring. We found that latitudinal distribution of daily wind maxima was concurrently oscillated with latitudinal distribution of tornado outbreaks in April, May and June. KZ filter smoothed latitudinal distribution of highest daily wind speed on tornado days showed a substantial increase in number of daily wind maxima over tornado alley region, compared to that on non-tornado-days.
Highlights
IntroductionThat permanent generation of extra mass in tropical atmosphere causes concentration of vapor mass at tropics to be about 2% higher than at higher latitudes, causing approximately the same degree drop in air pressure at higher latitudes; which in turn causes tropical air mass expansion and transmission to higher latitudes in both North and South directions
Seasonal difference and geographic patterns are substantial and clear: jet stream at 250 hPa reaches to south in winter and spring; but it shifts northward back in summer and autumn
It is very interesting that jet streams were meandering with their average wind maxima located over the Mexican area in spring, which is the pike time around year for tornado to develop in Texas [7]
Summary
That permanent generation of extra mass in tropical atmosphere causes concentration of vapor mass at tropics to be about 2% higher than at higher latitudes, causing approximately the same degree drop in air pressure at higher latitudes; which in turn causes tropical air mass expansion and transmission to higher latitudes in both North and South directions. In northern hemisphere, this air transport to the cold North is causing extra precipitations with essential shrinkage of vapor and further contributing to air mass transport to higher latitudes.
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