ESS124
Prof.
Jin-Yi Yu
Other
Upper-Level Weather Maps
•850mb: to identify fronts
•700mb: intersects many clouds; moisture information is
important
•500mb: used to determine the location of short waves and long
waves associated with the ridges and
troughs in the flow pattern. Meteorologists
examine “vorticity” (i.e. rotation of air) on this pressure level.
•300, 250, and 200mb: near the top of the troposphere or the lower stratosphere; these maps are used to identify the
location of jetsreams that steer
the movements of mid-latitude storms.