Describe the characteristics of midlatitude cyclones and anticyclones in both th

Question

Describe the characteristics of midlatitude cyclones and anticyclones in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. You must include the following in your answer: - Weather - Fronts - Temperature - Precipitation - Pressure - High pressure center - Low pressure center - Wind patterns - Converging or diverging at the surface and in the upper atmosphere - Clockwise or counterclockwise rotation (Be sure to identify this for both items in each hemisphere) - Rising or descending in the center. In this discussion, also identify severe weather elements which may pose a threat to human life for each midlatitude element. (Note: The websites above provide information on severe weather)

Explanation / Answer

Cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons, and tornadoes are formed by the rotating low and high pressure wind patterns. The name of the cyclones differs based on the location of occurrence. The mid-latitude cyclones occur in between the latitudes 30N-55N and 30S-55S. The diameter of these cyclones is 1500-5000 km.

An anticyclone and a cyclone are the large-scale systems of air circulation in the atmosphere. In the cyclone, the central pressure is lower than the surrounding environment. The flow of circulation of these cyclones is clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. The cyclones are also characterized by low-level convergence and ascending air within the system.

The anticyclone systems are quite opposite to the cyclone systems. In the anticyclone, the central pressure is higher than the surrounding environment. The flow of circulation of these anticyclones is counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. The anticyclones are also characterized by low-level divergence and subsiding air.

The subtropical high-pressure belts in the atmosphere coincide with the descending legs in the air-circulations mechanisms known as Hadley cells. The subsiding air heats the atmosphere by adiabatic compression and it produces an intense subsidence inversion with the first 2 km of the atmosphere. This inversion is characterized by an extremely warm layer in the atmosphere and it forms a stable a stable lid. The stable lid in the atmosphere creates an air-pollution problem in many cities.

The semi-permanent subtropical centers of high pressure develop the direct responses to the surface-heating anomalies, which mean the ocean surface temperature increases. Due to this, the subtropics attain high pressure throughout the year. The center change intensity and the longitudinal position to compensate temperature and pressure between land and oceans. During the summer, the land areas are warmer than the adjacent oceans. Thus, the resulting pressure gradient causes cool ocean air to flow toward the warmer land surface. The Coriolis Effect always deviate the flow of the wind, which results, the wind flow of the cyclones move over the land and the wind flow of the anticyclones move over the sea. During the winter the situation is quite reversed such as the land cools quickly. Here, the high pressure winds move over the land and the low pressure winds move over the oceans. Thus, the land surface cools continuously and the loss of heat is compensated by an increase of energy.

Depressions in the mid-latitudes are due to the cyclonic systems. Here, the winds move eastward against the westerly flow. Thus, the central pressure often falls below 990 mb. The winds are generated due to the variations of the pressure.

Fronts:

Front is a boundary between the two air masses, which means it divides the two air masses.

The following fronts are generated at the North Pole and the South Pole:

Cold fronts: Cold fronts are formed by cold air. Here, the warm air is replaced by the cold air.

Warm fronts: Warm fronts are formed by warm air. Here, the cold air is replaced by the warm air.

Stationary fronts: Stationary fronts are the stable fronts, which mean these fronts do not move.

Occluded fronts: If the warm front catches the cold front, then occluded fronts are formed. The occluded front acts as a boundary between the two cold fronts

The above four fronts act as the boundary between the two air masses. The cold fronts act as a boundary between the air masses of mA at Arctic region and mP at polar region. The warm fronts act as the boundary between mA and mT.

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