Rossby Waves

[Nick L]

My Geography teacher has challenged me (as he knows I am a weather nut) to find out what a Rossby Wave is. Many of the explanations I have found online are long winded and quite technical. Could anybody give me a simple yet informative guide as to what they are and how they can affect our weather? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[sammie]

Rossby waves are giant meanders in the high speed upper level winds, AKA The Jet Stream at mid – high latitudes.

They are caused by the change in the Coriolis Force as you move away from the equator (remember Coriolis effect is stronger the closer to the poles you get.)

The meanders in the Jet Stream (almost like a river) get very big, they can detach masses of cold or warm air and become high (anticyclones) or low (cyclones) areas of pressure. It’s these cyclones and anticyclones that determine our every day weather.

[Nick L]

Thanks Sammie

I knew it was SOMETHING to do with the Jet Stream but some of the explanations on the internet were way over my head.

Thanks again!

[londonsnow]

interesting. I assume rossby was physicist or meteorologist or both

[Roo]

interesting. I assume rossby was physicist or meteorologist or both

A Swedish meteorologist apparently,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl-Gustaf_Arvid_Rossby

Edited November 21, 2008 by Roo

[londonsnow]

A Swedish meteorologist apparently,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl-Gustaf_Arvid_Rossby

thanks for the link. mr rossby certainly achieved a lot in his life

[Roo]

thanks for the link. mr rossby certainly achieved a lot in his life

Yes...you can certainly see why they named something after him!

[londonsnow]

Yes...you can certainly see why they named something after him!

indeed you can.