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📘 How a jet stream meanders

Understand temperature gradients, Rossby waves, ridges, troughs, blocking, and weather steering.

lessons

~10 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Adults

level

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What you’ll learn

Temperature contrast
Rossby waves
Ridge
Trough
Wave amplitude
Blocking
Storm steering
Energy exchange
Observation
A moving pattern

Questions this course answers

What is a Rossby wave?

Rossby waves create broad ridges and troughs in atmospheric flow.

What is a ridge?

Ridges are northward extensions of upper-level flow.

Why can blocking cause persistent weather?

A stationary ridge or high can hold patterns in place.

What does the jet transport?

Its waves help redistribute heat around the planet.

Why do meteorologists use sequences of upper-air maps?

Evolution of the wave determines downstream weather.

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