Meteorology as a Branch of Science - Coursework Example

Meteorology Meteorology is a branch of science, mainly involving scientifically studying and analyzing various atmospheric conditions. These atmospheric conditions affect weather patterns. The atmosphere, which is about 100 to 125 kilometers thick, is the physical environment that surrounds a planet, usually made of a gaseous layer and is kept from expanding by the earth’s gravity (National Geographic Education, NGE, 2013). This study focuses on the troposphere, which is the lowest part of the atmosphere and contains clouds, snow and rain, making up the weather. The other layers are the stratosphere, mesosphere and the thermosphere. Meteorology focuses on operational weather forecasting or atmospheric research to forecast our weather through observation and explanation of certain atmospheric behavior. Meteorological research additionally covers climate change, climate modeling, remote sensing, air quality and atmospheric physics. It evaluates the connection between the atmosphere and the earth’s biological life, oceans and climates. Atmospheric data collected is used by forecasters to observe the current state of the atmosphere, thus predict its future state and behavior. Meteorological research could be done from various locations. NGE (2013) cites ships, weather balloons, weather stations, radar and satellites as some of the probable locations. The data collected from these sources would then be fed to centers around the world that produce computer generated analyses of global weather. Regional and national weather centers then receive the analyses and feed it into computers that are then able to model the future state of global weather. Thus, weather and its study take place in many interconnected ways. There are four scales of meteorology. Microscale meteorology is concerned with small geographic areas, ranging from a few centimeters to several kilometers over a short period of time, and mostly studies the temperatures and terrain of these areas (NGE, 2013). Mesoscale meteorology deals with areas ranging in size from a few kilometers to about 100 kilometers and deals with mesoscale convective systems (MCS) and mesoscale convective complexes (MSC), both resultants of convection, a circulation process. Global scale meteorology deals with weather patterns brought about by movement of moisture, wind and heat to the poles from the tropics. Synoptic scale meteorology is concerned with high and low pressure systems as seen in weather forecasts and covers several hundred kilometers to thousands of kilometers. High and low pressure is a cause of several weather systems like hurricanes and tornadoes. Tornado A tornado refers to an extreme of a massive thunderstorm, referred to a supercell. It is formed when there are columns of air that rotate rapidly, making contact with the ground (Coffey, 2010). It is formed when, during the storm, warm and cold air combine. The warm air rises while the cold air drops and eventually the warm air twists into a spiral, forming a funnel cloud. Prior to the thunderstorm, the wind changes in direction and the speed increases. A horizontal spinning effect that is invisible is created at an increasing altitude in the lower part of the atmosphere. Within the thunderstorm, rising air tilts the rotating air vertical from a horizontal direction. An area of rotation that is 2 to 6 miles wide is formed within the major part of the storm. A lower cloud base at the storm’s center turns to a rotating wall cloud. The tornado, after full development, begins to wreak havoc in its path. The strength of a tornado is measured on a Fujita scale which ranges from EF0, which is light intensity, to EF5, which causes incredible damage where buildings are lifted from foundations. A tornado, also known as a cyclone or twister, can take various forms and shape ranging from cylindrical-shaped funnels to large wedge-shaped funnels to twisting rope-like funnels to large funnels resembling an elephant’s trumpet hanging from a cumulonimbus cloud (Ahrens, 2010). Most tornadoes rotate anticlockwise about their low pressure central core, though some, but rare, rotate clockwise. Most have wind speeds not exceeding 100 knots, though violent ones may have speeds exceeding 220 knots, with most having a diameter of about 300 to 200 feet (100 to 600m). While some have diameters exceeding 1 mile (1600m), some are a few meters wide. While most tornadoes travel for an average of 7 kilometers (4 mi) and last only a few minutes, some have been reported to last several hours and travel hundreds of kilometers. Major tornadoes normally evolve through several stages. Ahrens (2010) notes that the first stage is the dust-whirl stage, where the tornado’s circulation is marked by dust swirling from the surface upwards. From the thunderstorm’s base, a short funnel extends. The damage is normally light during this stage. Increase in strength takes the tornado to its mature stage, where damage is most severe since the funnel is almost vertical and has reached its greatest width. The funnel becomes more tilted and the width shrinks as it moves out of the maturity stage, though it is still capable of causing immense damage. During the final stage, known as that decay stage, it stretches into rope’s shape, gets greatly twisted before it dispels. Characteristics of Tornadoes The most notable characteristic of tornadoes is the swirling cloud of dust or debris and the funnel-shaped cloud extending from the ground to the base of a cloud (Richardson & Markowski, 2011). Others include the damage and destruction to property, especially buildings and vehicles due to the high speed winds. Tornadoes also cause injuries and deaths to humans, depending on the intensity. Tornado Prevalence The United States of America has got the highest prevalence rate for tornadoes, going by the number of injuries and fatalities, frequency, intensity and the level of destruction caused. This is due to its unique geography which brings together tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico, dry air from the Southwest and polar air from Canada, clashing in the middle of the country, causing thunderstorms which bring about tornadoes. As noted by Prociv (2013), the states with the highest prevalence are those that lie in the Tornado Alley, which is the high risk area. They include Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas. In Europe, Russia also gets tornadoes, courtesy of the contrasting air masses coming from the Himalayan Mountains and the Gobi Desert. Prociv (2013) reports that the United Kingdom leads non-Russia Europe with more than 30 tornadoes per year, but they are mostly weak. Germany reports an average of 10 per year, near the heart of Europe’s stronger tornado alley, generally stretching from northeast France toward Poland. In many along the Mediterranean Sea, tornado prevalence is also high. Australia reports an average of 20 to 25 tornadoes per year. This is mainly due to its climatology and geographic location. It is not located in the middle latitudes, meaning there are no contrasting air masses and the temperatures needed to produce supercell thunderstorms. Argentina, though having reported the strongest tornadoes in the southern hemisphere does not have a high annual average. Tornado development in this country is influenced by the Andes Mountains due to the wind dynamics and air mass interactions. South Africa also has tornadoes, with the mountainous region of Free State of Gauteng having the most concentration. Worldwide, tornadoes have prevalence areas. Canada follows the USA closely, with high prevalence areas including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Dakotas (Prociv, 2013). Canada and the USA combined experience 80 percent of the world’s tornadoes. Bangladesh is also tornado prevalent, at number 3 behind USA and Canada. This has mainly to do with its geographical location. The southern part of the country gets warmth and moisture from the Bay of Bengal and cold and dry air from the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas in the north, perfect conditions for storms. Staying Safe There exist several ways through which one can be safe during a tornado and minimize the involved risks. According to Weather Channel (2013), one needs to know and understand warning signals if they are available. A family disaster kit should be kept within easy reach as well as utility valves and switches. It would be important to be keen to government directives and be ready for evacuation. During the tornado, sheltering in the lowest part of the house, like in the basement, and staying clear of glass doorways and glass would be advisable. One should stay indoors until the storm has passed. If outside, it would be advisable to get inside a building, avoiding buildings with wide roofs like shopping malls or gymnasiums. Sheltering in a low ditch and covering the head and neck with the arms could be helpful. Those driving should try drive away from the tornado and if that is not possible should get out of the car and lie in a ditch, but safe from the car incase it tumbles over. Staying in the car and crouching down below the windows, having left the engine running so that the airbags work could help. Those in a mobile home should leave and seek shelter as soon as possible or seek a low lying area and lie in it until the storm passes. Hurricanes The word, hurricane, is coined from the name of an evil god, Hurican, a god on some islands in the Caribbean Sea. Just like the god, they cause a lot of damage, more so when they move onto land (Woods & Mary, 2007). They use moist, warm air as fuel, which is why they are mostly formed only over the warm ocean waters near the equator. The warm moist air rises upward, leaving an area of low pressure, which is then filled with cooler air with higher pressure from surrounding areas. This new air gets warm and moist and rises, and as this continues, cold air swirls in to replace it. Clouds are formed as the warmed, moist air rises and cools off. The clouds and winds grow, fed by the ocean’s heat and water vapor from the surface. The earth’s rotation determines the direction of the winds. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winds swirl anticlockwise and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. As the storm rotates faster and faster, a very low pressure area forms at the center, known as the eye, into which higher pressure flows. The size of the eye varies from 10 miles to more than 50 and the shape, dynamics and size are in constant change. Despite their strength, hurricanes rely on several changeable but fragile ingredients. Schwartz (2007) explains that a closed wind circulation, capable of gathering energy, moisture and heat from mild ocean waters is important. Water temperatures should be about 80 degrees or higher to a depth of approximately 150 feet to foster growth and development. A spiraling wind pattern brings air inward and causes thunderstorms to rotate around a low pressure core. A warm central core with surrounding feeder bands to carry energizing moisture and heat to the circulation center is also important. A tropical storm is formed when the winds in the rotating storm reach 30 miles per hour, and a tropical cyclone or hurricane when they reach 74 miles per hour (National Aeronautic Space Authority, 2012). In the Western Ocean, they are known as typhoons. Hurricanes are weaker when they reach land as they no longer have the energy from the warm waters. They can however bring a lot of rain and cause great wind damage. A hurricane is measured on a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Intensity Scale which has five categories, ranging from category 1 with a wind speed of 74 to 95 miles per hour and causes minimal damage to category 5 whose wind speed is over 155 miles per hour and causes catastrophic damage. Characteristics of hurricanes Palmer (2011) outlines several characteristics of hurricanes, which include having no fronts and weakening with height. The center is also warmer than the surrounding areas and they form under weak high-altitude winds. The latent heat of condensation is their main source and they rapidly weaken when they reach land. A devastating storm surge is formed at landfall, and this can extended nearly 161 kilometers (100 miles) and reach 6 meters (20 feet) high, causing untold damage, injuries and fatalities. The Atlantic Hurricane is usually between June 1st and November 30th, with most occurring between August and September. Most are formed between the latitudes of 10 and 35 degrees north. Hurricanes also bring about high speed winds which uproot trees and cause widespread utility outages including electric and telephone services and loss of safe drinking water. There are lighter winds in areas west of the center but they also have more rains than areas in the west, thus the potential of flash floods (Schwartz, 2007). Flooding from excessive rainfall during a hurricane brings about more deaths in the Middle Atlantic than storm surge, tornadoes and wind combined. In mountainous sections, rainfall brings more concern as the steep slopes facilitate rapid run off, therefore the risk of mudslides. Hurricane Prevalence Due to their topographical make up, United States coastal areas are vulnerable to hurricanes. Most hurricane-related fatalities have been reported along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts (Weather Channel, 2013). Going by the number of occurrences, 83 per cent of category 4 or higher strikes have hit either Texas or Florida, both having extensive coastlines. In other parts of the world, hurricanes are less dangerous. They occur between mid-August and October in the Atlantic Basin, made up of North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the eastern North pacific, whose official season is between May 15 and November 30. It is possible, but rare, for a hurricane to occur in November, as the water begins to cool in late autumn and weather patterns are thus unfavorable for hurricane development. Staying Safe It would be important to make an evacuation plans and research on alternative escape routes in areas vulnerable to hurricanes. Supplies should be bought in advance, as well as medical and emergency equipment. A weather radio is also important. Windows with shutters or plywood should be protected and trees around the house trimmed to reduce risks. During the storm, people should stay in an inner room, away from windows and doors and take cover under something sturdy, especially during very strong winds (Weather Channel, 2013). It would not be advisable to go outside until the hurricane is over. Conclusion Meteorology involves the study and analysis of various atmospheric conditions such as hurricanes and tornadoes. Hurricanes and tornadoes are both formed when winds blow into each other from different direction, mostly in warm, damp air. Whereas hurricanes are independent storms originating from warm ocean water and moving to land, tornadoes depend on a parent storm cell and occur on land. Both are very destructive and safety precautions should be followed before, during and after the storm. References Ahrens, D. C. (2010). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere. Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Coffey, J. (2010, August 24). How are Tornadoes Formed. Universe Today. Retrieved on 18 October from http://www.universetoday.com/71983/how-are-tornadoes-formed/ Markowski, P, & Richardson, Y. (2011). Mesoscale Meteorology in Midlatitudes. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. National Aeronautic Space Authority. (2012). What Causes Hurricanes? Retrieved 18 October 2013 from http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/hurricanes/ National Geographic Education (2013). Meteorology. Retrieved on 19 October 2013 from http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/meteorology/? Palmer, C. (2011). What Makes a Storm a Hurricane. USA Today. Retrieved on 16 October 2013 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/tg/whurwhat/whurwhat.htm Prociv, K. (2013). From Domestic to International: Tornadoes Around the World. Retrieved 18 October 2013 from http://www.ustornadoes.com/2013/07/25/from-domestic-to-international-tornadoes-around-the-world/ Schwartz, R. (2007). Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. Alexandria, Virginia: Blue Diamond Books. Weather Channel (2013). Safety and Preparedness. Retrieved 18 October 2013 from http://www.weather.com/safety/main Woods, M., & Mary, B. W. (2007). Hurricanes. Mineapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Company. Read More