Wind Team

Fast Facts for the Wind Team
Jet Stream

1. Jet streams are narrow corridors of very strong winds at altitudes from 30,000 to 50,000 ft. They blow in a wavy pattern from west to east across North America at speeds exceeding 90 knots.
2. The jet stream steers surface lows (associated with troughs) and surface highs (associated with ridges) and the fronts anchored to them.
3. Troughs of low pressure air bring generally cold, cloudy weather. Ridges of high pressure air bring generally warm, clear weather.
4. When the jet stream is south of a given location, the weather tends to be relatively cold. When the jet stream is north of the same location, the weather tends to be relatively warm.
5. Storms are more likely to develop on the leading (east) edge of a trough.

Surface Winds

1. The altitude of surface winds fluctuates depending on the terrain, air temperature, and air pressure. Surface winds can be located from ground level to approximately 3,000 feet.
2. Surface winds and cold temperatures can combine to produce dangerous wind chills.
3. Authorities use the Wind Chill Temperature Index to calculate wind chills.

Privacy Statement and Copyright © 1999-2004 by Wheeling Jesuit University/The NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future program. All rights reserved.
Some images copyright © 2004 www.clipart.com.