Question Box:

[Audrey2Katrina]

I notice a lot of the folks in here occasionally ask questions about all the technical jargon that is bandied about on these forums, and especially in this one. I hope this isn't "off topic" for Talking Tropics, because most of it seems to arise in these threads. I feel a LOT of folks (myself included) sometimes come across acronyms, and terms that we just wish we had a clear understanding of; but are too concerned about sounding "ignorant" (which is exactly the right term, I confess ignorance to many of these terms.. simply means not aware as I see it)..so they blithely go on without further comment, and remain contentedly "ignorant".

This may go nowhere fast; but I'll give it a try. I'd like folks to use this thread to ask some of the pro-mets, and well-versed amateurs about terms, acronyms, and phrases that they'd like to have explained to them, so they might follow the informative threads concerning these storms et. al. with a much wider perspective of understanding. Don't be shy. (And please, while it's convenient to a degree, I've never found a link to weather acronyms to fully cover them all, and personally would much prefer a person-to-person explanation that I might be able to interact with). That said. Let me be the first to display some "ignorance" and ask for some further elaboration so that I might better understand what I'm reading when I read it. For some of you others... feel free to post questions YOU might want answered. I can only hope that those "answering" these questions will be truly familiar enough with the question to answer it articulately and clearly... if not... ask for further elaboration. Curious minds WANT to know, and it's no shame to want to know what you're reading... it's a shame to read it and NOT know what you're reading when by asking... you can.

I've read a few posts about the SAL, which I know is the Saharan Air Layer; and a "possible" connection with Atlantic cyclonic activity. Can someone tell me what this suggested connection is? --as well as further elaboration on just exactly what the SAL is and/or implies. I've seen global weather maps of it, and truthfully have no clue what the "higher/lower" means or might imply.

Answers would be appreciated.... and all the rest of you.. C'mon, ask those questions you've always been wanting to ask--someone in here will be only too happy to help... I'm confident of that.

A2K

[BocaGirl]

This may go nowhere fast; but I'll give it a try. I'd like folks to use this thread to ask some of the pro-mets, and well-versed amateurs about terms, acronyms, and phrases that they'd like to have explained to them, so they might follow the informative threads concerning these storms et. al. with a much wider perspective of understanding. Don't be shy. (And please, while it's convenient to a degree, I've never found a link to weather acronyms to fully cover them all, and personally would much prefer a person-to-person explanation that I might be able to interact with). That said. Let me be the first to display some "ignorance" and ask for some further elaboration so that I might better understand what I'm reading when I read it. For some of you others... feel free to post questions YOU might want answered. I can only hope that those "answering" these questions will be truly familiar enough with the question to answer it articulately and clearly... if not... ask for further elaboration. Curious minds WANT to know, and it's no shame to want to know what you're reading... it's a shame to read it and NOT know what you're reading when by asking... you can.

I've read a few posts about the SAL, which I know is the Saharan Air Layer; and a "possible" connection with Atlantic cyclonic activity. Can someone tell me what this suggested connection is? --as well as further elaboration on just exactly what the SAL is and/or implies. I've seen global weather maps of it, and truthfully have no clue what the "higher/lower" means or might imply.

Answers would be appreciated.... and all the rest of you.. C'mon, ask those questions you've always been wanting to ask--someone in here will be only too happy to help... I'm confident of that.

A2K

While I can't claim pro met or even well-versed amateur status , I can claim a good memory! I remembered a great discussion about the SAL last year. I searched the Storm2K archives and found the link to this page:

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/real-time/wavetrak/sal-background.html

Hope it helps.

BocaGirl
Barbara

[feederband]

I know I ask alot..Alot.. And I always get informative answers...

[Audrey2Katrina]

Helped a lot, Boca... thanks... seems the SAL effect is there, but I can also see where and/or why it might be a focus of debate/controversy.

A2K

[gpickett00]

I know WX means weather, but why?

[Audrey2Katrina]

That's an interesting question. Although I can't trace it all the way back, I believe it has its roots in morse telegraphy... they simply used the letters wx to represent weather in sending morse code, and it's stayed that way ever since. Perhaps someone knowing more about this can expand or correct that assessment.

A2K

[wxmann_91]

SAL is often associated with dry air and an easterly surge. This inhibits thunderstorm activity within a wave and also makes it propogate westward too fast, thus preventing it from organizing.

[wjs3]

A2K: This is a great idea. One thing I really enjoy doing on these boards is (trying) to answer questions that come up when I can.

And, given how interested many have become in the tropics in the last few years, there are more questions than ever as more folks learn.

A lot of great questions get buried mid-thread. For instance, someone asked last week what an inverted V was as it relates to tropical waves. The question and answers--which I think a lot of folks would have found interesting got buried probably on page 10 of a 25 page thread. Anyway...

I like the idea of having one place to put a bunch of these kind of "technical" jargon-type questions.

Best--

WJS3

[jusforsean]

o.k. heres a dumb one.....
IMO means in my opinion right???
I think...

[mvtrucking]

TUTT and what bearing it has on tropical waves? I have seen it used recently and was unable to find it in the NWS glossary of terms or NHC acronyms.

[wxmann_91]

o.k. heres a dumb one.....
IMO means in my opinion right???
I think...

Not dumb, but yes, it means in my opinion.

TUTT and what bearing it has on tropical waves? I have seen it used recently and was unable to find it in the NWS glossary of terms or NHC acronyms.

TUTT cells are basically cut off upper lows that just meander around in the tropics. A TUTT to the north or east of a tropical system can help out by enhancing outflow. A TUTT to close to a system will shear it. Sometimes TUTT's can develop into a tropical system themselves.

TUTT stands for Tropical Upper-Tropospheric Trough.

[Audrey2Katrina]

I'd be the last to want quash a sincere question, but as someone pointed out on another thread: we aren't in a chatroom, and while I'd seen almost everyone at one time or another, self included, betimes summarize their post with the ocassional JMO, or IMHO, etc., it would be pudent to remember that we're certainly not instant messaging. This is the "Talking Tropics" thread... and we've been very respectfullya asked to keep on topic. Anything potentially related to the tropics and/or tropical weather.... is more than welcome. Anything utterly "off Tropic" is really not appropriate.

That said:

On THIS thread I would imagine IMO to mean something like..umm Intertropical Meteorological Object.... (PS That was strictly tongue-in-cheek Wxman_91 asnwered your query.)

A2K

[Audrey2Katrina]

mvtrucking: Wxman91 gave you a good summary of what a TUTT is, but just in case you were wondering about that acronym, (I find a lot used in here that are not on some of the lists I'd used as well) it stands for Tropical Upper-Tropospheric Trough. From what little I know of them, they can also just initiate over warm waters, and with myriad other atmospheric conditions eventually become a cyclonic system themselves.

A2K

[Cyclenall]

I want a list of the different "systems" that Tropical Cyclones form from. Here is an example:

1. TC's can form from Tropical Waves
2. TC's can form from Ex-Tropical Low Pressure Systems
3. TC's can form from "" "" ""

[senorpepr]

TUTT cells are basically cut off upper lows that just meander around in the tropics. A TUTT to the north or east of a tropical system can help out by enhancing outflow. A TUTT to close to a system will shear it. Sometimes TUTT's can develop into a tropical system themselves.

TUTT stands for Tropical Upper-Tropospheric Trough.

It's better to have the TUTT north or west (perferrably northwest) of a system to help enhance outflow. That quadrant of the cyclone is the most diffluent. To have a TUTT east of a tropical wave will do little since there isn't as much diffluence there and the wave is moving away from the TUTT into, usually, neutral flow.

[wxmann_91]

TUTT cells are basically cut off upper lows that just meander around in the tropics. A TUTT to the north or east of a tropical system can help out by enhancing outflow. A TUTT to close to a system will shear it. Sometimes TUTT's can develop into a tropical system themselves.

TUTT stands for Tropical Upper-Tropospheric Trough.

It's better to have the TUTT north or west (perferrably northwest) of a system to help enhance outflow. That quadrant of the cyclone is the most diffluent. To have a TUTT east of a tropical wave will do little since there isn't as much diffluence there and the wave is moving away from the TUTT into, usually, neutral flow.

Oops. Yeah, that's right.

TC's can for from TUTT's, remnants of frontal boundarys, monsoonal troughs (WPAC), there are more.

[Swimdude]

ITCZ.

What is it?

[WindRunner]

The Wikipedia article on it is as good as what I was going to tell you. Not an amazing description by any means, but it's pretty good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITCZ

Basically the band of showers that you see through the lower latitudes of the Atlantic/Pacific right now, though it generally moves south of the Equator in the winter. It acts as a conveyor belt for all of the tropical waves we see.

[Swimdude]

Thanks!

[Especially to Audrey2Katrina for making this helpful thread!]

[Audrey2Katrina]

You're quite welcome, and thanks to all who've contributed.

Can someone explain in layman's terms exactly the transition from warm core to cold core. I know a few things about each pertaining to the ascending/descending air; but I would like to know a little more about these often tossed around terms.

A2K