Basic Question about Atlantic Dry Air

slosh · #1 Postby **slosh** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:12 am

There is a lot of discussion about the dry air in the Atlantic inhibiting Tropical Development. How is that determination made? Is it the Water Vapor Image or something else?

Thanks

mf_dolphin · #2 Postby **mf_dolphin** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:20 am

On the water vapor loops, dry air shows up as dark areas (lack of moisture) while the wet areas go from gray to white to all the way up to dark blues.

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/EATL/WV/20.jpg

At the bottom of the picture is a moisture scale. Tropical systems like a warm moist evironment to provide the energy they need to sustain and grow. Add a little ventilation (upper air high pressure over the top of the storm) and we're off and running! :-)

slosh · #3 Postby **slosh** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:36 am

Thanks mf_dolphin

That is what I thought, I just didn't know if that was the primary way to determine it. Thanks for the reply! I am interested in learning, so i will probably have a lot of basic questions this season.

I could probably learn faster if we actually had a system to observe. Had I booked a cruise or vacation to the Caribbean, the tropics would be exploding right now.

Stormsfury · #4 Postby **Stormsfury** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:50 am

Had I booked a cruise or vacation to the Caribbean, the tropics would be exploding right now.

That's called Murphy's Law... :lol:

Lindaloo · #5 Postby **Lindaloo** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:57 am

thanks for that info marshall. i had often wondered about that and now i understand it.

slosh · #6 Postby **slosh** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 10:18 am

If I understand some of the other posts, the first wave coming off of Africa may not develop, but might draw moisture into the region. This could provide enough moisture for the second larger wave to develop. Am I correct?

Stormsfury · #7 Postby **Stormsfury** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 10:26 am

slosh wrote:If I understand some of the other posts, the first wave coming off of Africa may not develop, but might draw moisture into the region. This could provide enough moisture for the second larger wave to develop. Am I correct?

Could be. I'm not totally writing off the first wave/low though, but IMO, the first wave is setting the stage for the second wave. I just looked at the globals and they do not show any promise due to two factors. The Negative NAO and a developing Azores Low. The Azores low along with a -NAO isn't exactly a very favorable pattern as the waves/energy is generally pulled northward very quickly.

SF

ColdFront77 · #8 Postby **ColdFront77** » Fri Aug 08, 2003 12:38 pm

The reddish colors "embedded in the darker areas" on water vapor imagery is even drier air.

Basic Question about Atlantic Dry Air

Basic Question about Atlantic Dry Air

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