CYCLONE-ANTICYCLONE TRACKING

DATASTREME SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMARY

To complement the Daily Summary for ???day, April 1997

TRACKING WEATHER SYSTEMS

Most mid-latitude synoptic scale weather systems are migratory because during their life cycles they usually move across the landscape. The progression of these systems can be monitored for weather analysis and forecast purposes upon a continuity chart. The positions of significant weather systems can be taken from regular surface synoptic charts. These positions are then plotted upon the continuity chart at regular intervals over time to obtain a picture of the progression of these weather systems.

WHAT IS NEEDED

All one needs is a blank base map such as that found on the DataStreme Homepage. You can keep track of the progression of weather systems across the continental United States and adjacent regions of Canada and Mexico for a period of several days to two weeks.

Locate the positions of the cyclone and anticyclone centers on the surface analysis charts. Define a cyclone or anticyclone by the presence of at least one closed isobar and that can be found twelve hours later. Plot the location of the centers of cyclones and anticyclones at 12 hour intervals (00 and 12 Z) from the surface analyses onto your base map. For clarity, you may want to use a separate base map for cyclones and anticyclones.
Draw a small circle on your charts to mark the position of the pressure center and plot the time in the center of this circle. Neatly plot the date above the location circle and the central pressure in millibars below.
Connect the location circles for the same cyclone/anticyclone with a black line. Refer to intermediate maps as necessary to ensure that you have tracked the same system at successive times.
Label your finished track maps with the appropriate title of "Cyclone Tracks" or "Anticyclone Tracks" and the inclusive dates.

WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE DETERMINED

While you are monitoring the movement of weather systems, you may want to identify.:

In what direction(s) did the cyclones move? Did you detect any preferential tracks? If so, where were these tracks located?
In what direction(s) did the anticyclones move? Did you detect any preferential tracks? If so, where were the tracks?
How do these surface pressure features move with respect to the upper level flow patterns?
Did you find that any systems formed in the region during the interval? If so, where did these systems appear?
Did any systems decay? If so, where did they finally disappear?
Did you detect any variation in the central pressure of individual systems as the progressed?
What happened when a system moving east from the Pacific approaches the Western states? Could you track these systems across the mountains and into the Plains states?
Estimate the lateral speed of the fastest moving cyclone. Similarly, estimate the speed of the fastest moving anticyclone.