Practical Exercises in Elementary MeteorologyWard, Robert DeCourcy
Science
Practical Exercises in Elementary Meteorology
Ward, Robert DeCourcy
Meteorology
=The Deflection of the Wind from the Gradient: Ferrel’s Law.=——The law of
the deflection of the wind prevailingly to the right of the gradient is
known as _Ferrel’s Law_, after William Ferrel, a noted American
meteorologist, who died in 1891. The operation of this law has already
been seen in the spiral circulation of the winds around the cyclone and
the anticyclone, as shown on the maps of our series. In the case of the
cyclone the gradient is directed inward towards the center; in the case
of the anticyclone the gradient is directed outward from the center. In
both cases the right-handed deflection results in a spiral whirl, inward
in the cyclone, outward in the anticyclone. The operation of this law is
further seen in the case of the _Northeast Trade Winds_. These winds blow
from about Lat. 30° N. towards the equator, with wonderful regularity,
especially over the oceans. Instead of following the gradient and blowing
as north winds, these trades turn to the right of the gradient and become
_northeast_ winds, whence their name. From about Lat. 30° N. towards the
North Pole there is another great flow of winds over the earth’s surface.
These winds do not flow due north, as south winds. They turn to the
right, as do the trades, and become southwest or west-southwest winds,
being known as the _Prevailing Westerlies_. Ferrel’s Law thus operates in
the larger case of the general circulation of the earth’s atmosphere, as
well as in the smaller case of the local winds on our weather maps.
[Illustration: FIG. 47.]
CHAPTER X.
CORRELATION OF THE VELOCITY OF THE WIND AND
THE PRESSURE.
Prepare a scale of latitude degrees, as explained in Chapter V. Select
some station on the weather map at which there is a wind arrow, and at
which you wish to study the relation of wind velocity and pressure. Find
the rate of pressure change per degree as explained in Chapter VII. Note
also the velocity, in miles per hour, of the wind at the station. Repeat
the operation 100 or more times, selecting stations in different parts of
the United States. It is well, however, to include in one investigation
either interior stations alone (_i.e._, more than 100 miles from the
coast) or coast stations alone, as the wind velocities are often
considerably affected by proximity to the ocean. And, if coast stations
are selected, either onshore or offshore winds should alone be included in
one exercise. The investigation may, therefore, be carried out so as to
embrace the following different sets of operations:——
_A._ Interior stations.
_B._ Coast stations with onshore winds.
_C._ Coast stations with offshore winds.
Enter your results in a table similar to the one here given:——
TABLE II.——CORRELATION OF WIND VELOCITY AND BAROMETRIC
GRADIENT.
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