The Jet Stream
Lab 6-4 Wx Observations Using the Internet
BACKGROUND INFROMATION 2
The Jet Stream
The Jet Stream maps display the expected position of the jet stream each day. The Jet Stream is an area of strong winds that are concentrated in a relatively narrow band in the upper troposphere of the middle latitudes and subtropical regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Flowing in a semi-continuous band around the globe from west to east, it is caused by the changes in air temperature where the cold polar air moving towards the equator meets the warmer equatorial air moving toward the poles. It is marked by a concentration of isotherms and strong vertical shear. These maps are available for five days and are updated once every day. Jet Streams are useful in predicting where weather moves or "storm tracks."
All images and content courtesy NOAA.gov and The National Weather Service and The Weather Channel