(02-21-2012, 04:30 PM)Cracker Wrote: All wind is created by unequal heating of Earth's surface. Water heats up more slowly but retains heat longer. Land heats up quickly but also cools off quickly when the sun isn't shining. That difference in energy creates all winds. Cold air masses created over colder areas move down and toward the Equator, warm air masses move upward and toward the poles. When two air masses meet with different temps, all hell breaks loose. This year is an La Nina year, so the colder waters are dominating the weather patterns. When the sun is out warming things and La Nina air moves in, high winds are created. That's why we have more wind than snow this year. Snow and precipitation are carried by warmer air masses that meet cold masses. Colder masses that meet warmer masses cause more wind than snow.


Winds also create all surface waves (to about 10 ft/3 meters deep). Bigger waves are created by convection currents in the ocean. The bumpier the bottom of the ocean, the bigger the waves.

(02-21-2012, 05:32 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote: You were close with some of your observations, and people like Lucy just gobble it up. You'll have to do better with me.

Wind is generated mostly by how closely two opposing areas of pressure are to each other, i.e., a high pressure center and a low pressure center. Wind was what Lucy was wondering about.

Tell her all about pressure gradients, etc.

BTW, why don't you give us a lesson on the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation. That'll help explain why it's been such a mild winter for most of us here in the U.S.

(02-21-2012, 05:41 PM)Cracker Wrote:

(02-21-2012, 05:32 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote: You were close with some of your observations, and people like Lucy just gobble it up. You'll have to do better with me.

Wind is generated mostly by how closely two opposing areas of pressure are to each other, i.e., a high pressure center and a low pressure center. Wind was what Lucy was wondering about.

Tell her all about pressure gradients, etc.

BTW, why don't you give us a lesson on the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation. That'll help explain why it's been such a mild winter for most of us here in the U.S.

Only if you pay me. And yes, if you pay certain places, they will teach something about anything you want. They guy I paid is a PhD who works for NOAA headquarters in Peachtree City. I figured he knew what he was talking about.

Now, don't forget to tell people pressure differences are due to unequal heating. Because you sounded smart for a second, but then I read it.


Never use a 50 cent word when a 5 cent word will work just as well. I learned that, too.

(02-21-2012, 05:50 PM)Cracker Wrote: What is your point? What I posted was correct. If you want to add to it, go right ahead. Why do you have to add the pissing match to it?

(02-21-2012, 06:14 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote:

(02-21-2012, 05:50 PM)Cracker Wrote: What is your point? What I posted was correct. If you want to add to it, go right ahead. Why do you have to add the pissing match to it?

The point I was making was, though you had some validity with your post, your explanation for why it was so windy was not the precise answer needed.

She's probably experiencing a ton of wind this year due to the location and strength of the North Atlantic Oscillation, which affects the jet stream. If the jet stream is carrying system after system directly over her residence, she's going to have more wind than she normally would.

The Oscillation works like a dam in a river. The jet stream moves around it, not through it. In the north central U.S., we'd normally have 30+ nights of sub-zero lows, but, because the jet hasn't been allowed to sink south and bring arctic air, we've had a total of 3 this year.

You explained temperature variances, precipitation, cold air and warm air masses colliding, etc., but not the true explanation of why it's been so windy where she lives.

(02-21-2012, 06:20 PM)LuciferLynn Wrote: A "warm" front just went through, and a cold front is right behind it, hence the wind and living right on Lake Erie doesn't help matters either. We're stuck between 2 fronts. This has been the case the majority of this winter. The last big wind storm was a low pressure system passing directly on top of us. I can see a LP system to the NW, I'm hoping it stays up in Canada where it belongs.

(02-21-2012, 06:27 PM)Cracker Wrote:

(02-21-2012, 06:14 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote:

(02-21-2012, 05:50 PM)Cracker Wrote: What is your point? What I posted was correct. If you want to add to it, go right ahead. Why do you have to add the pissing match to it?

The point I was making was, though you had some validity with your post, your explanation for why it was so windy was not the precise answer needed.

She's probably experiencing a ton of wind this year due to the location and strength of the North Atlantic Oscillation, which affects the jet stream. If the jet stream is carrying system after system directly over her residence, she's going to have more wind than she normally would.

The Oscillation works like a dam in a river. The jet stream moves around it, not through it. In the north central U.S., we'd normally have 30+ nights of sub-zero lows, but, because the jet hasn't been allowed to sink south and bring arctic air, we've had a total of 3 this year.

You explained temperature variances, precipitation, cold air and warm air masses colliding, etc., but not the true explanation of why it's been so windy where she lives.

Unequal heating is the cause OF ALL WEATHER ON EARTH. I explained ALL WEATHER. What part of that are you missing? Why is there a jet stream at all? Jesus, I had that class. I don't need the explanation, you just feel the need to post it.

Arctic Oscillation IS CAUSED BY UNEQUAL HEATING. That isn't the cause of the her local winds, btw. The explanation I gave is the correct one.

Your answer applied to regional weather patterns in the different hemispheres. Cracker wins.

(02-21-2012, 06:20 PM)LuciferLynn Wrote: A "warm" front just went through, and a cold front is right behind it, hence the wind and living right on Lake Erie doesn't help matters either. We're stuck between 2 fronts. This has been the case the majority of this winter. The last big wind storm was a low pressure system passing directly on top of us. I can see a LP system to the NW, I'm hoping it stays up in Canada where it belongs.

Not according to MS. Sorry, you are wrong. It is Arctic Oscillation (caused by low solar activity, but we won't tell him that part or that it has to do with winter temps, not local winds).