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Metcheck Forecast Room - Meteorological Discussions
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Sometimes, the front page articles just aren't big enough to cover all our thoughts and ramblings on the developing weather.
By using graphical analysis from the weather models, as well as full forecasting terminology, you can see how events are being discussed here at Metcheck. The discussions aim to provide unparalleled access to forecasters thoughts and you may even start talking like us too ;-)
Here are the latest discussions from the Metcheck forecasters.
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| Current Discussions (PREMIUM ONLY) |
| 1000-500mb Thickness - Its use in Forecasting |
Meteorology is a science that uses a huge range of data sources to help produce a weather forecast. Some of these sources can be very useful indeed and us forecasters may well mention them from time to time as they can be very important under certain circumstances. Today we take a look at the 1000-500mb thicknesses...
Below are a couple of charts showing the 1000-500mb thickness lines;
 
To start with, let us understand a bit about how the 1000-500mb thickness lines come about. The atmosphere is broken down into various height sections in meteorology. For example we can look at surface weather charts, but we can also look at weather charts at high altitudes up in the atmosphere.
Instead of physically stating a height, it is usually pressure levels which are looked at. 1000mb is very close to the surface and the 500mb level is essentially half way up in the atmosphere between the surface and the tropopause (top of the troposphere).
The word 'thickness' simply relates to temperature. So simply, the 1000-500mb thickness lines are a measure of temperature between those two sections of the atmosphere. They are highly useful in determining regions experiencing cold air and warm air.
The main thickness line numbers are;
564 = very warm/hot during the summer (not seen during the winter in the UK)
546 = Cool during the summer, but generally mild during the winter.
528 = Cold during the winter, perhaps signalling snow (not seen during the summer in the UK)
510 = Very cold/bitterly cold during the winter.
Now referring back to the above charts, have a look and see how many of those numbers you can see associated with the coloured lines...
Using the first chart as an example, the 546 (green) line is over the UK. This gives a clear signal that the weather will be cool for the time of year with average or likely below average temperatures.
So the next time you see a sentance like; "the 528 thickness line will push southwards across all parts of the UK" you will know that some cold and potentially wintry weather is on the way.
FORECASTER: HUGO
Discussion Added : 31 August 2007 |
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