1fsw. Interacting Air Masses Spawn a Powerful Nor’easterThe movement
of air masses produces many abrupt changes in the weather. Examples of
such transitions are almost limitless, and new ones occur regularly.
Let’s take a look at one very notable example.February 7: Setting the
StageFour months after Hurricane Sandy inundated much of the
northeastern United States (discussed in Chapter 12), the last thing
that part of the country needed was a major snowstorm. Unfortunately,
that is what they got. On February 8 and 9, 2013, the Northeast was hit
by a combination of heavy snow and strong winds that developed as two
systems came together over the region. Figures 9-4-1a and b show the
weather situation the day before the storm hit, A line consisting of two
cold fronts and an intervening warm front extended from south Texas,
across the Southeast and into the Atlantic. At the same time, cP air was
advancing southeastward just west of the Great Lakes.February 8: The
Storm FormsOn the morning of February 8 (Figures 9-4-2a and b), things
had changed dramatically. A low-pressure system had developed over the
North Carolina-Virginia area where the trailing end of a cold front had
existed 24 hours earlier. At the same time, the continental polar air
that had been over the north-central United States had moved eastward
with its own incipient low-pressure system. Soon (Figure 9-4-3) much of
the country was engulfed in a major blizzard. Parts of Connecticut
received up to 100 cm (40 in.) of snow (Figure 9-4-3). Hundreds of
motorists were stranded on the Long Island Expressway east of New York
City, and major airports dosed across the region, leading to thousands
of cancelled flights.February 9: The storm IntensifiesBy February 9
(Figures 9-4-4a and b) the two storms had merged to form a single, very
intense low pressure system off the coast of eastern Canada with a
pressure gradient usually associated with hurricanes (though, unlike
hurricanes, this system was not tropical in origin). These winds kicked
up waves to 9 m (30 ft) in height and created a storm surge that caused
coastal flooding in many towns along Cape Cod. In Canada heavy snow
extended as far inland as Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, while New
Brunswick and Nova Scotia experienced major coastal flooding in addition
to the heavy wind and snow.FIGURE 9-4-1 Powerful Nor’easter: February
7. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....FIGURE
9-4-2 Powerful Nor'easter: February 8. (a) Surface weather map and (b)
infrared satellite image....FIGURE 9-4-3 New Haven, Connecticut
Snow....FIGURE 9-4-4 Powerful Nor’easter: February 9. (a) Surface
weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....What event occurred
between February 8 and 9 that was crucial for the development of the
major blizzard discussed? Explain. Get solution
2fsw. Interacting Air Masses Spawn a Powerful Nor’easterThe movement of air masses produces many abrupt changes in the weather. Examples of such transitions are almost limitless, and new ones occur regularly. Let’s take a look at one very notable example.February 7: Setting the StageFour months after Hurricane Sandy inundated much of the northeastern United States (discussed in Chapter 12), the last thing that part of the country needed was a major snowstorm. Unfortunately, that is what they got. On February 8 and 9, 2013, the Northeast was hit by a combination of heavy snow and strong winds that developed as two systems came together over the region. Figures 9-4-1a and b show the weather situation the day before the storm hit, A line consisting of two cold fronts and an intervening warm front extended from south Texas, across the Southeast and into the Atlantic. At the same time, cP air was advancing southeastward just west of the Great Lakes.February 8: The Storm FormsOn the morning of February 8 (Figures 9-4-2a and b), things had changed dramatically. A low-pressure system had developed over the North Carolina-Virginia area where the trailing end of a cold front had existed 24 hours earlier. At the same time, the continental polar air that had been over the north-central United States had moved eastward with its own incipient low-pressure system. Soon (Figure 9-4-3) much of the country was engulfed in a major blizzard. Parts of Connecticut received up to 100 cm (40 in.) of snow (Figure 9-4-3). Hundreds of motorists were stranded on the Long Island Expressway east of New York City, and major airports dosed across the region, leading to thousands of cancelled flights.February 9: The storm IntensifiesBy February 9 (Figures 9-4-4a and b) the two storms had merged to form a single, very intense low pressure system off the coast of eastern Canada with a pressure gradient usually associated with hurricanes (though, unlike hurricanes, this system was not tropical in origin). These winds kicked up waves to 9 m (30 ft) in height and created a storm surge that caused coastal flooding in many towns along Cape Cod. In Canada heavy snow extended as far inland as Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, while New Brunswick and Nova Scotia experienced major coastal flooding in addition to the heavy wind and snow.FIGURE 9-4-1 Powerful Nor’easter: February 7. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....FIGURE 9-4-2 Powerful Nor'easter: February 8. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....FIGURE 9-4-3 New Haven, Connecticut Snow....FIGURE 9-4-4 Powerful Nor’easter: February 9. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....Summarize the effects of the blizzard on inland and coastal areas as the storm moved northeast along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. Get solution
2fsw. Interacting Air Masses Spawn a Powerful Nor’easterThe movement of air masses produces many abrupt changes in the weather. Examples of such transitions are almost limitless, and new ones occur regularly. Let’s take a look at one very notable example.February 7: Setting the StageFour months after Hurricane Sandy inundated much of the northeastern United States (discussed in Chapter 12), the last thing that part of the country needed was a major snowstorm. Unfortunately, that is what they got. On February 8 and 9, 2013, the Northeast was hit by a combination of heavy snow and strong winds that developed as two systems came together over the region. Figures 9-4-1a and b show the weather situation the day before the storm hit, A line consisting of two cold fronts and an intervening warm front extended from south Texas, across the Southeast and into the Atlantic. At the same time, cP air was advancing southeastward just west of the Great Lakes.February 8: The Storm FormsOn the morning of February 8 (Figures 9-4-2a and b), things had changed dramatically. A low-pressure system had developed over the North Carolina-Virginia area where the trailing end of a cold front had existed 24 hours earlier. At the same time, the continental polar air that had been over the north-central United States had moved eastward with its own incipient low-pressure system. Soon (Figure 9-4-3) much of the country was engulfed in a major blizzard. Parts of Connecticut received up to 100 cm (40 in.) of snow (Figure 9-4-3). Hundreds of motorists were stranded on the Long Island Expressway east of New York City, and major airports dosed across the region, leading to thousands of cancelled flights.February 9: The storm IntensifiesBy February 9 (Figures 9-4-4a and b) the two storms had merged to form a single, very intense low pressure system off the coast of eastern Canada with a pressure gradient usually associated with hurricanes (though, unlike hurricanes, this system was not tropical in origin). These winds kicked up waves to 9 m (30 ft) in height and created a storm surge that caused coastal flooding in many towns along Cape Cod. In Canada heavy snow extended as far inland as Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, while New Brunswick and Nova Scotia experienced major coastal flooding in addition to the heavy wind and snow.FIGURE 9-4-1 Powerful Nor’easter: February 7. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....FIGURE 9-4-2 Powerful Nor'easter: February 8. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....FIGURE 9-4-3 New Haven, Connecticut Snow....FIGURE 9-4-4 Powerful Nor’easter: February 9. (a) Surface weather map and (b) infrared satellite image....Summarize the effects of the blizzard on inland and coastal areas as the storm moved northeast along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. Get solution
