All Topics  
Outflow (meteorology)

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Outflow (meteorology)
 
 
  Topics Outflow (meteorology) Topic Home

Outflow, in meteorology
Meteorology

Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the Earth's atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting . Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the eighteenth century....
, is air that flows outwards from a thunderstorm. Outflow tends to indicate the "health" of a system. Large quantities of outflow at the upper levels of a thunderstorm
Thunderstorm

File:FoggDam-NT.jpgA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its effect: thunder....
 indicate it is in good health. Too much outflow in the lower levels of a thunderstorm, however, can choke off the inflow which fuels it.

The "edge" of the outflow boundary
Outflow boundary

An outflow boundary is a storm-scale or mesoscale meteorology boundary separating thunderstorm-cooled air from the surrounding air; similar in effect to a cold front, with passage marked by a wind shift and usually a drop in temperature and a related pressure jump....
 can often be detected by Doppler radar
Weather radar

A weather radar is a type of radar used to locate precipitation , calculate its motion, estimate its type , and weather forecasting its future position and intensity....
 (especially in clear air mode).






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Outflow (meteorology)'
Start a new discussion about 'Outflow (meteorology)'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Outflow, in meteorology
Meteorology

Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the Earth's atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting . Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the eighteenth century....
, is air that flows outwards from a thunderstorm. Outflow tends to indicate the "health" of a system. Large quantities of outflow at the upper levels of a thunderstorm
Thunderstorm

File:FoggDam-NT.jpgA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its effect: thunder....
 indicate it is in good health. Too much outflow in the lower levels of a thunderstorm, however, can choke off the inflow which fuels it.

The "edge" of the outflow boundary
Outflow boundary

An outflow boundary is a storm-scale or mesoscale meteorology boundary separating thunderstorm-cooled air from the surrounding air; similar in effect to a cold front, with passage marked by a wind shift and usually a drop in temperature and a related pressure jump....
 can often be detected by Doppler radar
Weather radar

A weather radar is a type of radar used to locate precipitation , calculate its motion, estimate its type , and weather forecasting its future position and intensity....
 (especially in clear air mode). Convergence occurs along the leading edge of the downdraft. Convergence of dust, aerosols, and bugs at the leading edge will lead to a higher clear air signature. The signature of the leading edge is also influenced by the density
Density

The density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The symbol of density is ....
 change between the cooler air from the downdraft and the warmer environmental air. This density boundary will increase the number of echo returns from the leading edge. Clouds, hydrometeors
Precipitation (meteorology)

File:MeanMonthlyP.gifIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of Atmosphere water vapor that is deposited on the earth's surface....
 and new thunderstorms can also develop along the outflow's leading edge. This makes it possible to locate the outflow boundary when using precipitation mode. The image to the right depicts a particularly strong ouflow boundary ahead of a line of storms. Often, the outflow boundary will bow in the direction it is moving the quickest.

Tropical cyclones

A tropical cyclone
Tropical cyclone

A tropical cyclone is a storm characterized by a large low pressure system center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain....
, by contrast, typically has outflow at high elevations heading outward from an upper-level anticyclone
Anticyclone

In meteorology, an anticyclone is a weather meteorological phenomenon in which there is a descending movement of the air and a high pressure area over the part of the planet's surface affected by it....
. Thus, while at low altitude air flows into the low-pressure center of the storm, at a high altitude it will flow away from a high-pressure center.

See also

  • Gust front
  • Haboob
    Haboob

    File:Haboob, Taji, Iraq, 2006.JPGA haboob is a type of intense sandstorm commonly observed in the Sahara desert , as well as across the Arabian Peninsula, throughout Kuwait, and in the most arid regions of Iraq....