AN INVESTIGATION OF TIME CHANGES IN CLOUDS OB SERVED OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO AND CARIBBEAN SEA DURING THE PERIOD 18-23 JULY 1961,

Abstract

A radical change in cloud cover occurred over the Gulf of Mexico between 18 and 20 July 1961. This development occurred when an easterly wave moved westward across the Caribbean Sea into the Gulf and combined with an upper trough of polar origin moving eastward through the lower United States. The superposition of these systems resulted in deepening of the combined system and development of an extensive cloud mass. The cloud mass grad ually changed orientation and then dissipated as the forming mechanism disappeared. Analyses using conventional data and meteorological satellite data from TIROS III were used to identify and follow the above systems. Isopleths of relative humidity were used to identify moist air on con stant pressure charts. Regions described as ''dry'' by the relative humidity analysis, espe cially at 700 and 500 mb, had insignificant cloud amounts. When the ''dry'' area included the 850 mb level, the TIROS pictures always indicated fair weather skies. Large values of relative humidity were not always a reliable indication of cloud cover. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1963
Accession Number
AD0415811

Entities

People

  • William Paul Cramer

Organizations

  • Texas A&M University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Caribbean Sea
  • Cloud Cover
  • Clouds
  • Humidity
  • Meteorological Satellites
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • United States
  • Weather

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Snow Cover Descriptors for Reptiles and Their Illustrations.

Technology Areas

  • Space