4 replies to this topic

[SandyM]

I will apologize up front, in case this is really dumb. So, are you ready?

Since the mountains create their own weather, do the storms ever get "caught" in the jet streat and get carried away to cause havoc elsewhere? Or...
since they build so quickly, do they expend all their energy and precip., fizzle, and fall apart over the mountains? (I guess I'm so busy watching the show they give, I never really pay attention to the storms demise.)

Also, since the mountains do create their own weather, are they ever really effected by the jet stream? (Well I guess, other than bringing the colder temps. in the winter.)

Thanks for your time.

SandyM

Edited by Sandy, 14 May 2007 - 04:50 PM.

[waterrat]

what happens, basically, is that the lower, more humid air gets forced up typically onto the western slopes of the mountains by the prevailing winds. As it rises, it reaches maximum load (or 100% humidity) at which point it just needs something to set it off to make it start raining. By the time it passes over the mountains, most of the energy of the storm, the winds it generates and the moisture contained within is spent, at which point the clouds dissipate and drier air continues out over the plains.

Which is a long way of saying no, not normally. I'm sure it does happen in certain circumstances, but there are days when you can watch the storms rage on the Continental Divide while enjoying the sunshine in Estes and never get more than a sprinkle out of it.

Disclaimer: I am not a weatherman. This is how it was described to me a long time ago in grade school, and our knowledge of how it works may have been upgraded quite a bit since then. For further information, I refer you to Weather



/flees

[SandyM]

Rat...I don't know about the knowledge changing of how every day storms are formed as that is how I understand it too. It's the rest I'm fuzzy on. Thanks for your help.

SandyM

[Qbert]

When I was a kid, I learned that thunder was God and the angels bowling. Makes sense to me (still).
Unfortunately I don't know how the jet stream effects their bowling game.

[SandyM]

When I was a kid, I learned that thunder was God and the angels bowling. Makes sense to me (still).
Unfortunately I don't know how the jet stream effects their bowling game.

I do...I now have a good excuse for throwing gutter balls. It was the jet stream!