Radiative Cooling Over The Pole

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

Looking at the attached picture we see, effectively, an Omega block over the pole itself, with significant WAA right into the polar region. At this time of year, we known that we have the opposite of " The land of the midnight sun", in that the sun fails to rise the horizon anywhere North of approx 70N.

The heights suggest that the air is warm, but there is no solar input, so the air masses will lose heat by interaction with a (much colder) surface and by radiative cooling.

My question is, how long would it take for the heights within the circle to cool? I personally have no idea, I'm hoping some of the more knowledgeable people on here may help with some clues.

Following on from that, as the air cools, the heights decrease, how does that the affect the models, if at all? and how does that affect further blocking?

Mods, if you think this is in the wrong place please move it

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

Looking at the attached picture we see, effectively, an Omega block over the pole itself, with significant WAA right into the polar region. At this time of year, we known that we have the opposite of " The land of the midnight sun", in that the sun fails to rise the horizon anywhere North of approx 70N.

The heights suggest that the air is warm, but there is no solar input, so the air masses will lose heat by interaction with a (much colder) surface and by radiative cooling.

My question is, how long would it take for the heights within the circle to cool? I personally have no idea, I'm hoping some of the more knowledgeable people on here may help with some clues.

Following on from that, as the air cools, the heights decrease, how does that the affect the models, if at all? and how does that affect further blocking?

Mods, if you think this is in the wrong place please move it

Obviously either no one knows, or no one cares...

[Radiating Dendrite]

Is it not a measure of the thicknesses though and not the temps?

I would have thought there would be cold at the service via an inversion?

[Midlands Ice Age]

North NorfolkWeather -

I find the chart you have posted above for monday quite incredible. The Omega blocking stretches nearly the whole way around the Northern Hemisphere (apart from maybe a section beteen Russia and Alaska). If this block does form in this way I think it would be very difficult to shift.

Of all the fantastic charts I have seen over the last few days this must be the most unusual I have ever seen. It would certainly lead in my opinion to an amazing winter as it shows that the Greeni high linking to the siberian and inturn is not far awy from building into the Canadian High. That would be incredible if it happens.

PS ... I am basically a lurker but felt I had to respond to this chart. I cannot help with your question,but it looks very long lasting to me!!!

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

Is it not a measure of the thicknesses though and not the temps?

I would have thought there would be cold at the service via an inversion?

I think it's probably a combination of both, but I was wondering more about the warmer air above the ground. Most of the 500Mb air is above the clouds, so the only ways I would expect that to lose it's heat is by mixing with colder air, or radiating off into space

North NorfolkWeather -

I find the chart you have posted above for monday quite incredible. The Omega blocking stretches nearly the whole way around the Northern Hemisphere (apart from maybe a section beteen Russia and Alaska). If this block does form in this way I think it would be very difficult to shift.

Of all the fantastic charts I have seen over the last few days this must be the most unusual I have ever seen. It would certainly lead in my opinion to an amazing winter as it shows that the Greeni high linking to the siberian and inturn is not far awy from building into the Canadian High. That would be incredible if it happens.

PS ... I am basically a lurker but felt I had to respond to this chart. I cannot help with your question,but it looks very long lasting to me!!!

Hi,

Yes, it's an amazing chart, I've just had a look at the latest one (can't post it whiule at work) and it shows that the block, for the same date is pressed back towards the West of Greenland with most of what was over Svarlbard and that region now having low heights.

How things change :-)

Edited December 15, 2010 by NorthNorfolkWeather