Monthly climatological wind fields associated with tropical storm genesis in the West Indies
Date
1968-12
Authors
Sartor, James W., Jr., author
Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, publisher
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Abstract
An empirical study is presented which investigates the relationship of monthly climatological wind fields to tropical storm genesis in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean. The parameters investigated are tropospheric vertical wind shear and 850 mb relative vorticity. These parameters have been shown by Gray (1967) to be strongly correlated with early intensification of tropical disturbances. The magnitude of the individual mean monthly deviations of these parameters from the long term monthly mean is specified. An estimate of the daily variations of these parameters and the ratio of daily to monthly deviations is also determined. Correlations of these parameter deviations with tropical storm genesis is presented. Monthly vertical wind shear deviations are small, yet they show favorable correlations. Positive deviations of mean monthly 850 mb relative vorticity is strongly correlated with genesis in the Gulf of Mexico and is also favorably correlated with genesis in the western Caribbean. It is concluded that there are general circulation changes, with periods of a month or more, which produce favorable or unfavorable genesis conditions.
Description
December 1968.
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Subject
Meteorology -- West Indies
Hurricanes