Question #25584

1 Answer
Jan 12, 2018

High altitude, high velocity winds are called #"jet streams."#
https://quizlet.com/135896449/chapter-19-review-earth-science-flash-cards/

Explanation:

According to actforlibraries.org

  • Jet streams are very fast moving currents of air found at about 10 km (6.2 miles) above the surface of the earth.
  • The major jet streams usually follow an undulating narrow path from west to east.
  • There are jet streams on both sides of the equator.
  • Jet streams close to the poles are called polar jet streams
  • Those at the tropics are known as subtropical jet streams, which are weaker than the polar jets.
  • Jet streams form due to the orbital rotation of the planet, along with atmospheric variations in temperature, which produces strong winds.

Here is an image of the jet streams

enter image source here
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vanished/jetstr_nf_15.html

Here's an AccuWeather illustration of how the jet stream brought the ultra-cold weather down from the Arctic to the eastern United States in the last few weeks

enter image source here

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/thanksgiving-outlook-brutal-cold-snow-to-blast-midwest-as-a-storm-may-eye-the-east/70003263