Typical Appearance In Vertical Cross Sections


  • Wind: The upper level jet stream is observed east of the Andes at 200 hPa.
  • Divergence: positive values at upper levels, east of the Andes, associated with the cyclonic curvature of the jet stream and the flow diffluence.
  • Humidity convergence: maximum at low levels due to the deacceleration of the north wind.
  • Equivalent potential temperature: light tightening of the isentropes showing the presence of a warm front.

Locations of the vertical cross sections

Zonal vertical cross section C - D

Lat 26°S: 03 February 2015/12:00 UTC. Shaded: divergence (10-5 s-1), black contours: equivalent potential temperature (K), dashed contours: meridional wind less than -5 m/s, arrows: zonal circulation.

Meridional vertical cross section B - A

Lon 54°W: 03 February 2015/12:00 UTC. Shaded: humidity convergence (g kg-1 day-1), black contours: equivalent potential temperature (K), violet contours: zonal wind above 25 m/s, arrows: meridional circulation.