WAA and isentropic lifting often occur together but the process they are describing is somewhat different. WAA is analyzed on a horizontal surface. WAA is the movement of warmer air toward cooler air. In other words, it is wind vectors pointing from warmer toward cooler air. Isentropic lift is analyzed on a slanted surface (although it can be inferred from examining several horizontal layers). These slanted surfaces are called potential temperature surfaces. When warm air moves toward cold air, the warmer air gradually lifts upwards since warm air is less dense than cold air. Over larger distance, this rise will lead to significant vertical displacements of parcels of air as they flow along a constant potential temperature surface. Isentropic lift occurs most significantly when strong low level WAA occurs. |