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IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING JET STREAM MAP

METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY

The jet stream is important in that it is an air mass divider. It is important to point out the position of the jet stream across the country as well as the troughs and ridges. The troughing, or jet stream dipping to the south will bring cold air further south. The ridging, or jet stream displaced further north will bring warm air further north. It is important to look at how the jet stream will change over time. This is important in that it will show where the cold and warm air is moving and where low pressure and high pressure systems are moving.

The image below is an example of a jet stream map. The axis of the jet stream is drawn in red. Notice the height contours dipping south in the western U.S. Where the height contours dip south is where cooler weather is displacing toward the south. Where the height contours are displaced further to the north such as over the eastern U.S. the temperatures will be warm. Unsettled weather often occurs on the right side of the trough (i.e. Colorado, Wyoming and into midwest).