Ticker for April 9, 2004

                
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April 9, 2004      April 9, 2004      April 9, 2004      April 9, 2004



Sometimes, Fronts Happen

A Ticker from a few weeks ago touched on some aspects of a dying front:
http://ticker.mesonet.org/select.php?mo=03&da=15&yr=2004

Well, today's Mesonet maps show the birth of a front, right here in
our fair state.  Check out the evolution of a frontal feature across
northern Oklahoma:

8 am - 

10 am - 

noon - 

2 pm - 


Specifically, notice that the "blurry" contrast between northeastern
Oklahoma and the rest of the state sharpens dramatically during the
morning and afternoon hours.  For example, temperatures in the
McAlester area rise from the mid 50s to the mid 70s, while temps north
of Tulsa remain locked around 50.  The boundary between warm and cool
become very sharply defined by 2:00 pm.

This sharpening process is called frontogenesis (a modern word that
evokes the Latin-esque definition of "birth of the front").

Many factors influence frontogenesis and its front-killing complement,
frontolysis.  The Ticker Staff won't try to explain the why, when,
where and how today's frontogenesis is happening. But we're guessing
that it has something to do with the cloud deck along and to the north
of the now-apparent boundary, copious sunshine to its south, and the
influence of a developing surface low west of the state.

(we note with trepidation that a few frontogenesis giants are on this
mailing list ... so we'll stop here before we embarrass ourselves
irreparably)

Today's Mesonet maps are very compelling and fascinating stuff!