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Question
Why would the altitude of the 500mb surface be different from south to North America during February?
Kiko,
The height of the 500 mb surface is generally lower over areas where it is cold and higher over areas where it is warm. That is why the 500 mb heights, in a normal situation, are lowest across the northern U.S. and Canada, and highest over the southern U.S., Mexico, and the Carribean. The exceptions to this rule would be as follows:
(1)Unusually high heights way up north, e.g., a big blocking high pressure system sitting over Greenland. Underneath that high, it would be very stable, and also quite cold.
(2) A very deep trof that extended well southward...even a cutoff low...which became separated from the main flow. In February, it is possible for very deep trofs to be located well into the Gulf of Mexico, and once in awhile, there is even a closed low in that location. If that is the case, then the heights would be lower in the Gulf than they would be somewhat farther north, say over the Carolinas or the Tennessee Valley.
I hope this answered your question.
Sincerely,
Dave Dombek
Expert Senior Meteorologist
AccuWeather.com
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Dave Dombek
Expertise
A weather enthusiast from an early age, Dave Dombek is now an AccuWeather meteorology expert.
Experience
Dave received his B.S. degree in meteorology from the Pennsylvania State University in May of 1980. Dave joined AccuWeather in July of 1980, beginning in the Snow Warning Service late that fall after his few month period of training. Within a short period of time, Dave got involved in radio broadcasting. He spent over 25 years broadcasting forecasts on radio stations throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, and has also done newspaper forecasts and television briefings. Currently, Dave is the lead television briefer for all of AccuWeather's television clients in the northeatern quarter of the nation. In his daily forecasting routine, Dave helps coordinate the forecasts in the northeastern part of the country. He is also the Director of Forecaster Hiring and is in charge of hiring new meteorologists. Finally, Dave is the supervisor of the climatology department at AccuWeather. An avid outdoorsman, Dave enjoys hunting and trout fishing. He also enjoys watching football and is a student of history and current events. If Dave doesn't already have enough on his plate, he is married with two teenage daughters. He also leads a small Messianic congregation in the State College, Pa. area.
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