Big Patterns Affect Lake Erie Storms and Winds
Ann Arbor, MI — Pressure and height patterns across North America and the Atlantic Ocean that last for multiple seasons can influence the number of storms and high wind events that occur in the Great Lakes region.
Researchers have found that seasonal-mean patterns of height of the 700 HPA (hectopascal) pressure level are associated with more low pressure systems passing through the vicinity of Lake Erie and with high wind events at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. These height patterns give a guide to air circulation well above the ground.
"Although they are not the sole determinant of our daily weather, these patterns can affect the likelihood of getting more or fewer high wind events than usual over the course of a season. The effectiveness of this method as a predictor varies across the seasons and depends on the accurate predictions of large-scale patterns, notably the North Atlantic Oscillation," says Brent Lofgren of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI.
Original Publication Information
Results of this study, "Large-scale 700 hPa Height Patterns Associated with Cyclone Passage and Strong Winds on Lake Erie," are reported by Brent M. Lofgren and Peter Bieniek in the latest issue (Volume 34, No. 1, pp. 36-53) of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, published by the International Association for Great Lakes Research, 2008.
Contacts
For more information about the study, contact Brent Lofgren, NOAA-Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, Ann Arbor, MI , 48103; Brent.Lofgren@noaa.gov, (734) 71-2383.
For information about the Journal of Great Lakes Research, contact Marlene Evans, Editor, National Water Research Institute, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada; editor@iaglr.org; (608) 692-1076.
Links
Since 1967, IAGLR has served as the focal point for compiling and disseminating multidisciplinary knowledge on North America's Laurentian Great Lakes and other large lakes of the world and their watersheds. In part, IAGLR communicates this knowledge through publication of the Journal of Great Lakes Research, available to members in print and electronic form. A searchable archive of the journal is available online and includes the abstracts of articles from the journal's inception in 1975 through the most recent issue. In addition, complete articles are available to members who have signed up for an electronic subscription.