|
For some quick, handy definitions of jet streams, we humbly refer you to the Britannica Concise entry from Yahoo! Reference, as well as Chad Palmer's pithy explanation at USA Today's weather site. Jet streams were first discovered by World War II pilots flying across the Pacific. These super-winds tend to occur between six and nine miles above the Earth's surface, and are a few hundred miles wide and three miles thick. Essentially, they are long, narrow, fast-moving currents of air that can reach speeds of up to 300 miles per hour. They generally flow from west to east, and have a significant impact on weather patterns. A jet stream
can act as a boundary between cold polar air and warm tropical air. For example, a jet stream moving southward across the United States can bring a cold front all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. When you encounter turbulence in an aircraft after you've reached cruising altitude, you may be flying across a jet stream. Intrepid balloonists always try to take advantage of jet streams when attempting to circumnavigate the globe. Check here for updated jet stream positions across North America.
|
