Surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations. Weather maps are created by plotting or tracing the values of relevant quantities such as sea level pressure, temperature, and cloud cover onto a geographical map to help find synoptic scale features such as weather fronts.
The first weather maps in the 19th century were drawn well after the fact to help devise a theory on storm systems. After the advent of the telegraph, simultaneous surface weather observations became possible for the first time, and beginning in the late 1840s, the Smithsonian Institution became the first organization to draw real-time surface analyses. Use of surface analyses began first in the United States, spreading worldwide during the 1870s. Use of the Norwegian cyclone model for frontal analysis began in the late 1910s across Europe, with its use finally spreading to the United States during World War II.
Surface weather analyses have special symbols that show frontal systems, cloud cover, precipitation, or other important information. For example, an H may represent high pressure, implying good and fair weather. An L on the other hand may represent low pressure, which frequently accompanies precipitation. Various symbols are used not just for frontal zones and other surface boundaries on weather maps, but also to depict the present weather at various locations on the weather map. Areas of precipitation help determine the frontal type and location.
Read more about Surface Weather Analysis: History of Surface Analysis, Station Model Used On Weather Maps, Synoptic Scale Features, Mesoscale Features
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... If enough moisture exists, thunderstorms can form along sea breeze fronts that then can send out outflow boundaries ... This causes chaotic wind/pressure regimes if the steering flow is light ...
... The history of surface weather analysis concerns the timetable of developments related to surface weather analysis ... Initially a tool of study for the behavior of storms, surface weather analyses became a work in progress to explain current weather and as an aid for short term weather forecasting ... Initial efforts to create surface weather analyses began in the mid-19th century by using surface weather observations to analyze isobars, isotherms, and display ...
... See also Surface weather analysis A surface weather analysis is a type of weather map that depicts positions for high and low pressure areas, as well as various types of synoptic scale ... outflow boundaries and squall lines also are analyzed on surface weather analyses ... Isobaric analysis is performed on these maps, which involves the construction of lines of equal mean sea level pressure ...
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