Impressive Cyclone As Seen By an IR Satellite

Just a very brief post to share with y'all what is simply an awe inspiring sight of the atmosphere; namely a mid-latitude cyclone.  Look at the expansive region this gyre affects and from last evening's rains and storms; how far and wide its effects can be felt.  It is quite the view...

And this is how the upper air maps are represented as a result of this cyclone in all levels of the atmosphere...1st the 250 mb level showing the counterclockwise wind flow around the low pressure...

The 300 mb jet stream level...quite a powerful jet driving in Pacific air into western North America.  Also, a nice little jet streak on the eastern side of the cyclone to help promote upward motion and possibly some enhanced rainfall later on...

Now the 500 mb vorticity...this is where one tries to locate the vorticity maximum and figure where the greatest amount of upward motion will occur..."X" marks the spot of the vort max...

At 700 mb, mets use this level to look for "active clouds" or areas likely to support precipitation...the deepest green likely has precip falling underneath in some way, shape, or form...

The form of precip is often determined by the 850 mb chart.  At one mile up, if the temps are below freezing, frozen precip could actually make it to the surface if the entire column of air could support frozen precip.  it's just a bit too early for this, but a cold November lurks after next week's bout of Indian Summer!

Lastly, the surface and the 850 mb temps...the blue line is below freezing and the red line is well above freezing one mile up.  Note the 10ºC isotherm over eastern PA; hence the thunderstorms last evening along with the rapid upward motion that produced the 1"+ rains in the KMDT area...!

So once we get through this unsettled weekend, enjoy our spell of Indian Summer as the hounds of winter will be lurking just to the NW for later next week and certainly the 1st week of November...below is for Halloween!

Happy Week's End!

Smitty

AA:  Looking at a cyclone of all levels of the atmosphere!