On the orographic influences of the Alps¹

1 Presented at the WMO/IUGG Symposium on Numerical Weather Forecasting, Oslo 1963.

Abstract

The orographic influence of the Alps on 500 mb northerly or southerly flow has been studied, using the vorticity equation and a numerically evaluated mountain profile. The effects on trajectory deflection from orography and from the variation in the coriolis parameter have opposite signs for northerly flow but the same sign for southerly flow. Using the most frequent wind speed at 500 mb it is found that in the majority of cases a northerly current will pass the Alps without any significant deflection.

Notes

1 Presented at the WMO/IUGG Symposium on Numerical Weather Forecasting, Oslo 1963.