Dear Tom,
You often mention "buckling jet streams," but that term confuses me. Could you please
amplify?
George Burger
Dear George,
Jet streams are belts of very strong winds found within a narrow depth in the atmosphere,
usually 6 to 9 miles aloft. Because these winds often steer the movement of surface air
masses and weather systems, weather forecasters pay them close attention. Jet streams
form in the boundary zones ("baroclinic zones") between warm and cold air. When masses
of warm and cold air relocate, jet streams buckle to conform to the new boundary's
position. It's a complicated process because pockets of wind maxima embedded within jet
streams often trigger the development of surface storm systems that, in turn, shift the
positions of warm and cold air, further distorting the jet stream. The process feeds on
itself.
