Climate and Weather of the North Pacific

Abstract

Combining two satellite cloud photographs of the eastern North Pacific separated by 18 hours in the spring of 1976 with concurrent weather measurements from the bridge of an oceanographic ship leads to the following propositions. Two clockwise curving long bands of clouds were each independently produced by cold air flowing south and pushing the warmer in situ air up and out of the way causing the clouds to form. The cloud bands are oriented roughly northeast/southwest with a separation of about 30 degrees of longitude at mid-latitudes. Curvature of the cloud bands is thought to be due to the Coriolis force acting on the southward flow. These conclusions could become more general if additional observations support them. A significant theoretical addition to an earlier discussion of the subject, regarding the time variability of approximately two days in the hypothesized circulation, is offered here along with a bit of confirming evidence from existing data. An old story with a new ending is presented.