Zonal flow
Encyclopedia
Zonal flow is a meteorological
term meaning that the general flow pattern is west to east, or east to west, along the Earth's latitude
lines (as opposed to meridional flow
). Extratropical cyclone
s in this environment tend to be weaker, moving faster and producing relatively little impact on local weather.
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
term meaning that the general flow pattern is west to east, or east to west, along the Earth's latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
lines (as opposed to meridional flow
Meridional flow
Meridional flow is a meteorological term meaning that the general flow pattern is north to south, or south to north, along the Earth's longitude lines . Extratropical cyclones in this environment tend to be stronger and move slower...
). Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
s in this environment tend to be weaker, moving faster and producing relatively little impact on local weather.