Arctic amplification tends to slow down the west-to-east movement of air in regions such as North America. Because the movement of air in the atmosphere is connected to theĭifference in temperature between the poles and the equator, a warming Arctic affects the global movement of air. Simply put, the Arctic is warming faster than the Earth’s average temperature is warming. Second, Alberta Clippers may be influenced by a phenomenon called Arctic amplification. This may mean that Alberta Clippers will bring a bit more precipitation in theįuture. First, on a global scale, warming temperatures tend to favour evaporation, which brings more moisture into the atmosphere. Still, it is possible to identify a few trends that may affect Alberta Clippers in The effects of climate change on local weather patterns tend to be complex and uncertain. Temperatures may drop by as much as 16☌ in 10 to 12 hours. Clippers also bring winds that can exceed 65 km/h, often causing blizzard conditions when snow is present. This snow mostlyįalls north of the system’s track. When this “lake effect” occurs, nearby regions may receive up to 30 cm of snow. This often happens when crossing over the Great Lakes, for example. However, this can change if they pick up significant Because they move quickly and are low in moisture, the precipitation they bring is scarce and spread over broad areas. In most cases, Alberta Clippers have less impact on the weather than most storms. This warm, dry downslope wind is sometimes called a chinook, and can contribute However, much of its moisture was lost earlier when precipitation occurred. The air coming down the eastern slope of the Rockies warms up again, following the opposite process: adiabatic warming. Since colder air cannot hold as much water vapour, the vapour condenses into liquid water and ice crystals, which become precipitation. This expansion involves a loss of energy, which translates to a drop in the air’s temperature. As the air ascends the Rockies, it expands because the ambient pressure decreases with altitude. This precipitation is due to a process called adiabatic cooling. This is because much of the water vapour contained in the Pacific system is released as rain or snow as the air ascends the Rocky Mountains. The air’s rotation is often the main source of the winds that come with a low-pressure system.Īlberta Clippers are typically low in moisture. In the northern hemisphere, this rotation is counter-clockwise. Rotation, this inward-moving air rotates around the space it is filling. Air surrounding the rising air will move towards the area underneath to “fill in” the open space. As the air ascends, it carries moisture from near the surface, which may turn into clouds, then precipitation. They are called low-pressure systems because there is less atmospheric pressure at the centre of the system than Low-pressure systems form when air rises from the Earth’s surface towards the upper atmosphere, usually because the air is warming up. As it builds up, it remains stationary for some time, then begins to move quickly across the continent. The counter-clockwise motion of the Pacific system is then This creates a lee trough - an area of low pressure in the lee, or sheltered side, of the mountains. As that system moves eastward, it brings increased wind flow across the mountains. The formation occurs following the arrival of a Pacific low-pressure system on the westĬoast. Alberta Clippers form in the lee of the Rocky Mountains - the downwind, eastern side.
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