Weather Analysis and Forecasting: Applying Satellite Water Vapor Imagery and Potential Vorticity Analysis

In this practical guide, Santurette and Georgiev show how to interpret water vapor patterns in terms of dynamical processes in the atmosphere and their relation to diagnostics available from weather prediction models. In particular, they concentrate on the close relationship between satellite imagery and the potential vorticity fields in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. These applications are illustrated with color images based on real meteorological situations. The book's step-by-step pedagogy makes this an essential training manual for forecasters in meteorological services worldwide, and a valuable text for graduate students in atmospheric physics and satellite meteorology. It shows how to analyze current satellite images for assessing weather models' behavior and improving forecasts. It provides step-by-step pedagogy for understanding and interpreting meteorological processes. It includes full-color illustrations throughout to highlight "real-world" models, patterns, and examples.