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Jet Stream (Disambiguation)

Jet streams are fast-flowing air currents found in the atmosphere of planets including Earth. They typically flow west to east near the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere. The two strongest jet streams on Earth are the polar jets at around 7-12 km above sea level and the subtropical jets at around 10-16 km. Jet streams form due to the planet's rotation and atmospheric heating differences between polar and equatorial regions. They can affect weather forecasting and flight times for commercial air travel.

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32 views3 pages

Jet Stream (Disambiguation)

Jet streams are fast-flowing air currents found in the atmosphere of planets including Earth. They typically flow west to east near the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere. The two strongest jet streams on Earth are the polar jets at around 7-12 km above sea level and the subtropical jets at around 10-16 km. Jet streams form due to the planet's rotation and atmospheric heating differences between polar and equatorial regions. They can affect weather forecasting and flight times for commercial air travel.

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Jet stream

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Jet stream (disambiguation).

The polar jet stream can travel at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). Here, the fastest
winds are colored red; slower winds are blue.

Clouds along a jet stream over Canada.

Jet streams flow from west to east in the upper portion of the troposphere.

Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmosphere of
some planets, includingEarth.[1] The main jet streams are located near the
altitude of the tropopause, the transition between thetroposphere and
the stratosphere (where temperature increases with altitude).[2] The major jet
streams on Earth are westerly winds (flowing west to east). Their paths
typically have a meandering shape; jet streams may start, stop, split into two
or more parts, combine into one stream, or flow in various directions including
the opposite direction of most of the jet. The strongest jet streams are
the polar jets, at around 712 km (23,00039,000 ft) above sea level, and the
higher and somewhat weakersubtropical jets at around 1016 km (33,000
52,000 ft). The Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere each have
both a polar jet and a subtropical jet. The northern hemisphere polar jet flows
over the middle to northern latitudes of North America, Europe, and Asia and
their intervening oceans, while the southern hemisphere polar jet mostly
circles Antarctica all year round.
Jet streams are caused by a combination of a planet's rotation on its axis and
atmospheric heating (bysolar radiation and, on some planets other than
Earth, internal heat). Jet streams form near boundaries of adjacent air masses
with significant differences in temperature, such as the polar region and the
warmer air towards the equator.[3]
Other jet streams also exist. During the Northern Hemisphere summer, easterly
jets can form in tropical regions, typically in a region where dry air encounters
more humid air at high altitudes. Low-level jets also are typical of various
regions such as the central United States.
Meteorologists use the location of some of the jet streams as an aid in weather
forecasting and many other things. The main commercial relevance of the jet
streams is in air travel, as flight time can be dramatically affected by either

flying with the flow or against the flow of a jet stream. Clear-air turbulence, a
potential hazard to aircraft passenger safety, is often found in a jet stream's
vicinity, but it does not create a substantial alteration on flight times.

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