Difference between Winter and Summer Storms

GWCC_Feed | February 28, 2019 @ 9:30 am

(Credits: NWS, AMS, Weather.gov)

Major storms can occur in every season, but there are significant differences between winter and summer storm systems.

During the summer, hurricanes are one of the primary storm systems that meteorologists pay close attention to Hurricanes, or tropical cyclones are localized areas of intense low pressure wind systems, which form over tropical oceans. The center of a hurricanes is associated with warm cores, which mean the center of the storm (where the low pressure is) is warmer than the outside of the storm. This well-defined center makes it so there is a closed wind circulation around the storm. The tropical storms that hit the eastern part of the United States are usually formed off convective systems that move off the coast of Africa. These systems move across the Atlantic Ocean and through latent and sensible heating, they increase in intensity. This process is part of WISHE (Wind Induced Surface Heat Exchange) which helps enhance the storm. If and when a tropical cyclone makes landfall, these systems can bring along heavy rainfall, flooding, and damaging winds.

On the other hand, during the winter, snowstorms are one of the major storm systems that meteorologist will pay attention to. Winter storms have a completely different make up then a hurricane does. As previously mentioned, hurricanes and tropical cyclones are symmetric, have a well-defined center, and move over tropical places. Winter storms are known as mid latitude cyclones or extra-tropical cyclones. An extra-tropical cyclone is a low pressure system associated with cold or warm fronts. A weather front is the boundary which separates two different air masses of different density and temperature. Snowstorms are a form of an extra-tropical cyclone associated with a cold front, which brings along colder temperatures, and stronger winds. This will lower the pressure within the storm, making it more intense. Storms like these develop best where the jet stream is prevalent because of the difference in temperatures in these areas. The northern half of the United States is a prime location for these storms because of how prevalent the jet stream is in these areas. Lastly, one of the biggest difference between a snowstorm and hurricane is that they bring snow, ice, and frigid temperatures to the areas they affect.

Even though both of these storms can create lots of damage and can be life threatening, it is important to know the difference between the two.

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