Backing or veering

[mireland]

Will the wind back or veer..........

(a) ahead of a warm front
(b) at the warm front itself

And why!!

Different opinions in different books and from different instructors!! I am thoroughly confused.

 

[alahol2]

I've always understood, and observed, that winds veer with the passage of a front (warm or cold) in the northern hemisphere. A look at any weather map confirms the isobars 'veer' behind most fronts. Don't know the science though...

 

[Blue5]

The warm front is normally part of a low pressure system moving from west to east my take is that as the system moves east the wind appears to back as the front approaches and then veers behind the front (not sure if I have explained it well)

A better description would be to take a look at a rolling isobar chart with fronts on

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/surface_pressure.html

The BBC also used to do one but they seem to have dropped it.

 

[jonjo]

The wind typically backs as warm front approaches and then veers as it clears past.

As to why? Dunno, that is how mother nature arranges the isobars. In a classic depression the isobars kink around to the south just ahead of the warm front.

In practice few weather system are text book examples, most are a chaotic mashup of features but it helps to understand the passage of a classic depression because then you can view the rest of the weather as a deviation from the classic model.

As a leisure boater you should be more concerned about cold fronts as these can have a nasty kick.

 

[mireland]

Thanks all. I think that the 'kink' argument explains the backing part of the thing and I will stick to that. Thanks for the advice on cold fronts but dont worry I have a very healthy respect for them!