Editing Meteorology (section)

==Spatial scales==
The study of the atmosphere can be divided into distinct areas that depend on both time and spatial scales. At one extreme of this scale is climatology. In the timescales of hours to days, meteorology separates into micro-, meso-, and synoptic scale meteorology. Respectively, the [[geospatial]] size of each of these three scales relates directly with the appropriate timescale.

Other subclassifications are used to describe the unique, local, or broad effects within those subclasses.
{| class="wikitable" style="border-spacing: 5px; margin:auto;"
|+ '''Scales of Atmospheric Motion Systems'''<ref name="intro-to-dynamic-meteorology">{{Cite book|last=Holton|first=J.R.|title=An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology|url=http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~delde102/Holton_2004.pdf|edition=4th|publisher=Elsevier Academic Press|location=Burlington, MD|isbn=978-0-12-354015-7|year=2004|access-date=5 March 2016|page=5|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306040225/http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~delde102/Holton_2004.pdf|url-status=live}}{{rp|page=5}}</ref>
|-
! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Type of motion
! scope="col" style="width:100px;"| Horizontal scale (meter)
|-
|-
| Molecular mean free path || 10<sup>−7</sup> 
|-
| Minute turbulent eddies || 10<sup>−2</sup> – 10<sup>−1</sup>  
|-
| Small eddies || 10<sup>−1</sup> – 1
|-
| Dust devils || 1–10 
|-
| Gusts || 10 – 10<sup>2</sup>  
|-
| Tornadoes || 10<sup>2</sup> 
|-
| Cumulonimbus clouds ||  10<sup>3</sup>   
|-
| Fronts, squall lines ||  10<sup>4</sup> – 10<sup>5</sup>   
|-
| Hurricanes ||  10<sup>5</sup>  
|-
| Synoptic Cyclones || 10<sup>6</sup>  
|-
| Planetary waves ||  10<sup>7</sup>
|-
|}

===Microscale===
{{Main|Microscale meteorology}}

Microscale meteorology is the study of atmospheric phenomena on a scale of about {{convert|1|km|mi}} or less. Individual thunderstorms, clouds, and local turbulence caused by buildings and other obstacles (such as individual hills) are modeled on this scale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?query=micrometeorology |title=AMS Glossary of Meteorology |access-date=12 April 2008 |publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606101802/http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?query=micrometeorology |archive-date=6 June 2011 }}</ref> [[Misoscale meteorology]] is an informal subdivision.

===Mesoscale===
{{Main|Mesoscale meteorology}}

Mesoscale meteorology is the study of atmospheric phenomena that has horizontal scales ranging from 1&nbsp;km to 1000&nbsp;km and a vertical scale that starts at the Earth's surface and includes the atmospheric boundary layer, troposphere, [[tropopause]], and the lower section of the [[stratosphere]]. The terms meso-alpha, meso-beta, and meso-gamma to classify the horizontal scales of atmospheric processes were introduced to the field of mesoscale meteorology by [[Isidoro Orlanski]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Orlanski |first=Isidoro |date=1975 |title=A Rational Subdivision of Scales for Atmospheric Processes |journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society |volume=56 |issue=5 |pages=527–530 |issn=0003-0007 |jstor=26216020}}</ref> Mesoscale timescales last from less than a day to multiple weeks. The events typically of interest are [[thunderstorm]]s, [[squall line]]s, [[weather front|fronts]], [[rainbands|precipitation bands]] in [[tropical cyclone|tropical]] and [[extratropical cyclone]]s, and topographically generated weather systems such as mountain waves and [[sea breeze|sea and land breezes]].<ref>''[http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary Online Glossary of Meteorology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521084343/http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary|date=21 May 2006}}'', [[American Meteorological Society]] [http://www.ametsoc.org/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060216032618/http://www.ametsoc.org/|date=16 February 2006}}, 2nd Ed., 2000, [http://www.allenpress.com Allen Press] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223022159/http://allenpress.com/|date=23 February 2011}}.</ref>

===Synoptic scale===
{{Main|Synoptic scale meteorology}}
[[File:Surface analysis.gif|thumb|upright=1.35|[[NOAA]]: Synoptic scale weather analysis]]

Synoptic scale meteorology predicts atmospheric changes at scales up to 1000&nbsp;km and 10<sup>5</sup> sec (28 days), in time and space. At the synoptic scale, the [[Coriolis acceleration]] acting on moving air masses (outside of the tropics) plays a dominant role in predictions. The phenomena typically described by [[synoptic meteorology]] include events such as extratropical cyclones, baroclinic troughs and ridges, [[weather front|frontal zones]], and to some extent [[jet stream]]s. All of these are typically given on [[weather map]]s for a specific time. The minimum horizontal scale of synoptic phenomena is limited to the spacing between [[weather station|surface observation stations]].<ref>Bluestein, H., ''<u>Synoptic-Dynamic Meteorology in Midlatitudes: Principles of Kinematics and Dynamics, Vol. 1</u>'', Oxford University Press, 1992; {{ISBN|0-19-506267-1}}</ref>

===Global scale===
[[File:Annual mean sea surface temperature (World Ocean Atlas 2009).png|thumb|upright=1.35|Annual mean sea surface temperatures]]

Global scale meteorology is the study of weather patterns related to the transport of heat from the [[tropics]] to the [[Geographical pole|poles]]. Very large scale oscillations are of importance at this scale. These oscillations have time periods typically on the order of months, such as the [[Madden–Julian oscillation]], or years, such as the [[El Niño–Southern Oscillation]] and the [[Pacific decadal oscillation]]. Global scale meteorology pushes into the range of climatology. The traditional definition of climate is pushed into larger timescales and with the understanding of the longer time scale global oscillations, their effect on climate and weather disturbances can be included in the synoptic and mesoscale timescales predictions.

Numerical Weather Prediction is a main focus in understanding air–sea interaction, tropical meteorology, atmospheric predictability, and tropospheric/stratospheric processes.<ref>[http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/sec7532.htm Global Modelling] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821003218/https://www1.nrlmry.navy.mil/sec7532.htm |date=21 August 2007 }}, US Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, Ca.</ref> The [[Naval Research Laboratory]] in Monterey, California, developed a global atmospheric model called [[Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System]] (NOGAPS). NOGAPS is run operationally at [[Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center]] for the United States Military. Many other global atmospheric models are run by national meteorological agencies.