• You will be able to describe the passage of depression Klaus over the 23rd and 24th of January.
Objectives
• You will be able to identify the different stages in the development of depression Klaus using satellite and temperature maps.
• You will be able to offer reasons for why depression Klaus was particularly intense compared to other storms.
Differences between polar and equatorial temperatures influence the power and strength of depressions. Weather systems help ‘normalise these differences’. At the time of the depression there was a strong temperature gradient across the
Atlantic.
Unusually for this depression it began further south than
normal, therefore it was fed by warm
and moist air from the Caribbean.
January 23rd Midnight.
Old, decaying weather system over Iceland.
Isobars getting closer together
Cloud associated with the warm conveyor.
Developing ‘hook’ of cloud caused by the
cold conveyor.
January 23rd Midday.
Intense area of low pressure.
Cloud associated with the warm conveyor.
Cloud associated with the cold conveyor-
wrapped around the low.
January 23rd Midday.
Warm conveyor can be clearly seen.
Cold, polar air getting wrapped around behind
the area of low pressure.
January 23rd Seven p.m.
Intense area of rainfall as the warm front
travels over the Bay of Biscay.
January 24th Midnight
Intense depression- tightly packed isobars.
Warm conveyor belt has been cut off from the
system.
Cold conveyor is now wrapped tightly around
the system.
January 24th Midnight
Warm conveyor belt has been cut off from the system by the hook of
the cold conveyor.
January 24th Midnight
Area of lowest pressure, show by the tightly
packed isobars.
Cold front
Warm frontOccluded front
January 24th Midnight
Intense area of rainfall as the cold front travels over the Bay of Biscay.
January 24th Midday
Cloud associated with the cold conveyor is
starting to decay.
Another weather system to the West begins to develop.
January 24th Midday
Cold air associated with the previous system can be clearly seen over the
UK, France and Germany.
New band of warm air, associated with the new
weather system.
Can you?
Identify depression Klaus.
Identify the area of lowest pressure.
Identify the warm conveyor cloud.
Identify the cold conveyor cloud head.