The jet stream snakes around the globe in giant planetary waves. When those waves stall, they lock in heat waves, cold snaps, and floods.
Rossby WavesLive
the meandering jet stream
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The jet stream does not flow straight — it meanders in giant planetary Rossby waves, driven by the Earth's rotation varying with latitude. These waves carry weather systems around the globe and, when they grow large and stall, lock in heat waves, cold snaps, and floods. A few long waves circle the whole hemisphere.
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How it works
Rossby waves are large-scale meanders in the jet stream, arising because the Coriolis effect changes with latitude. They propagate slowly westward relative to the flow and carry weather systems around the hemisphere. A few long waves span the globe; when they grow large and become stationary, they trap persistent extreme weather beneath their ridges and troughs.
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