TOPIC 4: PRESSURE

AIR PRESSURE ON WEATHERCASTS

METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY

A barometer measures the air pressure. The air pressure is a function of how much air is
pressing over an area. Air pressure will change rapidly with a change in altitude. Because of
this rapid change with altitude, reported pressure is usually adjusted to sea level. Once all
locations are adjusted to sea level then the air pressure can be compared between two places
that even have different altitudes. Maps that show pressure adjusted to sea level are called
isobaric maps. The isobars connect points of equal pressure. Where the isobars are close
together the wind is stronger.

The English units of air pressure are inches of mercury. The metric version is millibars. The
average sea level pressure is 29.92 inches of mercury and 1013 millibars. Using these average
values it can be determined whether the pressure is above, significantly above, below or
significantly below the average value. A few sea level pressure benchmark values follow:

1086 mb (32.08 inches of mercury): Highest Ever Recorded

1030 mb (30.42 inches of mercury): Strong High Pressure System
1013 mb (29.92 inches of mercury): Average Sea Level Pressure
1000 mb (29.54 inches of mercury): Typical Low Pressure System
980 mb (28.95 inches of mercury): CAT 1 Hurricane or a very intense mid-latitude cyclone
950 mb (28.06 inches of mercury): CAT 3 Hurricane
870 mb (25.70 inches of mercury): Lowest Ever Recorded (not including tornadoes)

The change in air pressure over time has important forecasting implications. As pressure
lowers over time, especially if it is rapid, that is an indication that a low pressure system or
front is approaching. This lowering pressure indicates an increasing likeliness of
precipitation. If the air pressure rises significantly or stays well above average for a long
period of time, that is an indication precipitation is less likely.

Much of the general public does not understand how air pressure is used in forecasting. Thus
it is important to point out when appropriate the importance of air pressure changes over
time and the relationship between air pressure and whether a high pressure or a low pressure
system is influencing the area. The general public does have a good handle of understanding
that low pressure systems tend to bring in precipitation and high pressure systems tend to
bring fair weather. Thus, if you can relate the air pressure value to a pressure system then the
general public may grasp the significance of the air pressure value especially if they have an
understanding of benchmark values.

Pressure is the force per unit area applied in the direction perpendicular to a
surface. Mathematically, pressure is defined as
where:
P is pressure
F is the component of force perpendicular to the surface
A is the area of the surface
When a force is constant over an area, the pressure acting on that area is simply

It can be given the units of N.m-2. Pressure is a scalar quantity, thus it acts in all directions
at any given point. In order for pressure to create a force, the pressure must be integrated
over some area.

Pressure units
standard pound per
pascal bar atmospher torr square
e inch
Pa bar atm Torr psi
1 Pa 1 N/m2 10−5 9.8692×10−6 7.5006×10−3 145.04×10−6
1 bar 105 105 Pa 0.98692 750.06 14.5037744
0.980665
1 at 0.980665 0.96784 735.56 14.223
×105
1.01325
1 atm 1.01325 p0 760 14.696
×105
1 Torr 133.322 1.3332×10−3 1.3158×10−3 ≈ 1 mmHg 19.337×10−3
1 psi 6.895×103 68.948×10−3 68.046×10−3 51.715 1 lbf/in2
Category:
 Book:Units of Measurement

SI unit of pressure
For pressure, the SI system's basic unit is Pascal (Pa), which is N/m² (Newton per square meter,
while Newton is kgm/s²). Pascal is a very small pressure unit and for example the standard
atmospheric pressure is 101325 Pa absolute.

AIR PRESSURE ON WEATHERCASTS

 METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY

A barometer measures the air pressure. The air pressure is a function of how much air is pressing
over an area. Air pressure will change rapidly with a change in altitude. Because of this rapid
change with altitude, reported pressure is usually adjusted to sea level. Once all locations are
adjusted to sea level then the air pressure can be compared between two places that even have
different altitudes. Maps that show pressure adjusted to sea level are called isobaric maps. The
isobars connect points of equal pressure. Where the isobars are close together the wind is
stronger.

The English units of air pressure are inches of mercury. The metric version is millibars. The
average sea level pressure is 29.92 inches of mercury and 1013 millibars. Using these average
values it can be determined whether the pressure is above, significantly above, below or
significantly below the average value. A few sea level pressure benchmark values follow:

1086 mb (32.08 inches of mercury): Highest Ever Recorded

1030 mb (30.42 inches of mercury): Strong High Pressure System
1013 mb (29.92 inches of mercury): Average Sea Level Pressure
1000 mb (29.54 inches of mercury): Typical Low Pressure System
980 mb (28.95 inches of mercury): CAT 1 Hurricane or a very intense mid-latitude cyclone
950 mb (28.06 inches of mercury): CAT 3 Hurricane
870 mb (25.70 inches of mercury): Lowest Ever Recorded (not including tornadoes)

The change in air pressure over time has important forecasting implications. As pressure lowers
over time, especially if it is rapid, that is an indication that a low pressure system or front is
approaching. This lowering pressure indicates an increasing likeliness of precipitation. If the air
pressure rises significantly or stays well above average for a long period of time, that is an
indication precipitation is less likely.

Much of the general public does not understand how air pressure is used in forecasting. Thus it is
important to point out when appropriate the importance of air pressure changes over time and
the relationship between air pressure and whether a high pressure or a low pressure system is
influencing the area. The general public does have a good handle of understanding that low
pressure systems tend to bring in precipitation and high pressure systems tend to bring fair
weather. Thus, if you can relate the air pressure value to a pressure system then the general
public may grasp the significance of the air pressure value especially if they have an
understanding of benchmark values.

Higher air pressure gives lower sea levels: an increase in air pressure of 1 hPa
lowers the water level by 1 cm.

Sea level varies from day to day and week to week, depending on the weather situation.
Air pressure has a direct influence on the sea level.

High air pressure exerts a force on the surroundings and results in water movement. So
high air pressure over a sea area corresponds to low sea level and conversely low air
pressure (a depression) results in higher sea levels. This is called the inverse barometer
effect.

The average sea level during a year is 0 cmPGA and the average air pressure is 1013 hPa.
Since the air pressure normally varies between 950 and 1050 hPa during a year, the
expected variation in sea level due to air pressure is between +63 cm and -37 cm around
mean sea level.

Water levels at a particular location are not only affected by the local air pressure but also
by other factors, so this simple correlation is rarely observed.

Sea levels in north-western Europe are often high during autumn and winter when there
are frequent depressions and strong westerly winds, but low during the spring and
summer when high pressure and gentle winds dominate.

The sea surface on the Baltic can slope significantly both from north to south and from
west to east. Deep low pressure passages over the Bothnian Bay, combined with high
pressure over the southern Baltic can create sea level differences of up to 2 m.

PANOFSKY AND BRIER FORMULA FOR WIND VELOCITY

1. Calculate the approximate velocity of winds at low pressure area using the formula under the Classification
Schemed developed by Panofsky and Brier, if the storm pressure is 996 hpa.

Given: Storm central pressure = 996 hpa

What is asked: Wind velocity

Solution : Wind velocity = 3.9 + 3.5  1016 – Storm Central Pressure

= 3.9 + 3.5  1016 – 996

= 3.9 + 3.5  20

= 19.55 meter/sec

Notice that the unit of the choices are in knots. So how can we convert 19.55 meter/sec into knots? What we
shall do is to multiply it by 1.944
 So, 19.55 meter/sec x 1.944 = 38 knots

Note: 3.9, 3.5 and 1016 are constant.

HOW TO SOLVE TRUE WIND SPEED

Your vessel is on course 15⁰ T, speed 17 knots. The apparent wind is from 40⁰ off the starboard bow,
speed is 15 knots. What is the speed of true wind ?

Given: Own course = 15⁰ T

Own speed = 17 knots

Apparent wind direction = 40⁰

Apparent wind speed = 15 knots

What is asked: True wind speed

Solution: Own speed² + Apparent wind speed² - 2x Own speed x Apparent wind speed x cos 40⁰
and then square root the answer to get the true wind. This the formula to solving true wind speed

True wind speed = 17² + 18² - 2 x 17 x 15 x Cos 40⁰ = 11 knots