Where does the jet stream go?

Jet streams are relatively narrow bands of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere. The winds blow from west to east in jet streams, but the current often changes to north and south. Jet streams follow the boundaries between warm and cold air.

Does the jet stream change or stay the same?

Changing jet stream patterns can have a big impact on the weather. Jet streams are always changing: moving to higher or lower altitudes, breaking up and changing in flow, depending on the season and other variables, such as energy coming from the sun.

What is the jet stream and where is it located?

Jet streams are fast-flowing, narrow, meandering currents of air in the atmosphere of some planets, including Earth. On Earth, the main jet streams are located near the height of the tropopause and are westerlies (flows from west to east).

Why has the jet stream moved south?

The polar jet stream separates the cold polar air from the more temperate air between latitudes. High-pressure heat waves can slow or stall as the jet stream moves more slowly around the globe. In winter, when there is a build-up of cold air in the polar regions, the jet stream travels south.

Can a weather system be away from a jet stream?

But if a weather system is far away from a jet stream, it can stay in one place and cause heat waves or flooding. Earth's four primary jet streams travel only from west to east.

How many miles per hour does the jet stream travel?

A jet stream is a type of air current that forms high in the atmosphere. The sun heats the Earth unevenly, creating lots of colder air near the poles and warmer air near the equator. Credit: NOAA/JPL-Caltech On average, jet streams move at about 110 miles per hour.

The heated air expands and becomes lighter than the surrounding air. It rises and creates a warm air flow. Cooler, heavier air then pushes in to replace the warm air, forming a cool air current. Jet streams are air currents in the highest part of the atmosphere. The atmosphere has a layered structure.

However, one of the most important influences of the jet stream is the weather it brings. Because it is a strong current of fast-moving air, it has the ability to push weather patterns around the world.