The jetstream is the transporter of west-east airflows. Outside of the area there is very little stopping any other air flow occurring. When the jetstream is over you, you will have semi-permanent westerly flow over you.Andy P wrote:Something i would like to ask on this subject -- And bear with me cos i`m a bit dumb when it comes to meteorology and it`s a difficult question for me to get across.
From what i understand, all the earth`s weather systems ( in the Northern hemisphere) move from West to East. The Gulf stream for example moves warm waters from the Caribbean -West to East. Whenever i`ve travelled East to Asia in an aeroplane- the flight there is a lot shorter than when you travel back. Due to the very fast and strong winds of the Jet stream that flow from West to East.And likewise, if i flew to the USA, the flight there takes longer than the flight back, Fighting against these winds. So why is it ( if the winds and tidal flows move so strongly from West to East in the Northern Hemisphere) do we sometimes get weeks of freezing weather - apparently from Siberia.
Siberia is thousands of miles East from the UK ,so how can their weather ever reach here considering the strong West to East jet streams,tidal flows and the huge distance between us?
However high pressure can deflect this jet stream flow, and during that time, easterly winds can easily gather momentum. The Coriolis effect (west to east) and pattern systems do not come into conflict with each other so easterly winds do occur.
The Gulf stream probably has water moving to the NE because of the shape of land around the Gulf of Mexico, but the transporter system for the Gulf stream is the North Atlantic Drift, which is the ocean current transport system.
Jet planes often fly within the jetstream, so going east to west it can be slower work battling against 200mph winds, whilst going with the jet stream will drastically reduce time.