Subj: Re: The weather cells in the Gulf are spinning CLOCKWISE
Date: 9/8/00 1:03:48 PM Pacific Daylight Time

> The weather cells in the Gulf are spinning CLOCKWISE
>
> EMAIL: 9/8/00 10:48:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time
> In the northern hemisphere, when you pull the plug on a basin of water the
> water ALWAYS swirls counterclockwise. The same holds true with low pressure
> cells BUT, there is a large area of disturbed weather (a low pressure cell)
> in the Gulf of Mexico right now. Meteorologists are keeping a close eye on
> just in case it strengthens. Weird thing is that IT IS SPINNING CLOCKWISE!
> How can this be?
>
> Check out the various Internet weather loops quickly.
>
> Kent Steadman

Hi Kent,

The satellite loops you're viewing are showing you several things at
once right now... there is a low pressure area in the lower western Gulf
that can plainly be seen rotating counter-clockwise as it should be, as
well as an upper level high pressure area building over the eastern Gulf
- which is favorable for tropical development. That high pressure area
is rotating clockwise... this is what you're seeing on the satellite
loops.

It is similar to the illusion of a mature hurricane or typhoon on
certain satellite images - The outflow above the storm [cirrus canopy]
swirls around clockwise because of the upper level high pressure area
that the cyclone creates above itself. That high pressure outflow fans
out the bright white cirrus clouds in a spiral clockwise pattern, even
though the storm itself is rotating rapidly counter-clockwise.

It is this outflow "engine" that transports the heat from the ocean's
surface to the upper atmosphere - releasing tremendous amounts of energy
in the process.

Sometimes in the summer, a high pressure area in the Gulf or Southeast
US will have bands of convective thunderstorms riding along it's
periphery - also creating the illusion [when viewed from satellite] that
there is a donut [ring] shaped storm rotating in the wrong direction.

Hope that helps.