The geographical locations of Southern Hemisphere storm tracks: linear theory.

Abstract

The instability properties of a three-dimensional climatological January Southern Hemisphere flow field are examined using a five-level spherical quasi-geostrophic spectral model. The growth rates, phase frequencies, disturbance streamfunctions and eddy momentum and heat fluxes are studied for the eight fastest growing modes, all of which are monopole cyclogenesis modes. There is reasonable agreement between instability theory and observations as far as the geographical locations of the storm tracks and eddy fluxes are concerned. -from Author