Cold Front

Saturday December 10th, 2016

Tonight we will go to the second Christmas light parade here in Stuart. The one last weekend was a little bit of a let down. There might have been 10 or so boats (that would have been a massive number in Little Current). The real light parade is tonight sponsored by Meridian Marina yacht club or something like that. The weather is cool so we will have to dig out some warmer t-shirts to wear.

Ok, Ok Canada stop penalizing us with your friggin’ Cold fronts. The Americans seem to take joy in blaming Canada for all the cold weather or cold air in the U.S. Hopefully nobody tells Trump it’s our fault. Here’s what happens when a Canadian cold front comes along. The beautiful blue sky clouds up and showers begin. The gentle South East wind turns to the North or North West and has a bit of a chill to it. Then it really clouds over and it rains and the wind blows harder from the North. Floridians are into their closets getting their winter parkas, plugging in their cars and not leaving their pets outside.  Perhaps a wall will hold the Canadian cold air where it belongs…

The Canadians here put on their heavier shorts and wear heavier cotton  t-shirts. The change in the weather is low to mid 60’s instead of low 80’s. When the Canadian polar vortex comes along the lows can get to the 40’s and all activity stops for Floridians… they huddle around their hair dryers to keep from freezing. You know if I’m talking about the weather I’m bored…

What happens when this cold air comes along? Basically cold dense air moves or plows along easily. It travels much faster than warm air or a warm front. The cold dense air sticks to the ground and pushes the warm moist air up. When the cold front is approaching the barometric pressure will begin to drop fairly quickly. The warm moist air rises and then cools as it rises and condenses the moisture contained and forms clouds. The clouds cause the rain. The cold air mass passes and the barometer begins to climb and the clouds are much reduced or completely disappear in the cooler and dryer air behind the front.

The violence of the rain/storms ahead of the cold front air a measure of the difference in the temperatures of the air masses, the speed of the air mass movement and the amount of moisture in the air ahead of the front. If a trailer park (or mooring field) is in the path of the cold front it is possible that tornados could form.

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