1. Upper Air Data The Atmosphere is 3D and can not be understood or forecast by using surface data alone

2. Modern Radiosondes-a key upper air data source

3. Radiosonde

5. Generally twice a day at 00 and 12 UTC

6. Radiosonde believe it or not…
A typical NWS "weather balloon" sounding can last in excess of two hours. In that time, the radiosonde can ascend to an altitude exceeding 35 km (about 115,000 feet) and drift more than 300 km (about 180 miles) from the release point. Typical pressure at balloon burst about 5 hPa (1/200th of surface pressure).

7. Radiosonde Video
Cam on radiosonde
Full flight:

8. ACARS: Aircraft Observations
Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System

11. Remote Sensing of Upper Atmosphere

12. Radar Wind Profiler

13. Geostationary and Polar Orbiting Satellites
Satellite Data
Geostationary and Polar Orbiting Satellites

15. Cloud and
Water Vapor
Track Winds
Based on Geostationary Weather Satellites

16. GOES sounder unit

18. Satellite Temperature and Humidity Soundings

19. With all this upper atmospheric data with can describe the 3D Atmosphere One way to present this information is with upper level charts

20. Upper
Level
Chart

21. Upper Level Maps
Meteorologists use upper level charts that describe atmospheric structure aloft.
They have one major difference with surface charts
Surface charts give pressure at a constant height
Upper air charts give the height of a pressure surface above sea level.

22. Like a topographic map

24. Upper Level Charts Give the Heights of Constant Pressure Levels Essentially how the pressure level undulates in 3D space
Typical levels include:
850 hPa ~5000 ft, 1.5 km ASL
700 hPa ~10,000 ft, 3 km ASL
500 hPa ~18,000 ft, 5.5 km ASL
250 hPa ~34,000 ft, 10.5 km ASL

26. Upper level charts have a station model
Heights in meters (solid lines)
Temperatures in Celcius/Centigrade (C)-dashed lines.
Upper air station model (a bit different than surface one)

27. Upper Level Charts Winds tend to follow the height lines
The greater the gradient in height lines, the stronger the winds
Drying conditions are often found under and to the east of ridges.
Moist, cloudy conditions under and to the east of troughs.