Dey, Clifford H.

"There are two general classes of solutions permitted by the set of primitive equations we use to describe atmospheric motions -- meteorological modes and gravity-inertia modes. The meteorological modes most closely describe the atmospheric motions that produce most of our everyday weather and are therefore the ones we seek to predict. Gravity-inertia motions, although present in the atmosphere, are generally of much less importance. By In numerical prediction models, however, the amplitudes of the gravity-inertia modes can become abnormally large and interfere with the prediction of the more important synoptic-scale meteorological motions. One method of dealing with this problem has been to develop time integration schemes that reduce the amplitudes of the gravity-inertia motions while leaving the meteorological motions relatively untouched"--Introduction.

National Weather Service (NWS)

United States