Another Cloud Question - Behind Cold Front

[jgf]

In this image, you can clearly see the cold front that has passed over the east coast and moved out to sea.

you can also see the expected cloud development in the vicinity of the front - lot's of cumulus clouds right behind the front and pretty high tops at the front.

I am asking about the clouds that basically are forming right off the coast - they are pretty low, and aligned in a NNW-SSE direction - parallel to the low level winds.., and perpendicular to the cold front

when you watch an animation, the clouds are not really moving offshore - rather they are forming right offshore, and getting entrained in the winds.

so we have cold air moving over warmer water - why are the low level NNW -SSE clouds forming?

 

[ohleary]

On 10/22/2018 at 10:06 AM, jgf said:

In this image, you can clearly see the cold front that has passed over the east coast and moved out to sea.

you can also see the expected cloud development in the vicinity of the front - lot's of cumulus clouds right behind the front and pretty high tops at the front.

I am asking about the clouds that basically are forming right off the coast - they are pretty low, and aligned in a NNW-SSE direction - parallel to the low level winds.., and perpendicular to the cold front

when you watch an animation, the clouds are not really moving offshore - rather they are forming right offshore, and getting entrained in the winds.

so we have cold air moving over warmer water - why are the low level NNW -SSE clouds forming?

 

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/82800/cloud-streets-over-the-atlantic-and-pacific-oceans

[jgf]

On 10/24/2018 at 5:01 PM, ohleary said:

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/82800/cloud-streets-over-the-atlantic-and-pacific-oceans

interesting - i have seen cloud streets at sea in the trade winds.., but didn't realize it was the same thing here

so, a parcel of air must follow a helical path  - roughly from NW to SE in the example above, with the surface winds in a herringbone pattern