Geography help!

[Beilei]

I'm writing a paper on weather conditions. This is UBC Geo 100 or Langara Geo 1190.

Can someone explain what weather condition might this location have?

Systems position
At 4:00 a.m. PDT today ridge located on a line north-south over the Queen Charlotte Island

Ridge definition:
Region of the atmosphere in which the pressure is high relative to the surrounding region at the same level.

I know what weather conditions cold or warm fronts have but what about "ridge"? I have never heard of this term before

Thanks

[C-Boogie]

haha nice...you got a technical marine synopsis from environment canada.

1) A "ridge" of high pressure looks like part of a sine wave with a positive amplitude: /\
as opposed to a "trough" of low pressure (sine wave w/ negative amplitude): \/

2) High pressure generally gives good weather (sunny, sunny w/ cloudy periods, etc...) and light winds as you get close to the centre, whereas a low pressure system is what gives you all the rain/snow, strong winds, etc...

3) Having a ridge of high pressure doesnt always mean great weather though, especially for coastal BC. Winds flow counter-clockwise around a high, so if the ridge is positioned in a way that the winds blow onshore (from water to land), you can still get cloud, drizzle, and fog. An example of this situation could be a high pressure system southwest of the queen charlottes...resulting in a west/southwest flow onto the island (which brings warmer, moister air from the south), and coastal BC. As the winds blow onshore, the air is forced upwards, where it cools and condenses...and that's how we get cloud, drizzle, fog...

4) In your case, where the ridge is directly over the queen charlottes...winds should be light and should be a pretty nice day.

If you have any other questions, I'm happy to help. I'm a meteorologist btw

[Beilei]

dudee thanks for the great help. I wish I asked on here earlier for my other assignments haha. I handed in my paper today, I would pass on your info to my fellow classmates since they're not done yet.

Thanks

[Beilei]

I forgot to put revscene.net in my bibliography

[C-Boogie]

very welcome. GL on the paper, let me know what kind of grade you get lol