It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Synoptic scale meteorology. (Discuss)

The term synoptic scale, or large scale used in meteorology, is a size scale referring generally to weather systems with horizontal dimensions of several hundred miles or more. Most high and low pressure areas seen on weather maps are synoptic-scale systems. Momentum equations can be simplified by scale analysis in synoptic scale. It can be shown, that main terms in horizontal equations are Coriolis force and pressure gradient terms. Therefore we can use geostrophic approximation. In vertical coordinate momentum equation simplifies to hydrostatic equilibrium equation. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... synoptic literally means an overall view - hence Synoptic Gospels. ... Find more information on Weather by searching Wikipedias sister projects: Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews Weather is an all-encompassing term used to describe all of the many and varied phenomena... A mile is a unit of distance (or, in physics terminology, length) currently defined as 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or 63,360 inches. ... Pressure(symbol: p) is the forceper unit areaacting on a surface in a direction perpendicularto that surface. ... A map is a simplified depiction of a space, a navigational aid which highlights relations between objects within that space. ... The Navier-Stokes equations, named after Claude-Louis Navier and George Gabriel Stokes, are a set of equations that describe the motion of fluid substances like liquids and gases. ... Scale analysis is a powerful tool used in the mathematical sciences for the simplification of equations with many terms. ... This low pressure system over Iceland spins counter-clockwise due to the Coriolis effect. ... Pressure Gradient is the change in pressure over a distance. ... The geostrophic wind is defined as the wind resulting from the balance between the Coriolis force and the pressure gradient force. ... Hydrostatic equilibrium occurs when compression due to gravity is balanced by outward pressure. ...

Compare with mesoscale, storm-scale. The term mesoscale is a size scale referring to weather systems smaller than synoptic scale systems but larger than storm-scale systems. ... The term storm-scale refers to weather systems with sizes on the order of individual thunderstorms. ...