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Jet Stream: Rossby Waves & Polar Vortex (2D)

Interactive 2D map-view jet stream model: two Gaussian zonal jets and a sinusoidal Rossby-wave meander drive a live 220-particle streamline field, with season, wavenumber, temperature-gradient, jet-speed controls and an optional Omega-blocking vortex.

Meteorology & Weather Patterns2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted💨 Air & Wind ⇄ 3D version

This 2D companion strips the jet stream down to its governing wind field: two Gaussian zonal jets (polar and subtropical) plus a sinusoidal Rossby-wave meander, drawn as a flat map-view streamline chart instead of an orbiting globe. Switch between Winter and Summer, set the Rossby wavenumber and temperature gradient, and add an Omega-blocking vortex to watch 220 tracer particles reveal how ridges carry warm air poleward and troughs drag cold air toward the equator — the same synthetic wind field that drives the 3D version, read here as a diagram rather than a scene.

⚙ Under the hood

2D map-view jet stream model: Gaussian polar and subtropical jets combined with a Rossby-wave meridional displacement drive a 220-particle streamline field, with season, wavenumber, temperature-gradient and jet-speed controls plus an optional Omega-block vortex.

jet streamrossby wavespolar vortexatmospheric blockingsubtropical jetweather patterns

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install