Question

Cold air pushes equatorward and warm air pushes poleward when ________.

A) there are few Rossby waves
B) the subtropical high arrives overhead
C) the polar front is weakest
D) the Rossby waves have great amplitude
E) the westerlies reverse flow and become easterlies

Answer 1

Cold air pushes equatorward and warm air pushes poleward when the Rossby waves have great amplitude.

Step-by-step explanation:

Cold air pushes equatorward and warm air pushes poleward when the Rossby waves have great amplitude. This exchange of air masses is part of the atmospheric circulation patterns that are influenced by the rotation of the Earth. Rossby waves are large-scale meanders in high-altitude winds that have a major influence on weather. These waves can alter the path of the jet stream, which acts as a boundary between cold and warm air masses. When the amplitude of these waves is great, they can extend far from the usual latitudinal lines, pushing cold air towards the equator and warm air towards the poles, resulting in significant weather changes.