Talk:Lee waves

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I just want to comment on the figure displayed to illustrate this topic, which fails to portray an important feature of lee waves.

The figures shows an air flow that is pressed up over a montain, and then, further up, by a rotor.

This is incorrect. Actually, the airflow, moves down behind the mountain and beyond its original altitude. In a stable atmosphere, this will cause the air to 'bounce' up again, and then oscillate about its original altitude, creating a sequence of standing waves. The rotor will usually form under the top of each wave.

Thanks for that input I'll update the drawing. --Timothy Truckle 14:31, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

If the conditions are 'right', such waves may propagate upwards to the tropospause (and even beyond). In fact, glider pilots have used the upward moving part of lee waves to climb to altitudes of 50.000 feet/15.000m above sea level.

This effect is also called fohn wind, these two articles are of the identical subject...