Water-the Strangest Substance 5
Liquids, Solids and Gases 6
Why Water is Weird 7
Water & Latent Heat 7
Evaporative Processes 9
Evaporation & Chill Factor 9
Weather and the Behavior of Gases 11
Atmospheric Pressure 11
Air Column 11
Atmospheric Pressure & Wind 13
Gases, Pressure, Heat & Condensation 14
The Solar Level 16
Earth-Sun Relationships 16
Solar Gainers & Losers 20
Reflecting, Trapping & Absorbing Solar Energy 20
Infrared Radiation 21
Visible Radiation 21
Water Again 22
Transporting Solar Energy 22
Ocean Currents 22
Atmospheric Transport 23
The Japanese Current & Aleutian Low 24
The Polar Jet Stream, Polar Front and Aleutian Low 26
Cyclone Formation "Cyclogensis" 28
Season Variability: Summer & Winter 31
Monthly Precipitation, Sea Level Pressure & Gulf
Storm Tracks 33
Interannual & Interdecadal Climate Variations 35
The El Nino/La Nina Cycle 36
Local El Nino/La Nina Effects 37
Long Term El Nino/La Nina Trends 39
Interdecadal Variations-The Pacific
Decadal Oscillation (PDO) 39
Factors Affecting Temperature Variations 44
Local Temperature Variations 47
General Versus Local Circulation 51
Local Wind Types 52
Williwaws 52
Gap Winds 53
Katabatic Winds 54
Glacier Breezes 55
Sea Breezes 56
Diurnal Winds 57
Wind Conditions Valdez versus Cordova 58
Local Wind Observations in the Eastern Sound 60
General Overview of Prince William Sound Winds 62
Summer Winds 62
Low Pressure Winds 64
Clouds 66
Clouds as Clues to Weather 66
Fog 67
Total Precipitation 68
Orographic Influences-Geology and North
Gulf Coast Weather 70
Precipitation & Glaciers 71
Precipitation East & West 73
High-Pressure & Precipitation 74
Snowfall 75
Bibliography 78
Index 79
Prince William Sound Books / Order Form