Glossary: Jet Stream
Jet Stream
The jet stream is like a current or river of air in the upper atmosphere, 7,000 to 13,000 metres up. It’s created when cold and warm air masses come together. In the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere winds will tend to move from the west to the east. The jet stream, quite simply put, is the apex of these winds in the upper atmosphere. The minimum criterion for jet stream speed is 93 kilometres per hour. The location and orientation of the jet stream changes from day to day. Weather patterns are influenced by the position, strength and orientation of the jet stream.
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