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Since water vapor amounts are highly variable in both the horizontal and vertical throughout the middle- and upper- troposphere, the water vapor channel is very useful for detecting both small- and large-scale atmospheric features.
In this animation, the movement of an upper-level trough across the southwestern United States is readily detected.
Also apparent is the broad-scale flow of moisture from the southern Pacific across Mexico and into Texas that is associated with the subtropical jet stream.
Notice that very-small-scale waves are evident over the mountains of Mexico and New Mexico in the dry region between the subtropical jet and trough.
While no clouds are associated with these waves, the rapid upward and downward motions associated with them indicate a very turbulent regime.
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