It's just how much above average the zonal component (u axis or east-west) wind is. Easterly is a negative wind (-u) so basically that area has an easterly component >14kt above normal. I don't really care for those maps. I'd rather see standard deviations.
OT but I like following your station when I check in on mine. You do run relatively cool up there. That benefits you in winter, but not during warm season. You’ll probably be 85 when BDL is 90.
Yeah I always feel like models overestimate the nucleation issues out here...probably the salt nuclei like you said. It seems to be a bigger problem in the midwest and plains where you're pulling off ZR despite a sounding completely below 0C.
It's ZL. Probably some nucleation issues with crappier lift. Pretty cold around 850 though, but the lift is in the meh zone. The RH drops off to Death Valley levels above the cloud layer.
Really weird what the 18z 12k NAM is doing. It’s like the echoes are frozen in place over parts of CNE. It’s as if it’s virga in the lower els, but it’s accumulating above 1k. The 3k doesn’t do this.