DIFLUENCE (OR DIFFLUENCE)


Meaning of DIFLUENCE (OR DIFFLUENCE) in English

A pattern of wind flow in which air moves outward (in a "fan-out" pattern) away from a central axis that is oriented parallel to the general direction of the flow. It is the opposite of confluence. Difluence in an upper level wind field is considered a favorable condition for severe thunderstorm development (if other parameters are also favorable). But difluence is not the same as divergence. In a difluent flow, winds normally decelerate as they move through the region of difluence, resulting in speed convergence which offsets the apparent diverging effect of the difluent flow.

Weather and meteorology English vocabulary.      Английский словарь погоды и метеорологии .