weather nuts check out this page

[jasoncapecod]

http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwprod ... 0_144m.gif

check out the 500mb feature over alaska.. i have never seen heights this high in AK..if it wasn't dark they would be burning up..

 

[Idaho Cliff]

http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/nwprod/analysis/namer/gfs/12/images/gfs_500_144m.gif

check out the 500mb feature over alaska.. i have never seen heights this high in AK..if it wasn't dark they would be burning up..

Is it possible to give a brief "weather 101" and explain this map for those of us that are "weather challanged". It's a neat map, but I don't know what it means.
Thank,
/s/ Cliff