| meridional circulation [mǝ`rid·ē·ǝn·ǝl ´sǝr·kyǝ`lā·shǝn] METEOROLOGY An atmospheric circulation in a vertical plane oriented along a meridian; it consists, therefore, of the vertical and the meridional (north or south) components of motion only. OCEANOGRAPHY The exchange of water masses between northern and southern oceanic regions. |