Analysis of a server convective rainstorm in the weak background

Author(s):  
zhang yingxin ◽  
qin rui

<p>Using conventional and unconventional meteorological observation dataes, RMAPS-NOW( RR4DVar cloud model), the severe convective rainstorm occurred over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei junction area on May 17, 2019 was analyzed. Taking the observation of  Tongzhou 101 farm rainstorm (17: 30-20h precipitation 179.1mm) as an example, the results showed that this server convective rainstorm took place under a weak background, (1) Boundary conditions : The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area had high temperature and high humidity. The θse energy front was located in the middle of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. The CAPE at Beijing Observatory reached 1113 J · Kg-1 at 08h, and correction value reached 2669 J · Kg-1 at 14h. Convection cloud streets appeared around 12 o'clock in the visible image of the Himawari-8 satellite; the southeast wind jet in the boundary layer provided sufficient water  for convection development; at 20 o'clock, sounding showed that the vertical wind shear of 0-6 km increased to 17.5 m · s-1. (2) Trigger conditions: The southeast wind at the rear of the offshore High merged with sea breeze and pushed inland, formed a local convergence line with the local southerly wind in the central part of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, and convection occurred at the convergence line and the θse energy front. (3) Tongzhou heavy rain was caused by two convective cells. Cell 1 was generated at the convergence line and the θse front. It developed into a server storm within 1 hour, and the composite reflectivity was > 60dBz. Subsequently, at its downstream (northwest side, the leading airflow is the southeast airflow), Cell 2 developed rapidly, and the two Celles revolved, moved over Tongzhou successively, accompanied by heavy rainfall ,hail and strong winds. (4) RMAPS-NOW data can describe the refined process of cells formation and evolution, that is, the θse field in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is extremely uneven, even in the θse front area. In the boundary layer convergence line and θse high-energy region, the convective bubble stimulated the formation of cell 1, the airflow spined up, and the development of the convective cell was strengthened. Half an hour later, a single cell was gradually separated into two cells (cell 1 and cell 2) in the upper layer, and the updraft gradually separated from the center into two rotating oblique updrafts. Seen from the echo profile, the two cells were connected by a cloud bridge and rotated clockwise. The convergence line in the boundary connected the two cells and rotated organically.</p>

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 707-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaping Wang ◽  
Christopher A. Davis ◽  
Yongjie Huang

Abstract Idealized simulations are conducted using the Cloud Model version 1 (CM1) to explore the mechanism of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis from a preexisting midtropospheric vortex that forms in radiative–convective equilibrium. With lower-tropospheric air approaching near saturation during TC genesis, convective cells become stronger, along with the intensifying updrafts and downdrafts and the larger area coverage of updrafts relative to downdrafts. Consequently, the low-level vertical mass flux increases, inducing vorticity amplification above the boundary layer. Of interest is that while surface cold pools help organize lower-tropospheric updrafts, genesis still proceeds, only slightly delayed, if subcloud evaporation cooling and cold pool intensity are drastically reduced. More detrimental is the disruption of near saturation through the introduction of weak vertical wind shear. The lower-tropospheric dry air suppresses the strengthening of convection, leading to weaker upward mass flux and much slower near-surface vortex spinup. We also find that surface spinup is similarly inhibited by decreasing surface drag despite the existence of a nearly saturated column, whereas larger drag accelerates spinup. Increased vorticity above the boundary layer is followed by the emergence of a horizontal pressure gradient through the depth of the boundary layer. Then the corresponding convergence resulting from the gradient imbalance in the frictional boundary layer causes vorticity amplification near the surface. It is suggested that near saturation in the lower troposphere is critical for increasing the mass flux and vorticity just above the boundary layer, but it is necessary yet insufficient because the spinup is strongly governed by boundary layer dynamics.


1982 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 503-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshi Ogura ◽  
Hann-Ming Juang ◽  
Ke-Su Zhang ◽  
Su-Tzai Soong

The SESAME-AVE IV (9–10 May 1979) rawinsonde data were analyzed to uncover possible triggering mechanisms for severe storms that developed over western Oklahoma and Texas. The high frequency of observations (at 3 h intervals) and high vertical resolution of reported data (at 25 mb intervals) at all stations permitted investigation of the diurnal variation of the planetary boundary layer on the synoptic scale. Thunderstorms developed first just ahead of a stationary front over the Texas panhandle on the afternoon of 9 May. This area was characterized by the absence of a strong inversion (or “lid”) that represented an interface between very warm and dry air aloft, and warm moist tropical air below. Apparently, mesoscale low-level ascending motion associated with frontal lifting and/or the inland sea breeze effect led to the removal of the lid. Another noteworthy feature in this storm event was the strong vertical wind shear at low and middle levels over the storm area. When combined with the development of a deep boundary layer with weak stratification during the daytime, the Richardson number became less than one in the boundary layer in the prestorm situation. The results of our numerical linear stability analysis indicate that the observed basic states were indeed symmetrically unstable. This may suggest that the triggering processes were argumented by symmetric instability. Although a well defined dry line was present, it does not seem to have contributed directly to initiation of storms in this case. It also was observed that, as the thermal low began to weaken in the early evening, the cold air behind a stationary front started advancing eastward and helped to extend the line of thunderstorms deep into central Texas. This may be another process whereby some storms prefer to develop in the late afternoon or early evening.


2009 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 2069-2085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesar Azorin-Molina ◽  
Bernadette H. Connell ◽  
Rafael Baena-Calatrava

Abstract The aim of this study was to identify clear air boundaries and to obtain spatial distribution of convective areas associated with the sea breeze over the Iberian Mediterranean zone and the isle of Mallorca, both in Spain. Daytime Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting satellites were collected for May–October 2004. A cloud detection algorithm was used to identify clouds to derive daytime sea-breeze cloud frequency composites over land. The high-resolution composites aided in identifying the location of five preferential sea-breeze convergence zones (SBCZ) in relation to the shape of coastline and orographic effects. Additionally, eight regimes were designated using mean boundary layer wind speed and direction to provide statistics about the effect of prevailing large-scale flows on sea-breeze convection over the five SBCZ. The offshore SW to W and the NW to N regimes were characterized by high cloud frequencies parallel to the coast. Small differences in mean cloud frequency values from morning to afternoon composites were detected with these regimes because sea-breeze fronts tended to form early and persist into the afternoon. Just the opposite occurred under the onshore NE to E and SE to S regimes. It was found that light to moderate (≤5.1 m s−1) winds aloft result in more clouds at the leading edge of sea breezes. In contrast, strong synoptic-scale (>5.1 m s−1) flows weaken boundary layer convergence. The results from this satellite meteorology study could have practical applications for many people including those that forecast the weather and those that use the forecast for making decisions related to energy use, fishing, recreation, or agriculture activities, as well as for estimating pollution or issuing warnings for heavy rain or flash flooding.


2005 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 264-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert G. Fovell

Abstract In earlier work, a three-dimensional cloud model was used to simulate the interaction between the sea-breeze front (SBF) and front-parallel horizontal convective rolls (HCRs), resulting in the SBF systematically encountering roll updrafts and downdrafts as it progressed inland. Interestingly, deep convection was spawned above an HCR updraft ahead of the SBF as the front approached, well before the inevitable front–roll merger. Ostensibly, both the sea-breeze and roll circulations were required for deep convection to be present in this case at all because convection was entirely absent when either phenomenon was removed. Further analysis reveals why both circulations were necessary yet not sufficient for the excitation of deep convection in this case. The sea-breeze circulation (SBC) made its upstream (inland) environment more favorable for convection by bringing about persistent if gentle lifting over an extended region stretching well ahead of the SBF. This persistent ascent established a moist and cool tongue of air, manifested by a visible and/or subvisible cloud feature termed the cloud shelf emanating ahead of the front. Though this lifting moistened and destabilized the environment, the roll’s direct and indirect effects on this moist tongue were also required. The former consisted of a moisture plume lofted by the roll updraft, and the latter consisted of obstacle effect gravity waves generated as the roll drafts penetrated through the top of the boundary layer, into the SBC-associated offshore flow farther aloft. These provided the missing spark, which led to rapid growth of cumulus above the roll updraft, drawing first from air located above the boundary layer. Once established, deep convection above the roll updraft modulated cloudiness above the approaching SBF, at first suppressing it but subsequently assuring its reestablishment and eventual growth into deep convection, again prior to the front–roll merger. This resulted from the influence of gravity waves excited owing to heating and cooling within the roll cloud.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 251-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Barantiev ◽  
M. Novitsky ◽  
E. Batchvarova

Abstract. Continuous wind profile and turbulence measurements were initiated in July 2008 at the coastal meteorological observatory of Ahtopol on the Black Sea (south-east Bulgaria) under a Bulgarian-Russian collaborative program. These observations are the start of high resolution atmospheric boundary layer vertical structure climatology at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast using remote sensing technology and turbulence measurements. The potential of the measurement program with respect to this goal is illustrated with examples of sea breeze formation and characteristics during the summer of 2008. The analysis revealed three distinct types of weather conditions: no breeze, breeze with sharp frontal passage and gradually developing breeze. During the sea breeze days, the average wind speed near the ground (from sonic anemometer at 4.5 m and first layer of sodar at 30–40 m) did not exceed 3–4 m s−1. The onset of breeze circulation was detected based on surface layer measurements of air temperature (platinum sensor and acoustic), wind speed and direction, and turbulence parameters. The sodar measurements revealed the vertical structure of the wind field.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Rajeev ◽  
Vimal Mishra

<p>India is severely affected by tropical cyclones (TC) each year, which generates intense rainfall and strong winds leading to flooding. Most of the TC induced floods have been attributed to heavy rain associated with them. Here we show that both rainfall and elevated antecedent soil moisture due to temporally compounding tropical cyclones cause floods in the major Indian basins. We assess each basin's response to observed TC events from 1980 to 2019 using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. The VIC model was calibrated (R2 > 0.5) and evaluated against observed hourly streamflow for major river basins in India. We find that rainfall due to TC does not result in floods in the basin, even for rainfall intensities similar to the monsoon period. However, TCs produce floods in the basins, when antecedent soil moisture was high. Our findings have implications for the understanding of TC induced floods, which is crucial for disaster mitigation and management.</p>


Author(s):  
Branden Katona ◽  
Paul Markowski

AbstractStorms crossing complex terrain can potentially encounter rapidly changing convective environments. However, our understanding of terrain-induced variability in convective stormenvironments remains limited. HRRR data are used to create climatologies of popular convective storm forecasting parameters for different wind regimes. Self-organizing maps (SOMs) are used to generate six different low-level wind regimes, characterized by different wind directions, for which popular instability and vertical wind shear parameters are averaged. The climatologies show that both instability and vertical wind shear are highly variable in regions of complex terrain, and that the spatial distributions of perturbations relative to the terrain are dependent on the low-level wind direction. Idealized simulations are used to investigate the origins of some of the perturbations seen in the SOM climatologies. The idealized simulations replicate many of the features in the SOM climatologies, which facilitates analysis of their dynamical origins. Terrain influences are greatest when winds are approximately perpendicular to the terrain. In such cases, a standing wave can develop in the lee, leading to an increase in low-level wind speed and a reduction in vertical wind shear with the valley lee of the plateau. Additionally, CAPE tends to be decreased and LCL heights are increased in the lee of the terrain where relative humidity within the boundary layer is locally decreased.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongren Chen ◽  
Yueqing Li ◽  
Tianliang Zhao

The movement of southwest China vortex (SWV) and its heavy rainfall process in South China had been investigated during June 11–14, 2008. The results show that under the steering of upper-level jet (ULJ) and mid-level westerly trough, SWV moved eastward from southern Sichuan Plateau, across eastern Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to South China, forming an obvious heavy rain belt. SWV developed in the large storm-relative helicity (SRH) environment, as environmental wind field continuously transferred positive vorticity to it to support its development. The thermodynamic structures of distinctive warm (cold) advections in front (rear) of the SWV movement are also important factors for the SWV evolutions with a southwest low-level jet (LLJ) and vertical wind shear. SWV development was associated with the distributions of negative MPV1 (the barotropic item of moist potential vorticity) and positive MPV2 (the baroclinic item of it). The MPV1 and MPV2 played the dominant role in the formation and the evolution of SWV, respectively. The mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) frequently occurred and persisted in water vapor convergence areas causing the severe heavy rainfall. The areas of high moist helicity divergence and heavy rainfall are consistent, and the moist helicity divergence could be a good indicator for heavy rainfall occurrence.


2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 2666-2681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshiaki Miyamoto ◽  
Tetsuya Takemi

Triggering processes for the rapidly intensifying phase of a tropical cyclone (TC) were investigated on the basis of numerical experiments using a three-dimensional nonhydrostatic model. The results revealed that the rapid intensification of the simulated TC commenced following the formation of a circular cloud, which occurred about 12 h after the TC became essentially axisymmetric. The circular cloud (eyewall) evolved from a cloudy convective cell that was originally generated near the radius of maximum wind speed (RMW). The development of the convective cell in the eyewall was closely related to the radial location of the strong boundary layer convergence of axisymmetric flow. The radius of maximum convergence (RMC) was small relative to the RMW when the TC vortex was weak, which is consistent with the boundary layer theory for a rotating fluid system on a frictional surface. As the TC intensified, the RMC approached the RMW. An eyewall was very likely to form in the simulated TC when the RMC approached the RMW. Because the RMC is theoretically determined by a Rossby number defined by the maximum tangential velocity, RMW, and Coriolis parameter, a series of numerical experiments was conducted by changing the three parameters. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that intensification occurs earlier for larger Rossby numbers. This finding indicates that initial TC vortices with larger Rossby numbers are more likely to experience rapid intensification and, hence, to evolve into strong hurricanes.


2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 2393-2408 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Painemal ◽  
Patrick Minnis ◽  
Larry O'Neill

Abstract The diurnal cycles in cloud-top height Htop and cloud fraction (CF) in the southeastern Pacific stratocumulus region were determined for October–November 2008 by analyzing data from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-10 (GOES-10) according to a diurnal/semidiurnal harmonic fitting technique. The value of Htop was obtained by applying a formula based on a linear regression of the differences between GOES-10 cloud-top temperature and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) satellite sea surface temperature, with a common 0.25° × 0.25° spatial resolution. A satellite liquid water path (LWP) climatology complemented this dataset. Southwestward transects of Htop and LWP anomalies reveal a coherent propagating signal from the coast in the afternoon, with a typical phase speed of 25 m s−1. This pattern is preceded by a subsidence wave that reaches its peak a few hours before the maximum in Htop and LWP anomalies. Coincident increases in LWP and Htop after the subsidence wave passes suggest that the boundary layer deepening promotes cloud thickening and increased LWP, which are likely maintained through a well-mixed boundary layer and sufficient moisture fluxes that can counteract the effect of dry air entrainment. The interference between the radiatively and subsidence wave–driven cycles gives rise to a semidiurnal cycle in Htop along the coast. While the semidiurnal amplitude is near 80 m close to the coast with a fraction of explained variance greater than 0.4, it decreases to 30 m offshore (80°W). Similar to Htop, CF also exhibits contrasting zonal differences, but with a smaller semidiurnal component. The phase of the semidiurnal harmonic resembles the subsidence propagation westward, and the noticeable land–sea breeze circulation at 26°S that extends 200 km offshore.


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