Cloud measurements on day 245 of gate

Abstract

On day 245 of GATE (2 September 1974) two lines of convection ‐ north (N) and south (S) ‐ were studied by aircraft stacked vertically, patrolling a north‐south line at longitude 22.85° W of length about 200 km. These lines were part of a complex of convection related to an easterly wave. Photogrammetry shows that the northern line consisted at first of a dense aggregate of small clouds, of width roughly 50 m at cloud base. There were a few tall clouds. No line organization was apparent from the aircraft at 1208 GMT. Fifteen minutes later there was line organization, readily apparent from the DC‐6 aircraft. From study of Electra and DC‐6 records, it appears that a vigorous cold northeasterly surface current initiated line N, and that this was a downdraft originating at altitude about 2.5 km in a mesoscale cloud feature to the north. It appears further that penetrative convection to 14 km followed after the first rain, which moistened air near the surface, and thus lowered cloud bases from about 500 to 350 m.

In overhangs of cloud, anvils to the north of line S, active cloud towers only about 2 km wide were found. The anvils were roughly 2 km thick. Patterns of clouds corresponded to a profile of A/B‐scale divergence; active towers at low levels corresponded to convergence up to the 60 kPa level, and stratus coincided with A/B‐scale divergence aloft at about 50 and 26 kPa.

Statistical analyses from the aircraft films indicated that the area covered by clouds of dark base ‐ signifying concentrated updrafts ‐ was ～5%, much less than that covered by rain at cloud base, ～ 18%. Cloud cover at altitude 4 km was ～ 10%.     

Numerical prediction of an intense convective system associated with the July 1987 montreal flood. part II: A trailing stratiform rainband

Abstract

In this study, the internal circulation structures of the 14 July 1987 intense mesoscale convective system (MCS) are investigated using an improved high‐resolution version of the Canadian regional finite‐element model. It is found that although the MCS is characterized by a leading convective line followed by a trailing stratiform rainband, the associated circulation structures differ substantially from those in the classical midlatitude squall system. These include the rapid propagation and separation of the leading convection from the trailing rainband, the development of a surface‐based instead of an elevated rear‐to‐front descending flow and a shallow front‐to‐rear ascending flow associated with the stratiform precipitation, the generation of low‐ and mid‐level rather than mid‐ to upper‐level stratiform cloudiness and the development of a strong anticyclonic vorticity band at the back edge of the stratiform region. It is shown that the trailing stratiform rainband is dynamically forced by frontogenetical processes, and aided by the release of conditional symmetric instability and local orographical lifting. The intense leading and trailing circulations result from latent heat released by the convective and explicit cloud schemes, respectively. Sensitivity experiments reveal that the proper coupling of these two cloud schemes is instrumental in obtaining a realistic prediction of the above‐mentioned various mesoscale components. Vorticity budget calculations show that tilting of horizontal vorticity contributes the most to the amplification of the anticyclonic vorticity band, particularly during the squall's incipient stage. The sensitivity of the simulated squall system to other model physical parameters is also examined.     

THE GATE SQUALL LINE OF 9－10 AUGUST 1974

A tropical squall line that passed over the ship array of the Global Atmospheric Research Programme’s Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) on 9－10 August 1974 is analyzed. This squall line was similar to squall systems that passed over the GATE ship array on four other days. It began as a purely convective cloud line, then developed an associated stratiform cloud and precipitation area. The stratiform rain built up to a maxi-mum amount over a period of 8 h, then gradually diminished over a 6 h period. This stratiform rain is esti-mated to have accounted for 32% of the squall system’s total precipitation. As in other GATE squall lines, the upper-level cloud shield from which the stratiform rain fell, was advected slowly forward of the line during the system’s lifetime, the leading line of corrective clouds consisted of transient smaller-scale convective elements, which lent the line an irregular shape and pulsatory movement, and the stratiform portion of the system was characterized by the development of a mid-level mesoscale vortex similar to that seen in other GATE eases.     

登陆台风Matmo(2014)北侧对流雨带的触发和发展过程

登陆台风Matmo（2014）北侧弱回波区突发多条强对流雨带,造成严重影响。本文利用NECP/NCAR的FNL（Final）再分析资料,地面自动站加密观测资料、雷达拼图资料等对台风北侧连续出现的3条对流雨带的触发和发展过程进行研究。结果表明:初始对流是在弱的对流不稳定和条件对称不稳定条件下,由锋面强迫和地形抬升作用共同触发。接二连三发生的3条对流雨带是在台风北部高湿环境,长时间稳定的水汽辐合,明显的对流不稳定,局部弱条件对称不稳定条件下,由近地面辐合线在辐合稳定并加强后触发的,有利的环境和多层不稳定的叠加有利于雨带的发展和维持。先后触发对流雨带的3条辐合线在发生位置上相当接近。辐合线的形成一方面由海陆下垫面差异、江苏和山东南部海岸线曲率、台风风速随半径分布特点所决定;另一方面,辐合线2和3的形成还与它们北侧对流雨带的冷出流密切相关。对流带上的强降水中心往往对应着稳定的辐合中心,辐合中心主要位于风速大小梯度明显的位置上。而辐合线上的风速梯度主要受海岸线、地形附近的降水分布影响。     

Spatiotemporal mapping of ENSO and PDO surface meteorological signals in British Columbia,Yukon, and southeast Alaska

Abstract

We assessed the impacts of some key Pacific ocean‐atmosphere circulation patterns on annual cycles of temperature and precipitation across British Columbia, Yukon, and southeast Alaska. The El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and ENSO conditional on PDO states were considered in composite analyses of 71 long, high‐quality datasets from surface meteorological stations. Month‐by‐month, station‐by‐station Monte Carlo bootstrap tests were employed to assess statistical significance. The results trace precipitation and temperature responses as a function of location, season, and climate mode. In summary, temperature responses were relatively uniform, with higher (lower) temperatures during the warm (cool) phases of these circulation patterns. Nevertheless, strength and seasonal persistence varied considerably with location and climate mode. Impacts were generally most consistent in winter and spring but could extend through most of the year. Overall spatiotemporal patterns in precipitation response were decoupled from those in temperature and were far more heterogeneous. Complexities in precipitation signals included north‐south inverse teleconnectivity along the Pacific coast, with a zero‐response hinge point in the approximate vicinity of northern Vancouver Island; seasonally opposite anomalies in several interior regions, which might conceivably reflect contrasting effects of Pacific climate modes on wintertime frontal storms versus summertime convective storms; and a consistent lack of substantial response in northwestern British Columbia and possibly southwestern Yukon, conjectured to reflect complications associated with the Icefield Ranges. The product is intended primarily as a basic‐level set of climate response maps for hydrologists, biologists, foresters, and others who require empirical assessments of relatively local‐scale, year‐round ENSO and PDO effects across this broad region.     

Numerical prediction of an intense convective system associated with the July 1987 montreal flood. part I: Gravity waves and the squall line

Abstract

In this study, a 24‐h high‐resolution numerical prediction of a prefrontal squall line associated with the 14 July 1987 Montreal flood is employed to investigate the origin and role of mesoscale gravity waves in the development of the squall system. The 24‐h integration using an improved mesoscale version of the Canadian regional finite‐element model is first validated against available observations; then non‐observable features are diagnosed to reveal the relationship between deep convection and gravity wave events. It is shown that the model reproduces well many aspects of the squall line, such as the propagation and organization of the convective system, as well as its associated precipitation. It is found that gravity waves are first excited near Lake Erie, following the initiation of early convective activity. Then, these waves propagate eastward and northeastward at speeds of 20 and 35 m s^‐1, respectively. As the waves propagate downstream, deep convection radiates rapidly behind the wave trough axis, forming a long line of squall convection. Because the squall line moves with the gravity waves in a “phase‐locked” manner, deep convection has a significant influence on the structure and amplitude of the gravity waves. The sensitivity of the wave‐squall prediction to various parameters in convective parameterization is also examined.     

Lightning‐flash locations related to the precipitation pattern of the storm

Abstract

Triangulation from paired sferics (100 ± 50 kHz) received at stations 57 km apart gave 42 map locations of lightning flashes belonging to a thunderstorm well‐defined on weather radar. This storm was one of many in a long line along the leading edge of a band of light stratiform precipitation (snow above 3 km). The band was 9 km high and 60 km wide, and the storms were embedded in it. The convective region of the storm studied had a north‐south extent of 20 km, the east‐west extent averaging two‐thirds as much. Cumulus heights progressed from 3 km on the west to 7 ± 1 km on the east. Two‐thirds of the lightning flashes were in the convective region. The remaining third were in 160 km² of the light stratiform precipitation immediately west of it.     

Warm frontal structure in association with a rapidly deepening extratropical cyclone

Abstract

The detailed characteristics of a CASPII warm frontal passage are presented in this article. This storm, Intensive Operating Period (IOP) 13 (February 26–27, 1992), was observed in detail with an array of diverse instruments. It has the advantage over earlier freezing precipitation studies of having simultaneous, in situ and remote sensing measurements by aircraft and ground‐based Doppler radar.

The associated precipitation was in the form of banded structures parallel to the front. Within these bands were embedded precipitation cores, some parallel to the band, some perpendicular. The warm front itself was characterized by major perturbations in its kinematic and thermodynamic features. The cores oriented parallel to the front were the result of embedded convection generated, at least in part, by the irregularities in the frontal surface.

The cores oriented perpendicular to the front were closely associated with the 0°C isotherm on the underside of the frontal inversion. Precipitation phase changes played a significant role in the occurrence of wide near 0°C regions, both vertically and horizontally. These regions had a profound influence on the observed precipitation types and led to complex precipitation‐thermodynamic‐dynamic interactions. Instabilities produced by these interactions are seen in wave‐like features observed by the Doppler radar in these regions, both parallel and perpendicular to the frontal zone.     

Simulation of a mesoscale convective system over Northern India: Sensitivity to convection partitioning in a regional NWP model

Simulations of a mesoscale convective system (MCS), which propagated across Northern India on 2nd May 2018 - leading to many fatalities when the gust front knocked down homes and tore apart building roofs - have been performed using the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) Unified Model – Regional (4 km horizontal grid spacing), to evaluate the model’s convective treatments. Though the model captures many of the qualitative and quantitative features, it slightly lags behind the observed MCS organisation and movement, produces lesser precipitation, and lacks the spatial separation between two adjacent organised convective systems in the satellite observations – leading to a faintly offset MCS track. Sensitivity simulations are then performed, for this non-equilibrium MCS case, with different partitioning between parametrized and explicit convection to assess the reliance of the convective treatments on the large-scale environment, as well as to test the notion of a breakdown of convective parametrization at the mesoscale model resolution. Fully parametrized (FP) convection produces even lesser rainfall and are dominated by orographic precipitations along the foot hills of Himalayas with no any trace of the MCS. Fully explicit (FE) convection realistically simulates most of the prominent convective cells and enhance precipitation along the MCS track that agree better with the observations, though the ‘two lobes’ of intense precipitation are not resolved; instead it produces a squall line of precipitation. The FE configuration generates the most vigorous convective updraft, along with a vertical shear that is tilted westward. The simulation with partially parametrized and partially explicit convection resembles the fashion in the FP and FE scenarios, with a transition over the duration of the run from parametrized to explicit precipitation. The results are in line with the notion from previous studies; that the majority of successful explicit simulations of mesoscale organisation are those associated with strong large-scale forcing for convection, wherein resolved vertical motions are sufficient to minimise delays in onset.     

A study of drought characteristics over the Canadian prairies

Abstract

Droughts, a major concern to all of Canada, particularly to the Canadian Prairies, typically occur once every three years. Most research addressing such droughts has concentrated on the large‐scale conditions associated with this form of extreme weather whereas little research has been conducted on its smaller scale characteristics. The present study addresses these smaller scale issues. Several datasets (surface observations, drought indices, and precipitation data) were used to identify droughts occurring over the Prairies since 1953 and to compare their characteristics with those years associated with non‐drought conditions. Warm season, May to September, hourly surface observations (temperature, moisture, clouds, and precipitation type) from ten observation sites were compared for four categories of moisture across the Canadian Prairies, extreme drought, drought, non‐drought, and extreme wet conditions. When compared to non‐drought or extreme wet conditions, drought and extreme drought conditions are naturally associated with warmer temperatures and drier conditions; there is also little change in the amount of total cloud cover but cloud bases are higher and the maximum temperature occurs 1–2 h later in the afternoon. Near‐surface energy increases systematically from extreme wet to extreme drought conditions.     

恩施“6·24”暴雨中尺度系统特征分析

利用常规观测资料、自动区域站雨量、卫星TBB资料、雷达资料,对恩施州2016年6月24—25日发生的一次大范围暴雨过程进行分析。结果表明:本次强降水,具有典型的两槽一脊"单阻型"梅雨环流特征,在有利的大尺度环流背景下,在高空槽、低层低涡切变、西南急流、地面中尺度辐合线等中尺度天气系统的共同影响、相互作用下,形成了此次大范围强降水。此次暴雨空间上分布不均,局地性强,表现为明显的中尺度对流性特征,雷达回波图上降水性质表现为混合型降水,暴雨的直接影响系统是中β尺度对流系统,且中β尺度对流系统在多个中尺度对流云团合并后加强,时间尺度约为5 h。此次暴雨过程是在上干冷下暖湿强的大气层结不稳定条件下,梅雨锋、边界层辐合线和地形槽的触发作用将前期积累的能量释放产生的强对流天气,同时,副高外围西南气流将南海和西太平洋的水汽向恩施输送,为暴雨的发生提供了有利的条件。     

用双多普勒雷达分析华南一次飑线系统的中尺度结构特征

飑线是中国春、夏季常见的一种天气现象.2007年4月23-24日华南地区的一次强飑线过程,因强度强、持续时间长,给广东部分县市造成巨大的经济损失.利用广州和深圳的新一代多普勒天气雷达的探测资料,采用双多普勒雷达风场反演方法和热力动力反演方法,研究此次飑线内部的三维风场、动力和热力结构.在此基础上,通过质量、动量诊断探讨其维持机制.同时,结合地面、高空常规观测及自动站资料分析系统伴随的环境和地面中尺度特征.结果表明,系统发生于中等强度垂直风切变(0-3 km,18 m/s)和中等强度对流不稳定度的环境中,其移动速度最快达17 m/s,属快速移动的飑线.飑线过境时,地面测站呈现风向突变、风速骤增、气压上升、温度与露点骤降等现象.其成熟期的雷达回波和风场结构与过去观测的热带、副热带快速移动飑线系统特征相似.由前(前方指系统移动方向)向后,降水结构依次为对流区、过渡带和层云区.其中,对流区由多个对流单体组成,对应强回波和上升运动,而单体之间为弱下沉运动.气流特征呈准二维结构,包括系统前方深厚的从前向后气流和系统后部低层的从后向前气流.这两支气流在系统前缘低层辐合形成动力高压,触发新对流单体,是系统长时间维持的主要机制.在对流区倾斜上升气流的下方,存在一凝结潜热释放增暖引起的低压区.另外,在对流系统西侧不断有新对流单体形成,并被平流至系统中,促进对流维持.进一步对对流区的质量和动量通量诊断揭示,垂直于飑线系统的水平动量的垂直输送有逆梯度输送的特性,将增加垂直飑线方向的环境垂直风切变,有利于系统维持.相对的,平行飑线方向的水平动量具有顺梯度输送特征,使该方向上风切变分量有被均滑趋势.     

Organizational Modes and Environmental Conditions of the Severe Convective Weathers Produced by the Mesoscale Convective Systems in South China

Composite radar reflectivity data during April-September 2011-2015 are used to investigate and classify storms in south China(18-27°N; 105^-120°E). The storms appear most frequently in May. They are either linear; cellular or nonlinear systems, taking up 29.45%, 24.51% and 46.04%, respectively, in terms of morphology. Linear systems are subdivided into six morphologies: trailing stratiform precipitation(TS), bow echoes(BE), leading stratiform precipitation(LS), embedded line(EL), no st...     

不同强度台风相伴随的内陆台前飑线对比分析

本文应用多种常规观测资料和非常规观测资料,以两个强度差异较大的台风(201409号台风威马逊和200606号台风派比安)在内陆造成的台前飑线为研究对象,从飑线产生的实况、大尺度环流背景及飑线不同阶段进行分析,重点以飑线初生阶段的环境条件和成熟阶段的地面中尺度特征、垂直结构进行对比分析。分析结果表明:(1)"威马逊"飑线主要是台风倒槽和副热带高压(以下简称"副高")的相互作用引起的;而"派比安"飑线则是由台风倒槽、副高、西风槽相互作用引起的;两次过程副高位置的不同造成台风外围东南急流位置的差异,"派比安"飑线过程中东南急流更有利于飑线的持续。(2)飑线初生阶段,充沛的水汽来源、明显的条件不稳定、不稳定能量的积累、对流抑制能量的减小均为飑线的初生提供了有利的条件,地面辐合线使得离散的对流单体组织发展成飑线;而水汽条件、地面辐合线位置的差异导致了两次飑线初生位置的不同;对流有效位能(CAPE)、对流抑制位能(CIN)差异预示着"派比安"飑线过程对流发展潜势强于"威马逊"飑线过程。(3)飑线成熟阶段:由地面温压场特征分析出"派比安"飑线冷池中心比"威马逊"飑线更明显;垂直动力结构更有利于强对流的产生和发展。(4)西风槽底部和台风倒槽顶部在湘北的结合,使得已衰减的"派比安"飑线再次增强发展形成Ⅱ阶段飑线。(5)和以往研究的西风带飑线相比,这两次飑线过程并没有分析出那么强的"雷暴高压"、正变压,但有冷池、明显的温度梯度、气压梯度,低层的垂直风切变主要是由风的方向变化所导致。     

三江源隆宝高寒湿地不同云系降水雨滴谱特征

利用2019年5～10月布设于三江源地区隆宝高寒湿地的激光雨滴谱仪观测资料,分析高原山区夏秋季层状云降水和对流云降水雨滴微物理特征、平均雨滴谱分布、下落速度及Z-R关系.结果表明:三江源隆宝地区夏秋季对流云降水和层状云降水的雨滴微物理特征具有一定程度的相似性,对流云降水雨滴微物理参量略大于层状云降水;层状云降水和对流云...     

Insights into Convective-scale Predictability in East China: Error Growth Dynamics and Associated Impact on Precipitation of Warm-Season Convective Events

This study investigated the regime-dependent predictability using convective-scale ensemble forecasts initialized with different initial condition perturbations in the Yangtze and Huai River basin(YHRB) of East China. The scale-dependent error growth(ensemble variability) and associated impact on precipitation forecasts(precipitation uncertainties) were quantitatively explored for 13 warm-season convective events that were categorized in terms of strong forcing and weak forcing. The forecast error growth in the strong-forcing regime shows a stepwise increase with increasing spatial scale,while the error growth shows a larger temporal variability with an afternoon peak appearing at smaller scales under weak forcing. This leads to the dissimilarity of precipitation uncertainty and shows a strong correlation between error growth and precipitation across spatial scales. The lateral boundary condition errors exert a quasi-linear increase on error growth with time at the larger scale, suggesting that the large-scale flow could govern the magnitude of error growth and associated precipitation uncertainties, especially for the strong-forcing regime. Further comparisons between scale-based initial error sensitivity experiments show evident scale interaction including upscale transfer of small-scale errors and downscale cascade of larger-scale errors. Specifically, small-scale errors are found to be more sensitive in the weak-forcing regime than those under strong forcing. Meanwhile, larger-scale initial errors are responsible for the error growth after 4 h and produce the precipitation uncertainties at the meso-β-scale. Consequently, these results can be used to explain underdispersion issues in convective-scale ensemble forecasts and provide feedback for ensemble design over the YHRB.     

2008年8月1~2日滁州特大暴雨双多普勒雷达三维风场反演试验的初步结果

受“凤凰”低压和冷空气共同影响, 2008年8月1~2日安徽省东部和江苏西部部分地区出现大雨, 局部地区暴雨到特大暴雨。滁州和全椒24 h雨量分别为429 mm和414 mm, 此次特大暴雨具有局地性和降水强度大的特点。使用南京和马鞍山双多普勒雷达时间同步观测资料, 对此次暴雨的三维风场进行反演, 在此基础上, 研究了暴雨的三维风场结构。由雷达回波分析可知, 此次暴雨是由β中尺度对流系统造成的, 在β中尺度对流系统内部还有γ中尺度对流单体, 对流单体发展非常旺盛。中低层切变线自西向东移入降水区后, 在该地区停留较长时间, 加之有充足的水汽供应, 造成了局地特大暴雨。在垂直剖面内, 对流系统发展旺盛, 强降水区上空回波较强且对应着较强的上升气流区, 而在强回波中心区的两侧均有下沉气流。当切变线减弱并移出降水区后, 强降水停止。     

基于多源资料的积层混合云降水微物理特征

基于地基云雷达、微雨雷达和天气雷达等遥测设备观测资料,结合挂载KPR云雷达和DMT粒子测量系统的飞机平台,详细分析了山东积层混合云降水过程的云降水微物理结构特征。结果表明,积层混合云降水过程呈现层状云和对流云降水特征。零度层以上,5～6 km高度层内,对流云降水多普勒速度和谱宽均大于层状云,说明对流云降水环境垂直气流、粒子尺度等均大于层状云。对流云降水,云雷达和微雨雷达时空剖面上出现由衰减造成的“V”字形缺口,云雷达衰减程度大于微雨雷达,且随高度增加,衰减越大。层状云降水,零度层亮带附近,雷达反射率因子跃增高度比多普勒速度高80 m,多普勒速度跃增高度又比谱宽高20 m。降水云系零度层附近降水机制复杂,粒子形态有辐枝冰晶聚合物、针状冰晶聚合物和云滴;0°C层以上,5～6 km处,对流云降水的多普勒速度和谱宽均大于层状云降水,即对流云降水环境垂直气流、粒子尺度范围等均大于层状云降水。     

巢湖地区一次梅雨期强对流暴雨中尺度特征分析

利用地面气象观测资料、ERA5再分析资料、FY-2E卫星和多普勒雷达资料,对2011年7月17日发生在巢湖地区的一次强对流暴雨过程进行诊断分析。结果显示:500hPa深槽、850hPa切变线及地面低压是此次暴雨过程的天气尺度影响系统,强降水发生在湿层和暖云层深厚、较低的抬升凝结高度、中等强度对流不稳定及弱垂直风切变条件下;FY-2E卫星云图分析表明,此次强降水过程主要是多个中尺度对流系统在巢湖合并所致,短时强降水落区主要落在中尺度对流系统TBB等值线密集区附近,TBB中心强度越强,TBB等值线梯度越大,对应的1h降水量越强;多普勒雷达分析揭示,短时强降水发生在两个对流回波合并期间,对流风暴移动缓慢,大于45dBz强回波均在6km以下,呈低层强烈气旋式辐合、高层辐散特征;地面中尺度辐合线是此次风暴的触发因子;湿位涡诊断结果表明,600hPa以下对流不稳定,600hPa以上对称不稳定,有利于暴雨和中尺度系统的发生发展。     

A study of a CASP storm: Analysis of radar data

Abstract

The morphology and time evolution of a winter storm is studied using radar data taken during the Canadian Atlantic Storms Program (CASP). The vertical motions that generate the snow are derived from reflectivity measurements. The study reveals a banded structure in the precipitation pattern with ascending and descending air associated with the bands. Vertical velocities averaged over the radar‐covered area reach values close to 1 m s^‐1 . The region of large‐scale uplifting moves horizontally at about half the horizontal air velocity. A persistent precipitation pattern results from the continuously renewed air within the uplifting region.