Regional effects of large-scale extreme wind events over orographically structured terrain

Summary ?Above orographically structured terrain considerable differences of the regional wind field may be identified during large-scale extreme wind events. So far, these regional differences could not be resolved by climate models. To determine the relationships between large-scale atmospheric conditions, the influence of orography, and the regional wind field, data measured in the upper Rhine valley within the framework of the REKLIP Regional Climate Project were analyzed and calculations were made using the KAMM mesoscale model. In the area of the upper Rhine valley, ratios of the wind velocity in the Rhine valley at 10 m above ground level, ν_val, and the large-scale flow velocity, ν_lar, are between ν_val/ν_lar ≈ 0.1 and ν_val/ν_lar ≈ 1. The ν_val/ν_lar ratio exhibits a strong dependence on thermal stratification, δ, and decreases from ν_val/ν_lar ≈ 1 at δ = 0 K m⁻¹ to ν_val/ν_lar ≈ 0.2 at δ = 0.0075 K m⁻¹. In areas, where the lateral mountainous border of the Rhine valley is interrupted, the ν_val/ν_lar ratio increases again with increasing stability or decreasing Froude number. This is obviously due to flow around the Black Forest under stable stratification. It is demonstrated by model calculations that a complex wind field develops in the Rhine valley at small Froude numbers (Fr < 1) irrespective of the direction of large-scale flow. The ν_val/ν_lar ratio is characterized by small values in the direct lee side (ν_val/ν_lar ≈ 0.2) and high values on the windward side of the lateral mountainous border of the Rhine valley (ν_val/ν_lar ≈ 0.8). Received October 22, 2001; revised June 18, 2002; accepted June 23, 2002