High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS) Simulations of Manitoba Lake Breezes

The Effects of Lake Breezes On Weather–Manitoba (ELBOW-MB) field project, conducted around Lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg in July 2013, was the first in-depth field study of lake breezes in Manitoba, Canada. Using observational data collected during ELBOW-MB and output from the 2.5?km Canadian High Resolution Deterministic Prediction System (HRDPS), comparisons were made between HRDPS output and observational data to determine whether the HRDPS can simulate Manitoba lake breezes. The model comparisons considered various lake-breeze characteristics, such as depth, inland penetration distance, and initiation and dissipation time. In addition, cross-sections of lake-breeze circulations were analyzed. The results show that the HRDPS was able to correctly simulate lake breezes, or lack thereof, in 78% of cases on Lake Winnipeg and 68% of cases on Lake Manitoba. Modelled lake-breeze initiation and dissipation times were found to be too early in some cases and too late in others when compared with observations. Overall, it was found that the HRDPS was able to simulate most aspects of lake breezes, although inland penetration distance was one characteristic that the HRDPS was not able to simulate realistically.     

Characteristics of Lake Breezes and Their Impacts on Energy and Carbon Fluxes in Mountainous Areas

In mountainous lake areas, lake–land and mountain–valley breezes interact with each other, leading to an "extended lake breeze". These extended lake breezes can regulate and control energy and carbon cycles at different scales. Based on meteorological and turbulent fluxes data from an eddy covariance observation site at Erhai Lake in the Dali Basin,southwest China, characteristics of daytime and nighttime extended lake breezes and their impacts on energy and carbon dioxide exchange in 2015 are investigated. Lake breezes dominate during the daytime while, due to different prevailing circulations at night, there are two types of nighttime breezes. The mountain breeze from the Cangshan Mountain range leads to N1 type nighttime breeze events. When a cyclonic circulation forms and maintains in the southern part of Erhai Lake at night, its northern branch contributes to the formation of N2 type nighttime breeze events. The prevailing wind directions for daytime, N1, and N2 breeze events are southeast, west, and southeast, respectively. Daytime breeze events are more intense than N1 events and weaker than N2 events. During daytime breeze events, the lake breeze decreases the sensible heat flux(Hs) and carbon dioxide flux(F_{CO_2}) and increases the latent heat flux(LE). During N1 breeze events, the mountain breeze decreases Hs and LE and increases F_{CO_2}. For N2 breeze events, the southeast wind from the lake surface increases Hs and LE and decreases suppress carbon dioxide exchange.     

Observations of Lake-Breeze Events During the Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games

Enhanced meteorological observations were made during the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games in Toronto in order to measure the vertical and horizontal structure of lake-breeze events. Two scanning Doppler lidars (one fixed and one mobile), a C-band radar, and a network including 53 surface meteorological stations (mesonet) provided pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction measurements over Lake Ontario and urban areas. These observations captured the full evolution (prior, during, and after) of 27 lake-breeze events (73% of observation days) in order to characterize the convective and dynamic processes driving lake breezes at the local scale and mesoscale. The dominant signal of a passing lake-breeze front (LBF) was an increase in dew-point temperature of \(2.3 \pm 0.3 \,^{\circ }\hbox {C}\), coinciding with a \(180^{\circ }\) shift in wind direction and a decrease in air temperature of \(2.1 \pm 0.2 \,^{\circ }\hbox {C}\). Doppler lidar observations over the lake detected lake breezes 1 hour (on average) before detection by radar and mesonet. On days with the synoptic flow in the offshore direction, the lidars observed wedge-shaped LBFs with shallow depths, which inhibited the radar’s ability to detect the lake breeze. The LBF’s ground speed and inland penetration distance were found to be well-correlated (\(r = 0.78\)), with larger inland penetration distances occurring on days with non-opposing (non-offshore) synoptic flow. The observed enhanced vertical motion \(({>} 1\hbox { m s}^{-1})\) at the LBF, observed by the lidar on 54% of lake-breeze days, was greater (at times \({>} 2.5\hbox { m s}^{-1}\)) than that observed in previous studies and longer-lasting over the lake than over land. The weaker and less pronounced lake-breeze structure over land is illustrated in two case studies highlighting the lifetime of the lake-breeze circulation and the impact of propagation distance on lake-breeze intensity.     

Idealized Large-Eddy Simulations of Sea and Lake Breezes: Sensitivity to Lake Diameter, Heat Flux and Stability

Idealized large-eddy simulations of lake and sea breezes are conducted to determine the sensitivity of these thermally-driven circulations to variations in the land-surface sensible heat flux and initial atmospheric stability. The lake-breeze and sea-breeze metrics of horizontal wind speed, horizontal extent, and depth are assessed. Modelled asymmetries about the coastline in the horizontal extent of the low-level onshore flow are found to vary as a function of the heat flux and stability. Small lake breezes develop similarly to sea breezes in the morning, but have a significantly weaker horizontal wind-speed component and a smaller horizontal extent than sea breezes in the afternoon.     

Sea and Lake Breezes: A Review of Numerical Studies

Numerical studies of sea and lake breezes are reviewed. The modelled dependence of sea-breeze and lake-breeze characteristics on the land surface sensible heat flux, ambient geostrophic wind, atmospheric stability and moisture, water body dimensions, terrain height and slope, Coriolis parameter, surface roughness length, and shoreline curvature is discussed. Consensus results on the influence of these geophysical variables on sea and lake breezes are synthesized as well as current gaps in our understanding. A brief history of numerical modelling, an overview of recent high-resolution simulations, and suggestions for future research related to sea and lake breezes are also presented. The results of this survey are intended to be a resource for numerical modelling, coastal air quality, and wind power studies.     

A three-dimensional numerical sensitivity study of mesoscale circulations induced by circular lakes

Summary A three-dimensional mesoscale planetary boundary layer model with theE- turbulence closure is used to simulate airflow over a lake of circular shape. A series of model sensitivity studies are performed to examine the effects of lake-land temperature difference, ambient wind magnitude and direction, lake size, surface roughness, the Coriolis force and baroclinic ambient wind conditions on mesoscale lake circulations.The lake-land temperature difference is essentially the basic energy source driving the mesoscale circulations over the lake on synoptically undisturbed days. A lake-breeze convergence zone is predicted by the model due to the differential heating between the land and the water. It is found that spatial and temporal variations of this convergence zone and associated convection are strongly controlled by the direction and the magnitude of the ambient wind. Under southeasterly and southwesterly ambient winds, the lake-breeze convergence zone and the associated convection occur primarily along up wind and lateral sides of the lake with reference to the general direction of the ambient flow. In contrast to the southeasterly and southwesterly ambient winds, the lake-breeze convergence zone and the convection are predicted all around the coastline of the lake under calm wind.The model also predicts a cloudless region over the lake in all the case studies due to divergent nature of the lake-breeze circulation. The lake size is found to have a significant effect in intensifying convection. Surface roughness over the land surface is found to be important in determining the intensity of the convection. The combined effect of the Coriolis force and the differential surface roughness between land and water appear to be the responsible mechanism for producing the asymmetric shape of the lake-breeze convergence zone around the symmetric circular lake. Finally, it was found that an initial baroclinic flow has different mesoscale lake-breeze circulation patterns as compared to an initial barotropic flow.With 16 Figures     

洞庭湖湖陆风特征与降水

本文利用洞庭湖周围岳阳、常德和益阳三站1、4、7、10月的气象资料,研究了洞庭湖湖陆风的气候特征及其对降水、特别是对暴雨的影响。分析表明洞庭湖的湖陆风是显著的,湖陆风厚度大约为300米;湖陆风转换可以引起湖陆风散度和涡度的变化,从而引起清晨和傍晚降水的加强;一年四季都有湖陆风,但夏季更为显著,冬季不太明显。     

中国地区山谷风研究进展

随着城市化的发展,越来越多的城市建立在山区附近或山谷之中。受地理环境和气象条件等因素影响,各地山谷风特征各不相同。山谷风对局地风场、气候特征有着重要作用,与逆温和污染物浓度变化也具有良好相关。本文从山谷风研究的主要手段—观测、理论和数值模拟出发,重点回顾了国内山谷风研究成果,并讨论了与其他中尺度环流(海陆风、湖陆风、城市热岛、植被风、冰川风环流)的相互作用,以及包括山谷风在内的山地环流对大气污染的影响。最后对国内研究进展进行总结,并提出了一些还需深入研究和探讨的问题。     

大理苍山—洱海局地环流的数值模拟

利用耦合了湖泊模型的WRF_CLM模式模拟了秋季大理苍山—洱海地区的局地环流特征。结果表明:模式对近地面温度、风向、风速的模拟与观测基本一致,模拟结果能较好地再现该地区山谷风和湖陆风相互作用的局地环流特征。在秋季,大理苍山的谷风起止时间为08:00~17:00(北京时,下同),湖风起止时间为09:00~19:00。局地环流受高山地形及洱海湖面影响明显,山谷风形成早于湖陆风1 h,夜间山风、陆风强盛于白天谷风、湖风。白天苍山谷风与洱海湖风的叠加作用会驱动谷风到达2600 m的高度,而傍晚最先形成的苍山山风则会减弱洱海的湖风环流。夜间盆地南部在两侧山风、陆风的共同作用下,形成稳定而持续的气旋式环流。日出以后,对流边界层迅速发展,边界层高度逐渐增高。陆地17:00温度达到最高,边界层高度也达到峰值2000 m,之后逐渐降低。日落后形成稳定边界层,边界层高度在夜间基本保持在100 m。相对于陆地,湖面白天边界层高度低300 m,夜间边界层高度高100 m。     

A modelling investigation into lake-breeze development and convection triggering in the Nam Co Lake basin,Tibetan Plateau

This paper uses the cloud resolving Active Tracer High-resolution Atmospheric Model coupled to the interactive surface model Hybrid in order to investigate the diurnal development of a lake-breeze system at the Nam Co Lake on the Tibetan Plateau. Simulations with several background wind speeds are conducted, and the interaction of the lake breeze with topography and background wind in triggering moist and deep convection is studied. The model is able to adequately simulate the systems most important dynamical features such as turbulent surface fluxes and the development of a lake breeze for the different wind conditions. We identify two different mechanisms for convection triggering that are dependent on the direction of the background wind: triggering over topography, when the background wind and the lake breeze have the same flow direction, and triggering due to convergence between the lake-breeze front and the background wind. Our research also suggests that precipitation measurements at the centre of the basins on the Tibetan Plateau are not representative for the basin as a whole as precipitation is expected to occur mainly in the vicinity of the topography.     

Thermal and dynamic characteristics of alpine lake breezes,Lake Tekapo,New Zealand

Thermodynamic characteristics and temporal variation of alpine lake breezes in the eastern Southern Alps are examined. Research was conducted in a large glacially excavated basin dominated by an 87 square kilometre melt-water lake as part of a study of windblown dust dispersion. The surrounding mountain ranges were found to shelter the lake basin from most synoptic winds, thereby allowing local and regional thermally generated circulations to develop to ridge height, approximately 1300m above the surrounding landscape. During favourable synoptic conditions the local lake breeze becomes embedded within the regional valley wind forming an extended lake breeze. Tethersonde flights during these conditions made using a kite based sounding system identified both stable internal (SIBL) and thermal internal boundary layer (TIBL) conditions over the down wind shoreline. Two equations for estimating the height of both boundary-layer types were tested against observations and found to provide good first order predictive estimates of boundary-layer height.     

Lake surface temperatures in a changing climate: a global sensitivity analysis

We estimate the effects of climatic changes, as predicted by six climate models, on lake surface temperatures on a global scale, using the lake surface equilibrium temperature as a proxy. We evaluate interactions between different forcing variables, the sensitivity of lake surface temperatures to these variables, as well as differences between climate zones. Lake surface equilibrium temperatures are predicted to increase by 70 to 85 % of the increase in air temperatures. On average, air temperature is the main driver for changes in lake surface temperatures, and its effect is reduced by ~10 % by changes in other meteorological variables. However, the contribution of these other variables to the variance is ~40 % of that of air temperature, and their effects can be important at specific locations. The warming increases the importance of longwave radiation and evaporation for the lake surface heat balance compared to shortwave radiation and convective heat fluxes. We discuss the consequences of our findings for the design and evaluation of different types of studies on climate change effects on lakes.     

Lightning flash climatology in the southern great lakes region

Abstract

We have made a preliminary study of cloud‐to‐ground lightning over southern Ontario and the adjoining Great Lakes region. The lightning data set, using magnetic direction finding, is sufficiently accurate to study lightning climatology. Cloud‐to‐ground flash totals have been found for the three warm seasons 1989–91. A large variation in flash total, lightning‐day frequency and number of high flash density storms occurs over the area, with the maximum in southwestern Ontario. The area of the maximum also has a strong diurnal cycle and relatively few positive flashes. Several physical causes may contribute to this. Lake areas usually have slightly fewer flashes than nearby land areas and warm water usually has more flashes than cold water. The Great Lakes do produce more lightning than ocean areas. Convergence lines of lake breezes and other lake circulations can, however, be sites for storms with intense lightning. High surface temperature and moisture leads to an increase in lightning generation. Over land, upslope flow increases lightning‐producing storms and downslope flow decreases them. High flash density storms may be favoured by smooth rather than rough ground, and by open farmland rather than forest. On the other hand, there does not seem to be a clear urban effect increasing lightning in the Great Lakes     

Numerical Modelling of the Effects of Vegetation and Environmental Conditions on the Lake Breeze

The influence of vegetation and environmental conditions on the lake breeze and associated boundary-layer turbulence structure has been studied using a two-dimensional nonhydrostatic, compressible mesoscale model coupled with the SiB2 land-surface scheme. The results show that the impacts of vegetation on the lake effects are dependent on the environmental conditions, such as soil wetness and background wind, as well as vegetation characteristics. Both soil wetness and background wind play important roles in modifying lake effects on boundary-layer turbulence and the lake breeze, while the effects of vegetation type are secondary compared to the other factors. Without background wind, and under the same soil wetness, the maximum horizontal windspeed of the lake breeze is insensitive to the type of vegetation. Soil wetness can greatly affect both the maximum horizontal windspeed and the maximum vertical velocities of the lake breeze. With background wind, the lake-breeze circulations, upward motion regions, and boundary-layer turbulence structure all change markedly. A weaker background wind can strengthen the lake breeze, while stronger background wind suppresses the lake breeze circulations. The distribution of sensible and latent heat fluxes is also very sensitive to the soil wetness and background wind. However, for the same soil wetness (0.25 and 0.4 were chosen), there is only a small difference in the distribution of sensible and latent heat fluxes between the bare soil and vegetated soil or between the types of vegetated soils.     

Summertime Thermally-Induced Circulations over the Lake Nam Co Region of the Tibetan Plateau

Performance of the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model(MM5) over the Lake Nam Co region of the Tibetan Plateau was evaluated based on the data from five surface observation sites in 2006. The interaction between two thermally-induced circulations(lake breezes and mountain-valley winds) was also investigated. The results show that MM5 could be used to simulate 2-m air temperature; however, MM5 needs improvement in wind field simulation.Two numerical simulations were conducted to study the effect of the lake on the local weather and wind system. The original land cover of the model was used in the control experiment, and the lake was replaced with grassland resembling the area surrounding the lake in the sensitive experiment. The results of the simulations indicate that the lake enhanced the north slope mountain-valley wind and the mountain changed the offshore flow direction at the north shore. During the day, a clear convergent zone and a strong upflow were observed over the north slope of the Nyainq?entanglha Range, which may cause frequent precipitation over the north slope. During the night, the entire area was controlled by a south flow.     

Observations and numerical modelling of Lake Ontario breezes

Abstract

Analysis of two years of land‐based data shows that the Lake Ontario breeze develops on 30% of the days during summer. It typically develops in mid‐morning and persists until the late evening when it is replaced by a well developed land‐breeze regime. Simulations of 4 cases with the Colorado State University mesoscale model show good agreement with observations and suggest that local lake breezes are strongly influenced by adjacent water bodies (e.g. Lake Erie), the elongated shape of the lake, and the large‐scale wind direction. With gradient flows across the long axis of the lake, a broad band of along‐lake flow develops during the afternoon (easterly winds during southerly gradient flows and westerly winds during northerly gradient flows). Furthermore, during west‐to‐northwesterly gradient flow a nocturnal cyclonic eddy is predicted at the western end of the lake. These results imply that wind‐field models applied in the vicinity of Lake Ontario should incorporate the entire lake in their modelling domain.     

东洞庭湖区城市雷暴活动规律

基于19612013年岳阳国家气象观测站雷暴观测资料,采用核密度估计、线性倾向方法、Morlet小波分析和Mann-Kendall趋势检验分析东洞庭湖区城市雷暴基本规律与变化情况.结果表明:19612013年东洞庭湖区城市雷暴日数以夏季的最多,春季的次之,秋、冬季节的较少,呈现波动减少的趋势,尤其是春、夏季雷暴日减少速...     

Impact of Taihu Lake on City Ozone in the Yangtze River Delta

The lake-breeze at Taihu Lake generates a different specific heat capacity between the water body and the surrounding land. Taihu Lake has a significant impact on the atmospheric conditions and the air quality in the Yangtze River Delta. This phenomenon is referred to as the Taihu Lake effect. In this study, two simulations were conducted to determine the impact of the Taihu Lake effect in the reference experiment(R-E) and sensitivity experiments(NO TH). The control simulations demonstrated that the meteorological field and the spatial distribution of ozone(O3) concentrations over Taihu lake obviously changed once the land-use type of water body was substituted by cropland. The surface temperature of Taihu Lake was reduced under the impact of Taihu Lake, and a huge temperature difference caused a strong lake-breeze effect. The results also showed that the difference in the average concentrations of O3 between the R-E and NO TH experiments reached 12 ppbv in most areas of Taihu Lake, all day, on 20 May 2014. During daytime(0800–1600 LST, LST=UTC+8), the influence of the Taihu Lake effect on O3 in the Suzhou region was not significant. However, the influence of the Taihu Lake effect on O3 in the Suzhou region was obvious during nighttime(1800–2400 LST). The larger changes in the physical and chemical processes were horizontal and vertical advections under the influence of the Taihu Lake effect in Taihu Lake.     

Dataset of Comparative Observations for Land Surface Processes over the Semi-Arid Alpine Grassland against Alpine Lakes in the Source Region of the Yellow River

Thousands of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau(TP) play a critical role in the regional water cycle, weather, and climate. In recent years, the areas of TP lakes underwent drastic changes and have become a research hotspot. However, the characteristics of the lake-atmosphere interaction over the high-altitude lakes are still unclear, which inhibits model development and the accurate simulation of lake climate effects. The source region of the Yellow River(SRYR) has the largest outflow lake and freshw...     

Recent changes in the level of Lake Naivasha,Kenya, as an indicator of equatorial westerlies over East Africa

A previously unpublished record of lake levels from Lake Naivasha, Kenya from 1880 to 1976 has been analysed and shows little similarity to the level record from nearby Lake Victoria. Level changes from year to year of the two lakes show no significant correlation (at 5%) and spectral analysis of the two records shows no common significant peaks. Both lakes show significant correlations between their level changes and the strength of the North Atlantic winter circulation, with the correlation coefficients in opposing directions indicating important, but different, large scale climatic links.Lake Naivasha's major level increases occur during May and September. Lake Victoria's level increases mainly in May with a small December increase. East African rainfall is generally during April and November, corresponding with Lake Victoria's changes. Rainfall records from Kenyan highland areas, however, show an August rainfall peak and little rainfall in November. Rainfall amounts from Equator, a highland meteorological station, for July, August and September are highly correlated (at 1% significance level) with the change in Naivasha's level during September. Winds at the highland stations are westerly during August while the lower level stations experience the drier S.E. Trades. The level changes of Lake Naivasha indicate changes in the extent of the penetration of moist air from West Africa between the Trade winds and the 200 mb easterly jet.