Observations of the microphysical evolution of convective clouds in the southwest of the United Kingdom
<p>The COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) was designed to investigate the origins of heavy convective precipitation over the southwestern UK, a region that experiences flash flooding due to heavy precipitation from slow-moving convective systems. In this study, the microphysical and...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/18/15329/2018/acp-18-15329-2018.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>The COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) was designed to investigate
the origins of heavy convective precipitation over the southwestern UK, a
region that experiences flash flooding due to heavy precipitation from
slow-moving convective systems. In this study, the microphysical and
dynamical characteristics of developing turrets during 4 days in July and
August 2013 are analyzed. In situ cloud microphysical measurements from the
University of Wyoming King Air and vertically pointing W-band radar
measurements from Wyoming Cloud Radar are examined, together with data from
the ground-based NXPol radar.</p><p>The 4 days presented here cover a range of environmental conditions in
terms of wind shear and instability, resulting in a similarly wide
variability in observed ice crystal concentrations, both across days as well
as between clouds on individual days. The highest concentration of ice was
observed on the days in which there was an active warm-rain process supplying
precipitation-sized liquid drops. The high ice concentrations observed ( > 100 L<sup>−1</sup>) are consistent with the production of secondary ice particles
through the Hallett–Mossop process. Turrets that ascended through remnant
cloud layers above the 0 °C level had higher ice particle
concentrations, suggesting that entrainment of ice particles from older
clouds or previous thermals may have acted to aid in the production of
secondary ice through the Hallett–Mossop process. Other mechanisms such as
the shattering of frozen drops may be more important for producing ice in
more isolated clouds.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |