TY - JOUR
T1 - Modifications to the near-storm environment induced by simulated supercell thunderstorms
AU - Nowotarski, Christopher J.
AU - Markowski, Paul M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank George Bryan for his continued development and support of CM1 (including implementation of the land surface and radiation schemes used in this study) as well as his comments on this work. We are also grateful to Yvette Richardson, Nels Shirer, Lyle Long, Morris Weisman, Jim Marquis, and Ryan Hastings for many helpful suggestions throughout the course of this project. Suggestions from three anonymous reviewers improved the clarity of the manuscript. This work was supported by NSF Grant AGS-0644533 and the College of Geosciences at Texas A&M University. Computational resources and travel support also were provided by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which is funded by NSF. Many of the figures in this manuscript were created using the Grid Analysis and Display System (GrADS) developed by the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - This study investigates the changes that simulated supercell thunderstorms impart on their surroundings. Supercells are simulated in a strongly sheared convective boundary layer comprising horizontal roll vortices. In sensitivity tests, the effects of cloud shading on the near-storm environment are explored through the removal of cloud ice, water, and hydrometeor effects on parameterized radiation. All of the simulated supercells increase the low-level shear in their proximal environment; however, this effect is more pronounced when cloud shading is included. Shading stabilizes the boundary layer beneath the cirrus anvil, diminishes boundary layer rolls and their attendant thermodynamic perturbations, and reduces the intensity of resolved turbulent mixing in the convective boundary layer. Anvil shading also acts to reduce the buoyancy of inflow air and the horizontal buoyancy gradient along the forward-flank outflow boundary.
AB - This study investigates the changes that simulated supercell thunderstorms impart on their surroundings. Supercells are simulated in a strongly sheared convective boundary layer comprising horizontal roll vortices. In sensitivity tests, the effects of cloud shading on the near-storm environment are explored through the removal of cloud ice, water, and hydrometeor effects on parameterized radiation. All of the simulated supercells increase the low-level shear in their proximal environment; however, this effect is more pronounced when cloud shading is included. Shading stabilizes the boundary layer beneath the cirrus anvil, diminishes boundary layer rolls and their attendant thermodynamic perturbations, and reduces the intensity of resolved turbulent mixing in the convective boundary layer. Anvil shading also acts to reduce the buoyancy of inflow air and the horizontal buoyancy gradient along the forward-flank outflow boundary.
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U2 - 10.1175/MWR-D-15-0247.1
DO - 10.1175/MWR-D-15-0247.1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84957797262
SN - 0027-0644
VL - 144
SP - 273
EP - 293
JO - Monthly Weather Review
JF - Monthly Weather Review
IS - 1
ER -