Modifications to the Near-Storm Environment Induced by Simulated Supercell Thunderstorms Academic Article

abstract

• Abstract 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.

authors

• Nowotarski, Christopher

published proceedings

• MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW

altmetric score

• 1.85

author list (cited authors)

• Nowotarski, C. J., & Markowski, P. M.

citation count

• 21

complete list of authors

• Nowotarski, Christopher J||Markowski, Paul M

publication date

• January 2016

publisher

• American Meteorological Society  Publisher

published in

• MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW  Journal

keywords

• Atm
• Circulation
• Cloud Forcing
• Convective Storms
• Convective-scale Processes
• Dynamics
• Models And Modeling
• Nonhydrostatic Models
• Ocean Structure
• Phenomena
• Severe Storms
• Supercells

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1175/MWR-D-15-0247.1

start page

• 273

end page

• 293

volume

• 144

issue

• 1

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1175%2Fmwr-d-15-0247.1