A CASE-STUDY OF THUNDERSTORMS ON AN OCCASION OF SMALL WIND SHEAR

Abstract

AN ANALYSIS IS MADE OF EXTENSIVE RADAR AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS OF THUNDERSTORMS WHICH OCCURRED OVER SOUTHERN ENGLAND ON 18 JUNE 1957. THESE TYPICAL HEAT STORMS ARE SHOWN TO BE STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY THE LARGE-SCALE SYNOPTIC SITUATION AND BY TOPOGRAPHICAL EFFECTS. ALTHOUGH THE INSTABILITY WAS LARGE THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE SHORT-LIVED, DID NOT CONTAIN SUSTAINED DRAUGHTS, AND INEFFICIENTLY CONVERTED POTENTIAL INTO KINETIC ENERGY. THE HAIL PRODUCED WAS ONLY SMALL AND SPORADIC. IN ALLTHESE PROPERTIES THE BEHAVIOR WAS IN STRONG CONTRAST TO THAT OF THE SEVERE WOKINGHAM HAILSTORM. THE DIFFERENCE IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE ABSENCE OF WIND SHEAR ON THE PRESENT OCCASION, IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW MODEL PREVIOUSLY ADVANCED FOR SEVERE LOCAL STORMS

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0293815

Entities

People

  • F.h. Ludlam

Organizations

  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Case Studies
  • Contrast
  • Energy
  • Instability
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Observation
  • Storms
  • Thunderstorms
  • Wind
  • Wind Shear

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Systems Analysis and Design