Mesoscale Studies of Instability Patterns and Winds in the Tropics.

Abstract

Radar and various types of synoptic data for the month of July 1968 were critically analyzed to gain additional insight into the nature of undisturbed summer convection in South Florida. Gridded PPI and CAPPI data revealed quasi-stationary zones parallel to the coast and approximately 15 n. miles apart where convective echoes increased in frequency and height. The preferred zones, which shifted slightly but in unison and nearly in synchronization with the development and decay of the sea breeze during the day, were thought to be induced by a combination of dynamic and thermodynamic effects. Echo-rain relationships were studied. It was observed that 72 percent of the convective echoes produced measurable rain at the ground. In addition, various correlations were made between meteorological parameters and rainfall. High correlation coefficients were noted with features on the surface chart, moisture at 600mb, and strong shear below the melting level. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0854171

Entities

People

  • Harold P. Gerrish

Organizations

  • University of Miami

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biological Phenomena
  • Coefficients
  • Convection
  • Ecological And Environmental Phenomena
  • Ecological And Environmental Processes
  • Frequency
  • Instability
  • Meteorological Phenomena
  • Moisture
  • Rain
  • Rainfall
  • Sea Breeze
  • Stationary
  • Wind

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Radar Systems Engineering.