Freezing Precipitation in the Southeastern United States.
Abstract
An investigation of various surface and upper-air parameters and their relationship to the occurrence of ice storms in the southeastern United States was conducted to determine as many relationships and ranges of values as possible. Four storms in the past 10 years were selected and studied in detail. Temperature, dew point, wind, visibility, and pressure were the surface parameters considered, while 850-mb temperature, 850-mb dew point, 700-mb temperature, 850-mb wind, 850-mb/700-mb averaged wind direction, and 1000-500 mb thickness were the upper-air parameters considered. Various combinations of parameters also were considered. Data consisted primarily of 215 soundings of winter weather types in or around ice storms from 1968-1977 for the months of December through early February. Results involved a decision checklist that utilizes surface temperature, surface dew point, 850-mb temperature, 1000-500 mb thickness, temperature/dew point spread and 850-mb/700-mb averaged wind direction. It was found that if the criteria in the decision checklist are met, then a most probable forecast of precipitation type can be obtained by using the derived decision graph involving surface temperature and 850-mb temperature. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA052061
Entities
People
- William Robert Young
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology