Analysis & Diagnosis 1Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Analysis & Diagnosis 2Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Conveyor Belt Conceptual Model
Analysis & Diagnosis 3Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Warm Conveyor Belt (notes pages information)
Analysis & Diagnosis 4Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Poleward view along the warm conveyor belt
Analysis & Diagnosis 5Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The View perpendicular to the warm conveyor belt
Analysis & Diagnosis 6Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Cold Conveyor Belt - CCB
Analysis & Diagnosis 7Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Dry Conveyor Belt - DCB
Analysis & Diagnosis 8Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
DCB
Cold Frontal Cross-section along Poleward Branch of the Dry Conveyor
Belt (DCB)
Cold air in Cold Conveyor Belt (CCB) deep and moist
Warm Conveyor Belt (WCB) is deep, warm and moist
CCB backs with height consistent with cold advection
Mixing Zone
SurfaceCold Front
Frontal slope is steeper than the typical 1:50
WCB oriented for
less frontal lift
Common area for deep instabilityA
B
A B
WCB just ahead of cold front also typically backs with height
WCBCCB
Backing winds above the frontal zone indicative of anabatic cold front
Analysis & Diagnosis 9Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Preliminary Dry Conveyor Belt - PDCB
Analysis & Diagnosis 10Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Conveyor Belt Conceptual Model and Vertical Stability
Analysis & Diagnosis 11Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Vertical Deformation Zone Distribution and the CBMSummary
C
C
C
C
C
WC
B
PDCB
CCB
DCB
C
Analysis & Diagnosis 12Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Conveyor Belt Conceptual Model and Frontal Characteristics – Anabatic - Katabatic
Analysis & Diagnosis 13Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Anabatic and Katabatic Fronts Related to the CBCM
• Consider the winds in the warm air above the frontal surface and apply the principle of continuity
• If the winds back either above a warm or cold frontal surface, convergence results above the front and the air must rise
• If the winds veer either above a warm or cold frontal surface, divergence results above the front and the air must sink
• Anabatic and Katabatic fronts can be located using the Deformation Zone CM applied to the Conveyor Belt CM.
Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Active or Anabatic Warm Front
Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Inactive or Katabatic Warm Front
Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Active or Anabatic Cold front
Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Cross Section of Active Cold Front
Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Inactive or Katabatic Cold Front
Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Cross Section of Inactive Cold Front
Analysis & Diagnosis 20Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Conveyor Belt Conceptual Model and Conveyor Belt Characteristics
Analysis & Diagnosis 21Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
Vertical Deformation Zone Distribution and the CBMSimplified Summary
C
C
WC
B
PDCB
CCB
DCB
C
The WCB overrides the warm frontThe CCB undercuts the warm frontThe frontal surface overlies the mixing layerWind shear in the CCB is variable
Looking along the flow:•In WCB to the right of the Col expect veering winds with height – Katabatic warm front•In WCB approach to the right of the Col expect maximum divergence – the eagle pattern with ascent and increasing pcpn•In WCB to the left of the Col expect backing winds with height – Anabatic warm front
Analysis & Diagnosis 22Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Precipitation Area Conceptual Model and the CBCM
• The virga trick is a subset of the precipitation area conceptual model
• The precipitation area (reaching the ground) increases with:
• Increasing relative humidity of the CCB– CCB relative humidity is related to:
• CCB characteristics given the source region
• CCB moistening by precipitation (and/or surface characteristics)
• Increasing vertical dynamics and isentropic lift along the frontal surface.– Vertical dynamics is related to:
• Warm frontal slope
• WCB component perpendicular to the frontal surface
• Katabatic versus anabatic frontal diagnosis
Analysis & Diagnosis 23Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
WCB
CCB
Warm Frontal Cross-section along Leading Branch of the Warm Conveyor
Belt (WCB)
Cold air in Cold Conveyor Belt (CCB) deep and dry
Moist portion of Warm Conveyor Belt (WCB) is high and veered from frontal perpendicular – katabatic tendency
Dry lower levels of WCB originate from ahead of the system and backed from frontal perpendicular
Mixing Zone
SurfaceWarm Front
Frontal slope is more shallow than the typical 1:200
Precipitation extends equidistant into the unmodified CCB
Precipitation extends further into the moistened, modified CCB
Increasing CCB Moistening
WCB oriented for
maximum frontal lift
WCB oriented for
less frontal lift
Virga Precipitation
Lower
Hydrometeor
Density
Common location for virga A
B
A B
WCB typically veers with height (it is after all, a warm front)
Analysis & Diagnosis 24Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
WCB
CCB
Warm Frontal Cross-section along Central Branch of the Warm Conveyor
Belt (WCB)
Cold air in Cold Conveyor Belt (CCB) more shallow and moist
Moist portion of Warm Conveyor Belt (WCB) is thicker, higher and perpendicular to front
Lower levels of WCB have the same origin as the upper level of the WCB - frontal perpendicular
Mixing Zone
SurfaceWarm Front
Frontal slope is near the typical 1:200
Precipitation extends further into the moistened, modified CCB. Horizontal rain area begins to expand as CCB moistens.
Increasing CCB Moistening
WCB oriented for
maximum frontal lift
Virga Precipitation
Lower
Hydrometeor
Density
Virga likely only on leading edge of WCB A
B
A B
WCB shows little directional shift with height. A greater WCB depth is frontal perpendicular
PrecipitationAt Surface
Analysis & Diagnosis 25Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
WCB
CCB
Warm Frontal Cross-section along Trailing Branch of the Warm Conveyor
Belt (WCB)
Cold air in Cold Conveyor Belt (CCB) even more shallow and more moist
Moist portion of Warm Conveyor Belt (WCB) is thicker, higher and backed from frontal perpendicular – anabatic tendency
Lower levels of WCB have the same origin as the upper level of the WCB
Mixing Zone
SurfaceWarm Front
Frontal slope likely steeper than the typical 1:200
Precipitation extends further into the moistened, modified CCB. Horizontal rain area expands rapidly as CCB moistened.
Increasing CCB Moistening
WCB oriented for
maximum frontal lift
Virga Precipitation
Lower
Hydrometeor
Density
Virga unlikely except along the leading edge of the WCB A
B
A B
WCB probably backs slightly with height in spite of the warm air advection. A greater WCB depth is frontal perpendicular
PrecipitationAt Surface
Analysis & Diagnosis 26Radar Palette Home Conveyor Belt CM
The Precipitation Phase CM and the CBCM
• The precipitation area (reaching the ground) increases with:
• Increasing relative humidity of the CCB– CCB relative humidity is related to:
• CCB characteristics given the source region
• CCB moistening by precipitation (and/or surface characteristics)
• Increasing vertical dynamics and isentropic lift along the frontal surface.– Vertical dynamics is related to:
• Warm frontal slope
• WCB component perpendicular to the frontal surface
• Katabatic versus anabatic frontal diagnosis
• Add in a temperature parameter to deduce this.
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