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An observational and theoretical study of Colorado lee cyclogenesisA cyclogenesis event that occurred over Colorado in early March of 1981 is the focus of this study. Two features that seemed to play a role in storm initiation were a traveling upper troposphere disturbance associated with an undulation on the subtropical front and a warm-cored shallow surface trough that was guided along the eastern slope of the Rockies from Canada to Colorado. The arrival of the latter feature initiated a sudden shift of the surface flow from upslope to downslope on the eastern side of the continental divide. A time-dependent quasi-geostrophic model was used to study the interaction of the traveling short wave and a broad topographic surface ridge in the presence of a baroclinic mainly westerly background flow. Westerly and easterly background surface winds were used to determine whether the surface trough arrival had any influence on the vigor of lee cyclogenesis initiated by the upper troposphere short-wave trough. With surface westerlies rapid cyclogenesis occurred, while with surface easterlies little cyclogenesis was found to the east of the Rockies. Thus, the shallow surface trough's arrival seemed to be crucial to storm initiation. These findings were based on a linear model. It is shown, however, that the height of the Rockies necessitates the inclusion of finite amplitude effects associated with the lower boundary into the model.
Document ID
19900056804
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Clark, John H. E.
(Pennsylvania State University University Park, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
Volume: 47
ISSN: 0022-4928
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
90A43859
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: N00014-86-K-0688
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS8-36150
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-87-16204
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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