Entrainment instability and vertical motion as causes of stratocumulus breakup

Entrainment instability is thought to be a cause of stratocumulus breakup. At the interface between the cloud and the overlying air, mixtures may form which are negatively buoyant because of cloud droplet evaporation. Quantities devised to predict breakup are obtained from aircraft observations and are tested against cloud observations from satellite. Often, the parameters indicate that breakup should occur but the clouds remain, sometimes for several days. One possible explanation for breakup is vertical motion from passing synoptic cyclones. Several cases suggest that breakup is associated with the downward vertical motion from the cold air advected behind an eastward moving cyclone.