Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

A Climatology of Nocturnal Low-Level Jets at Cabauw

P. Baas Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, De Bilt, Netherlands

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F. C. Bosveld Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, De Bilt, Netherlands

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H. Klein Baltink Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, De Bilt, Netherlands

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A. A. M. Holtslag Meteorology and Air Quality, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands

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Print Publication:
01 Aug 2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAMC1965.1
Page(s):
1627–1642
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Abstract

A climatology of nocturnal low-level jets (LLJs) is presented for the topographically flat measurement site at Cabauw, the Netherlands. LLJ characteristics are derived from a 7-yr half-hourly database of wind speed profiles, obtained from the 200-m mast and a wind profiler. Many LLJs at Cabauw originate from an inertial oscillation, which develops after sunset in a layer decoupled from the surface by stable stratification. The data are classified to different types of stable boundary layers by using the geostrophic wind speed and the isothermal net radiative cooling as classification parameters. For each of these classes, LLJ characteristics like frequency of occurrence, height above ground level, and the turning of the wind vector across the boundary layer are determined. It is found that LLJs occur in about 20% of the nights, are typically situated at 140–260 m above ground level, and have a speed of 6–10 m s−1. Development of a substantial LLJ is most likely to occur for moderate geostrophic forcing and a high radiative cooling. A comparison with the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) is added to illustrate how the results can be used to evaluate the performance of atmospheric models.

Corresponding author address: P. Baas, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Atmospheric Research, Wilhelminalaan 10, P.O. Box 201, 3730 AE, De Bilt, Netherlands. Email: peter.baas@knmi.nl

Abstract

A climatology of nocturnal low-level jets (LLJs) is presented for the topographically flat measurement site at Cabauw, the Netherlands. LLJ characteristics are derived from a 7-yr half-hourly database of wind speed profiles, obtained from the 200-m mast and a wind profiler. Many LLJs at Cabauw originate from an inertial oscillation, which develops after sunset in a layer decoupled from the surface by stable stratification. The data are classified to different types of stable boundary layers by using the geostrophic wind speed and the isothermal net radiative cooling as classification parameters. For each of these classes, LLJ characteristics like frequency of occurrence, height above ground level, and the turning of the wind vector across the boundary layer are determined. It is found that LLJs occur in about 20% of the nights, are typically situated at 140–260 m above ground level, and have a speed of 6–10 m s−1. Development of a substantial LLJ is most likely to occur for moderate geostrophic forcing and a high radiative cooling. A comparison with the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) is added to illustrate how the results can be used to evaluate the performance of atmospheric models.

Corresponding author address: P. Baas, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Atmospheric Research, Wilhelminalaan 10, P.O. Box 201, 3730 AE, De Bilt, Netherlands. Email: peter.baas@knmi.nl

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Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

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