Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Dynamics Governing a Simulated Mesoscale Convective System with a Training Convective Line

John M. Peters Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

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Russ S. Schumacher Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

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Print Publication:
01 Jul 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-15-0199.1
Page(s):
2643–2664
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Abstract

This research investigates the dynamics of a simulated training line/adjoining stratiform (TL/AS) mesoscale convective system (MCS), with composite atmospheric fields used as initial and lateral boundary conditions for the simulation.

An initial forward-propagating MCS developed within a region of elevated convective instability and low-level lifting associated with warm-air advection along the terminus of the low-level jet. The environmental conditions external to the MCS continued to provide lift, moisture, and instability to the western side of the forward-propagating MCS, and these conditions were initially responsible for backbuilding on the system’s western side. Most parcels that encountered the southwestern outflow boundary were lifted insufficiently far to reach their levels of free convection (LFCs), and their LFC heights were increased by latent heating above them. These parcels continued northeastward beyond the surface outflow boundary (OFB), were gradually lifted, and initiated convection 80–100 km beyond encountering the OFB. Eventually the surface cold pool became sufficiently deep so that gradual ascent of parcels with moisture and instability over the OFB began initiating new convection close to the OFB—this drove backbuilding during the later portion of the MCS lifetime. These results disentangle the relative contributions of large-scale environmental factors and storm-scale processes on the quasi-stationary behavior of the MCS and show that both contributed to upstream backbulding at different times during the MCS life cycle.

Corresponding author address: John M. Peters, Colorado State University, Department of Atmospheric Science, 1371 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1371. E-mail: jpeters3@atmos.colostate.edu

Abstract

This research investigates the dynamics of a simulated training line/adjoining stratiform (TL/AS) mesoscale convective system (MCS), with composite atmospheric fields used as initial and lateral boundary conditions for the simulation.

An initial forward-propagating MCS developed within a region of elevated convective instability and low-level lifting associated with warm-air advection along the terminus of the low-level jet. The environmental conditions external to the MCS continued to provide lift, moisture, and instability to the western side of the forward-propagating MCS, and these conditions were initially responsible for backbuilding on the system’s western side. Most parcels that encountered the southwestern outflow boundary were lifted insufficiently far to reach their levels of free convection (LFCs), and their LFC heights were increased by latent heating above them. These parcels continued northeastward beyond the surface outflow boundary (OFB), were gradually lifted, and initiated convection 80–100 km beyond encountering the OFB. Eventually the surface cold pool became sufficiently deep so that gradual ascent of parcels with moisture and instability over the OFB began initiating new convection close to the OFB—this drove backbuilding during the later portion of the MCS lifetime. These results disentangle the relative contributions of large-scale environmental factors and storm-scale processes on the quasi-stationary behavior of the MCS and show that both contributed to upstream backbulding at different times during the MCS life cycle.

Corresponding author address: John M. Peters, Colorado State University, Department of Atmospheric Science, 1371 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1371. E-mail: jpeters3@atmos.colostate.edu
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