Article Type:
Research Article

CloudSat Observes a Labrador Sea Polar Low

John M. Forsythe Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

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John M. Haynes Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

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Print Publication:
01 Aug 2015
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00058.1
Page(s):
1229–1231
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Abstract

Polar lows generate hazardous weather conditions in the Arctic, and satellites have played a key role in understanding their genesis and dynamics. For the first time, an overpass of the CloudSat 94-GHz cloud radar over a polar low has been recorded. The case occurred in November 2013 in the Labrador Sea between Canada and Greenland, and had a striking convective appearance with an eyelike feature. A deep cloud band was observed by the radar, with radar reflectivity up to 5-km in altitude in a 50-km-wide band. It is likely that more such matchups exist in the CloudSat mission data.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: John M. Forsythe, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, 1375 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1375, E-mail: john.forsythe@colostate.edu

Abstract

Polar lows generate hazardous weather conditions in the Arctic, and satellites have played a key role in understanding their genesis and dynamics. For the first time, an overpass of the CloudSat 94-GHz cloud radar over a polar low has been recorded. The case occurred in November 2013 in the Labrador Sea between Canada and Greenland, and had a striking convective appearance with an eyelike feature. A deep cloud band was observed by the radar, with radar reflectivity up to 5-km in altitude in a 50-km-wide band. It is likely that more such matchups exist in the CloudSat mission data.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: John M. Forsythe, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, 1375 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1375, E-mail: john.forsythe@colostate.edu
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