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The North American Monsoon GPS Transect Experiment 2013

Yolande L. Serra University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

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David K. Adams Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

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Carlos Minjarez-Sosa Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, Mexico

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James M. Moker Jr. The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

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Avelino F. Arellano The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

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Christopher L. Castro The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

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Arturo I. Quintanar Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

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Luis Alatorre Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico

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Alfredo Granados Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico

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G. Esteban Vazquez Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacán, Mexico

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Kirk Holub National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, Colorado

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C. DeMets University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00250.1
Page(s):
2103–2115
Restricted access

Abstract

Northwestern Mexico experiences large variations in water vapor on seasonal time scales in association with the North American monsoon, as well as during the monsoon associated with upper-tropospheric troughs, mesoscale convective systems, tropical easterly waves, and tropical cyclones. Together these events provide more than half of the annual rainfall to the region. A sufficient density of meteorological observations is required to properly observe, understand, and forecast the important processes contributing to the development of organized convection over northwestern Mexico. The stability of observations over long time periods is also of interest to monitor seasonal and longer-time-scale variability in the water cycle. For more than a decade, the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) has been used to obtain tropospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV) for applications in the atmospheric sciences. There is particular interest in establishing these systems where conventional operational meteorological networks are not possible due to the lack of financial or human resources to support the network. Here, we provide an overview of the North American Monsoon GPS Transect Experiment 2013 in northwestern Mexico for the study of mesoscale processes and the impact of PWV observations on high-resolution model forecasts of organized convective events during the 2013 monsoon. Some highlights are presented, as well as a look forward at GPS networks with surface meteorology (GPS-Met) planned for the region that will be capable of capturing a wider range of water vapor variability in both space and time across Mexico and into the southwestern United States.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Yolande L. Serra, University of Washington, Box 355672, Seattle, WA 98105, E-mail: yserra@uw.edu

Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean Contribution Number 2016-01-39

Abstract

Northwestern Mexico experiences large variations in water vapor on seasonal time scales in association with the North American monsoon, as well as during the monsoon associated with upper-tropospheric troughs, mesoscale convective systems, tropical easterly waves, and tropical cyclones. Together these events provide more than half of the annual rainfall to the region. A sufficient density of meteorological observations is required to properly observe, understand, and forecast the important processes contributing to the development of organized convection over northwestern Mexico. The stability of observations over long time periods is also of interest to monitor seasonal and longer-time-scale variability in the water cycle. For more than a decade, the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) has been used to obtain tropospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV) for applications in the atmospheric sciences. There is particular interest in establishing these systems where conventional operational meteorological networks are not possible due to the lack of financial or human resources to support the network. Here, we provide an overview of the North American Monsoon GPS Transect Experiment 2013 in northwestern Mexico for the study of mesoscale processes and the impact of PWV observations on high-resolution model forecasts of organized convective events during the 2013 monsoon. Some highlights are presented, as well as a look forward at GPS networks with surface meteorology (GPS-Met) planned for the region that will be capable of capturing a wider range of water vapor variability in both space and time across Mexico and into the southwestern United States.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Yolande L. Serra, University of Washington, Box 355672, Seattle, WA 98105, E-mail: yserra@uw.edu

Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean Contribution Number 2016-01-39

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