The Effect of Large-Scale Flow on Low-Level Frontal Structure and Evolution in Midlatitude Cyclones

David M. Schultz Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York

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Daniel Keyser Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York

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Lance F. Bosart Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York

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Abstract

Observational and modeling studies documented in the literature indicate that the large-scale flow has an important effect on the structure and evolution of low-level fronts in midlatitude cyclones. The purpose of this paper is to address the role of the large-scale flow on low-level cyclone/frontal structure and evolution through a combined observational and idealized modeling approach.

Analyses of two observed cyclone cases embedded in large-scale diffluence and confluence, respectively, are presented to illustrate two possible cyclone/frontal structures and evolutions. Specifically, the cyclone moving into a diffluent, high-amplitude ridge becomes meridionally elongated and possesses a strong meridionally oriented cold front and a weak warm front. The cold front rotates into the warm front, forming an occluded front in the manner of the Norwegian cyclone model, as indicated by the narrowing of the thermal ridge connecting the warm sector to the cyclone center. In contrast, the cyclone moving into confluent, low-amplitude zonal flow becomes zonally elongated and possesses strong zonally oriented warm and bent-back fronts and a weak cold front. The frontal structure in this case is reminiscent of the Shapiro–Keyser cyclone model, exhibiting a fracture between perpendicularly oriented cold and warm fronts (i.e., the so-called frontal T-bone structure).

The idealized simulations employ a nondivergent barotropic model in which potential temperature is treated as a passive tracer. When a circular vortex acts on an initially zonally oriented baroclinic zone, cold and warm fronts, a frontal fracture, a bent-back front, and eventually a Norwegian-like occlusion develop. When a circular vortex is placed in a diffluent background flow, the vortex and frontal zones become meridionally elongated, and the evolution resembles the Norwegian occlusion with a narrowing thermal ridge. When a circular vortex is placed in a confluent background flow, the vortex and frontal zones become zonally elongated, and the evolution resembles the Shapiro–Keyser model with a frontal fracture, frontal T-bone, and bent-back front. Although the idealized model qualitatively reproduces many of the frontal features found in the observed cyclones analyzed in the present study, one significant difference is that the maximum potential temperature gradient and frontogenesis along the cold and warm fronts may differ by a factor of 2 or more in the observed cases, but remain equal along the cold and warm fronts throughout the idealized model simulations. Possible reasons for this asymmetry in the strength of the observed cold and warm fronts are discussed.

* Current affiliation: NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma.

Corresponding author address: David M. Schultz, NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, 1313 Halley Circle, Norman, OK 73069.

Abstract

Observational and modeling studies documented in the literature indicate that the large-scale flow has an important effect on the structure and evolution of low-level fronts in midlatitude cyclones. The purpose of this paper is to address the role of the large-scale flow on low-level cyclone/frontal structure and evolution through a combined observational and idealized modeling approach.

Analyses of two observed cyclone cases embedded in large-scale diffluence and confluence, respectively, are presented to illustrate two possible cyclone/frontal structures and evolutions. Specifically, the cyclone moving into a diffluent, high-amplitude ridge becomes meridionally elongated and possesses a strong meridionally oriented cold front and a weak warm front. The cold front rotates into the warm front, forming an occluded front in the manner of the Norwegian cyclone model, as indicated by the narrowing of the thermal ridge connecting the warm sector to the cyclone center. In contrast, the cyclone moving into confluent, low-amplitude zonal flow becomes zonally elongated and possesses strong zonally oriented warm and bent-back fronts and a weak cold front. The frontal structure in this case is reminiscent of the Shapiro–Keyser cyclone model, exhibiting a fracture between perpendicularly oriented cold and warm fronts (i.e., the so-called frontal T-bone structure).

The idealized simulations employ a nondivergent barotropic model in which potential temperature is treated as a passive tracer. When a circular vortex acts on an initially zonally oriented baroclinic zone, cold and warm fronts, a frontal fracture, a bent-back front, and eventually a Norwegian-like occlusion develop. When a circular vortex is placed in a diffluent background flow, the vortex and frontal zones become meridionally elongated, and the evolution resembles the Norwegian occlusion with a narrowing thermal ridge. When a circular vortex is placed in a confluent background flow, the vortex and frontal zones become zonally elongated, and the evolution resembles the Shapiro–Keyser model with a frontal fracture, frontal T-bone, and bent-back front. Although the idealized model qualitatively reproduces many of the frontal features found in the observed cyclones analyzed in the present study, one significant difference is that the maximum potential temperature gradient and frontogenesis along the cold and warm fronts may differ by a factor of 2 or more in the observed cases, but remain equal along the cold and warm fronts throughout the idealized model simulations. Possible reasons for this asymmetry in the strength of the observed cold and warm fronts are discussed.

* Current affiliation: NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma.

Corresponding author address: David M. Schultz, NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, 1313 Halley Circle, Norman, OK 73069.

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