Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Structural and Environmental Characteristics of Extratropical Cyclones Associated with Tornado Outbreaks in the Warm Sector: An Idealized Numerical Study

Eigo Tochimoto Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan

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Hiroshi Niino Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan

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Print Publication:
01 Jan 2017
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-16-0107.1
Page(s):
117–136
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Abstract

To clarify the effects of the horizontal shear of the jet stream on the structure and environment of extratropical cyclones that are accompanied by tornado outbreaks (OCs) and those that are not (NOCs), two idealized numerical experiments are performed. The experiments (OC-CTL and NOC-CTL) adopt the basic states taken from the corresponding composites of reanalysis data (JRA-55), except that the humidity field in both cases is taken from the OC composite.

The simulated cyclone in OC-CTL exhibits a more meridionally elongated structure and stronger low-level wind in the southeast quadrant of the cyclone center, resulting in larger values of storm relative environmental helicity (SREH) than those in NOC-CTL. These results are consistent with the characteristics of the cyclones found for OCs and NOCs in the authors’ composite study. The distributions of surface-based convective available potential energy (SBCAPE) show no notable differences between OC-CTL and NOC-CTL, while those of CAPE based on the most unstable air parcel (MUCAPE) show some differences.

A sensitivity experiment without moist processes such as condensation heating and evaporative cooling shows that the differences in the cyclone structure and environmental parameters between OCs and NOCs can be qualitatively explained by the dry dynamics. However, inclusion of moist processes results in notably larger differences.

Corresponding author e-mail: Eigo Tochimoto, tochimoto@aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Denotes Open Access content.

Abstract

To clarify the effects of the horizontal shear of the jet stream on the structure and environment of extratropical cyclones that are accompanied by tornado outbreaks (OCs) and those that are not (NOCs), two idealized numerical experiments are performed. The experiments (OC-CTL and NOC-CTL) adopt the basic states taken from the corresponding composites of reanalysis data (JRA-55), except that the humidity field in both cases is taken from the OC composite.

The simulated cyclone in OC-CTL exhibits a more meridionally elongated structure and stronger low-level wind in the southeast quadrant of the cyclone center, resulting in larger values of storm relative environmental helicity (SREH) than those in NOC-CTL. These results are consistent with the characteristics of the cyclones found for OCs and NOCs in the authors’ composite study. The distributions of surface-based convective available potential energy (SBCAPE) show no notable differences between OC-CTL and NOC-CTL, while those of CAPE based on the most unstable air parcel (MUCAPE) show some differences.

A sensitivity experiment without moist processes such as condensation heating and evaporative cooling shows that the differences in the cyclone structure and environmental parameters between OCs and NOCs can be qualitatively explained by the dry dynamics. However, inclusion of moist processes results in notably larger differences.

Corresponding author e-mail: Eigo Tochimoto, tochimoto@aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Denotes Open Access content.

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