Using K DP Cores as a Downburst Precursor Signature

Kuster, Charles M.; Bowers, Barry R.; Carlin, Jacob T.; Schuur, Terry J.; Brogden, Jeff W.; Toomey, Robert; Dean, Andy

doi:10.1175/WAF-D-21-0005.1

Advanced Search

Select up to three search categories and corresponding keywords using the fields to the right. Refer to the Help section for more detailed instructions.

Search our Collections & Repository

Advanced Search
Custom Query

All these words:

For very narrow results

This exact word or phrase:

When looking for a specific result

Any of these words:

Best used for discovery & interchangable words

None of these words:

Recommended to be used in conjunction with other fields

Language:

Dates

Publication Date Range:

to

Document Data

Title:

Document Type:

Library

Collection:

Series:

People

Author:

Clear All

Query Builder

Query box

Clear All

For additional assistance using the Custom Query please check out our Help Page

i

Using K DP Cores as a Downburst Precursor Signature

2021
By Kuster, Charles M. ; Bowers, Barry R. ; Carlin, Jacob T. ; ...
Source: Weather and Forecasting, 36(4), 1183-1198

[PDF-3.39 MB]

Details Related Documents You May Also Like

Details:

Journal Title:

Weather and Forecasting
Personal Author:

Kuster, Charles M. ; Bowers, Barry R. ; Carlin, Jacob T. ; Schuur, Terry J. ; Brogden, Jeff W. ; ... More +

Kuster, Charles M. ; Bowers, Barry R. ; Carlin, Jacob T. ; Schuur, Terry J. ; Brogden, Jeff W. ; Toomey, Robert ; Dean, Andy Less -
NOAA Program & Office:

CIMMS (Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies) ; NSSL (National Severe Storms Laboratory) ; OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; NWS (National Weather Service) ; NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) ; ... More +

CIMMS (Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies) ; NSSL (National Severe Storms Laboratory) ; OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; NWS (National Weather Service) ; NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) ; SPC (Storm Prediction Center) Less -
Description:

Decades of research have investigated processes that contribute to downburst development, as well as identified precursor radar signatures that can accompany these events. These advancements have increased downburst predictability, but downbursts still pose a significant forecast challenge, especially in low-shear environments that produce short-lived single and multicell thunderstorms. Additional information provided by dual-polarization radar data may prove useful in anticipating downburst development. One such radar signature is the KDP core (where KDP is the specific differential phase), which can indicate processes such as melting and precipitation loading that increase negative buoyancy and can result in downburst development. Therefore, KDP cores associated with 81 different downbursts across 10 states are examined to explore if this signature could provide forecasters with a reliable and useable downburst precursor signature. The KDP core characteristics near the environmental melting layer, vertical gradients of KDP, and environmental conditions were quantified to identify any differences between downbursts of varying intensities. The analysis shows that 1) KDP cores near the environmental melting layer are a reliable signal that a downburst will develop; 2) while using KDP cores to anticipate an impending downburst’s intensity is challenging, larger KDP near the melting layer and larger vertical gradients of KDP are more commonly associated with strong downbursts than weak ones; 3) downbursts occurring in environments with less favorable conditions for downbursts are associated with higher magnitude KDP cores, and 4) KDP cores evolve relatively slowly (typically longer than 15 min), which makes them easily observable with the 5-min volumetric updates currently provided by operational radars.
Keywords:

[+]

Downbursts Nowcasting Radars/Radar Observations Storm Environments Thunderstorms
Source:

Weather and Forecasting, 36(4), 1183-1198
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-21-0005.1
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

Other
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

[+]

urn:sha256:a12f42fd674f355bf060c07266b7285b8e49fe0d616ae60631b54cac622cb04f
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/31479/noaa_31479_DS1.pdf
File Type:

No Additional Files

More +

Using K DP Cores as a Downburst Precursor Signature

Details:

Supporting Files

Related Documents

You May Also Like