FRONT DECAY - WEATHER EVENTS

by ZAMG

The CM of Front Decay represents a meso - scale modification of a Cold Front which leads to decay of weather events, especially of precipitation.

Parameter Description
Precipitation
  • The initial frontal system: precipitation in surface reports.
  • Front decay:
    • Precipitation stops over the zone of cloud dissipation in connection with growth of cloud gap
    • development of dry area
  • Upstream or downstream of the dissipation zone the front is still very active (possible areas of front intensification)
Temperature No connection to Front Decay
Wind No connection to Front Decay
Cloud
  • The initial frontal system: multi layered cloudiness
    • Front decay: dissipation of high and middle cloudiness;
    • Dissipation of low cloudiness only at mature stage
    • When clooud gap closes up again, no significant weather events can be seen
Other relevant information  

02 June 2000/18.00 UTC - Meteosat IR image; weather events (green: rain and showers, blue: drizzle, cyan: snow, red: thunderstorm, yellow: fog, black: no precipitation)
03 June 2000/00.00 UTC - Meteosat IR image; weather events (green: rain and showers, blue: drizzle, cyan: snow, red: thunderstorm, yellow: fog, black: no precipitation)
03 June 2000/06.00 UTC - Meteosat IR image; weather events (green: rain and showers, blue: drizzle, cyan: snow, red: thunderstorm, yellow: fog, black: no precipitation)
SUB-MENU OF FRONT DECAY
TYPICAL APPEARANCE IN VERTICAL CROSS SECTIONS
REFERENCES