CONVECTIVE CLOUD FEATURES IN TYPICAL SYNOPTIC ENVIRONMENTS: THE SPANISH PLUME - TYPICAL APPEARANCE IN VERTICAL CROSS SECTIONS
by FMI
- Unstable stratification:
The isentropes of equivalent potential temperature show an unstable stratified troposphere within the lower and mid-levels of the troposphere, which is characterized by decreasing values with height. They often also show a super-adiabatic behaviour within the lower layers of the troposphere. - Temperature advection:
The vertical distribution of temperature advection is characterized by distinct WA in the low and mid-levels of the troposphere. CA can sometimes already be found above, but in the early stages of the Spanish Plume CA is most often still lagging behind. Later, during the MCS development, CA is often found above the Spanish Plume and is associated low-level WA. - Convergence:
The field of divergence generally indicates convergence within the lower and mid-levels, divergence at upper levels.
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16 May 2000/12.00 UTC - Meteosat IR image; position of vertical cross section indicated
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Unstable stratification
Temperature advection
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16 May 2000/12.00 UTC - Vertical cross section, red thick: temperature advection - WA, red thin: temperature
advection - CA, black: isentropes (ThetaE), orange thin: IR pixel values, orange thick: WV pixel values
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Convergence
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16 May 2000/12.00 UTC - Vertical cross section, magenta: divergence, black: isentropes (ThetaE), orange thin: IR pixel
values, orange thick: WV pixel values
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