Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations
Abstract The complex coupling between the large‐scale atmospheric circulation, which is explicitly resolved in modern numerical weather and climate models, and cloud‐related diabatic processes, which are parameterized, is an important source of error in weather predictions and climate projections. T...
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crwiley:10.1002/qj.3992 2024-06-02T08:11:38+00:00 Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations Oertel, Annika Schemm, Sebastian 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.3992 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/qj.3992 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/qj.3992 https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/qj.3992 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society volume 147, issue 736, page 1752-1766 ISSN 0035-9009 1477-870X journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3992 2024-05-03T11:07:58Z Abstract The complex coupling between the large‐scale atmospheric circulation, which is explicitly resolved in modern numerical weather and climate models, and cloud‐related diabatic processes, which are parameterized, is an important source of error in weather predictions and climate projections. To quantify the interactions between clouds and the large‐scale circulation, a method is employed that attributes a far‐ and near‐field circulation to the cloud system. The method reconstructs the cloud‐induced flow based on estimates of vorticity and divergence over a limited domain and does not require the definition of a background flow. It is subsequently applied to 12‐ and 2‐km simulations of convective clouds, which form within the large‐scale cloud band ahead of the upper‐level jet associated with an extratropical cyclone over the North Atlantic. The cloud‐induced circulation is directed against the jet, reaches up to 10 m·s −1 , and compares well between both simulations. The flow direction is in agreement with what can be expected from a vorticity dipole that forms in the vicinity of the clouds. Hence, in the presence of embedded convection, the wind speed does not steadily decrease away from the jet, as it does in cloud‐free regions, but exhibits a pronounced negative anomaly, which can now be explained by the cloud‐induced circulation. Furthermore, the direction of the reconstructed circulation suggests that the cloud induces a flow that counteracts its advection by the jet. Convective clouds therefore propagate more slowly than their surroundings, which may affect the distribution of precipitation. The method could be used to compare cloud‐induced flow at different resolutions and between different parameterizations. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Wiley Online Library Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 147 736 1752 1766 |
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English |
description |
Abstract The complex coupling between the large‐scale atmospheric circulation, which is explicitly resolved in modern numerical weather and climate models, and cloud‐related diabatic processes, which are parameterized, is an important source of error in weather predictions and climate projections. To quantify the interactions between clouds and the large‐scale circulation, a method is employed that attributes a far‐ and near‐field circulation to the cloud system. The method reconstructs the cloud‐induced flow based on estimates of vorticity and divergence over a limited domain and does not require the definition of a background flow. It is subsequently applied to 12‐ and 2‐km simulations of convective clouds, which form within the large‐scale cloud band ahead of the upper‐level jet associated with an extratropical cyclone over the North Atlantic. The cloud‐induced circulation is directed against the jet, reaches up to 10 m·s −1 , and compares well between both simulations. The flow direction is in agreement with what can be expected from a vorticity dipole that forms in the vicinity of the clouds. Hence, in the presence of embedded convection, the wind speed does not steadily decrease away from the jet, as it does in cloud‐free regions, but exhibits a pronounced negative anomaly, which can now be explained by the cloud‐induced circulation. Furthermore, the direction of the reconstructed circulation suggests that the cloud induces a flow that counteracts its advection by the jet. Convective clouds therefore propagate more slowly than their surroundings, which may affect the distribution of precipitation. The method could be used to compare cloud‐induced flow at different resolutions and between different parameterizations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Oertel, Annika Schemm, Sebastian |
spellingShingle |
Oertel, Annika Schemm, Sebastian Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
author_facet |
Oertel, Annika Schemm, Sebastian |
author_sort |
Oertel, Annika |
title |
Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
title_short |
Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
title_full |
Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
title_fullStr |
Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
title_sort |
quantifying the circulation induced by convective clouds in kilometer‐scale simulations |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.3992 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/qj.3992 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/qj.3992 https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/qj.3992 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society volume 147, issue 736, page 1752-1766 ISSN 0035-9009 1477-870X |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3992 |
container_title |
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society |
container_volume |
147 |
container_issue |
736 |
container_start_page |
1752 |
op_container_end_page |
1766 |
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1800757855613091840 |