The characteristics and distribution of cloud water over the mountains of northern Colorado during wintertime storms. Part I: temperal variations.

R. M. Rauber, L. O. Grant, Feng Daxiong Feng, J. B. Snider

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The spatial and temporal evolution of supercooled water fields in ten wintertime storm systems occurring over the northern Colorado Rocky Mountain region have been examined using data collected by the recently developed scanning dual-channel microwave radiometer. These data were supported by several independent datasets. The ten case studies discussed represent various stages in the synoptic scale evolution of storms that affect the northern Colorado Rockies. Liquid water was found to occur in nearly all stages of most of these storms. The temporal variations in the magnitude of the liquid water content were significant. Common features concerning the evolution of the liquid water field were observed in the prefrontal cloud systems. In the postfrontal cloud systems studied, the liquid water content exhibited little variability upwind of the mountain base but varied considerably in the vicinity of the mountain. In these three storms, the magnitude of the liquid water content over the ridge was inversely related to the precipitation rate at mountain base. Liquid water production near the ridgeline was associated with both orographic and convective forcing. -from Authors

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)468-488
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Climate & Applied Meteorology
Volume25
Issue number4
StatePublished - 1986
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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