Return to search

Field experiment observations of a dryline and the associated clouds and precipitation

The UNderstanding Severe Thunderstorms and Alberta Boundary Layer Experiment (UNSTABLE) in July 2008 was a field project to investigate the initiation of thunderstorms in southern Alberta. Special field observations included an enhanced surface network augmented with instrumented vehicles. Upper air observations were taken from four sites every two hours.

This thesis focuses on the case study day of 17 July 2008 when a dryline formed parallel to the Rocky Mountains at 1030 MDT and persisted for up to nine hours. The vapour mixing ratio changed from 4.5 to 8.5 g/kg over 5 km. We documented the spatial and temporal distribution of cloud and precipitation relative to the dryline. Initially, extensive cloud formed over the dry air to the west of the dryline, while the capping inversion at 800 mb inhibited cloud formation in the moist air. In the afternoon, convection was triggered along the dryline and severe thunderstorms were observed.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:AEU.10048/966
Date06 1900
CreatorsDaniel, Brown
ContributorsReuter, Gerhard (Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), Myers, Paul (Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), Heimpel, Moritz (Department of Physics), Strong, Geoff (Department of Physics)
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format3922131 bytes, application/pdf

Page generated in 0.0018 seconds