Open AccessThundersnow in Brazil: a case study of 22 July 2013
Author(s) -
Dolif Neto Giovanni,
Market Patrick S.,
Pezza Alexandre Bernardes,
Morales Rodriguez Carlos Augusto,
Calvetti Leonardo,
Silva Dias Pedro Leite,
Escobar Gustavo Carlos Juan
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
atmospheric science letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 45
ISSN - 1530-261X
DOI - 10.1002/asl.594
Subject(s) - rossby wave , geology , instability , climatology , winter storm , storm , meteorology , seismology , atmospheric sciences , geography , oceanography , mechanics , physics
On 23 July 2013, a snowstorm hit southern Brazil causing material damage and two deaths. Radar reflectivity and lightning data revealed a rare thundersnow occurrence. This study revealed that a Rossby wave propagation followed a typical pattern of cold incursions in South America, but some fundamental differences can be pointed out: (1) further northward Rossby wave amplification; (2) strong upward vertical motion within a deep nearly saturated layer and (3) a conditional symmetric instability layer, in response to strong vertical shear, beneath a layer of weak conditional instability, and above a significant near‐surface vertical depth where temperatures hover around 0 °C.