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A synoptic analysis of the diurnal cycle of thunderstorm precipitation in Kraków (Southern Poland)
Author(s) -
Twardosz Robert
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/joc.1960
Subject(s) - thunderstorm , precipitation , climatology , environmental science , air mass (solar energy) , atmospheric sciences , diurnal cycle , warm front , convection , synoptic scale meteorology , meteorology , geography , geology , physics , boundary layer , thermodynamics
A study was made of the relationships between the diurnal pattern of thunderstorm precipitation in Kraków and the types of air masses and atmospheric fronts prevailing over southern Poland during the period 1951–2006. The results of these investigations contribute to a better understanding of the physical processes taking place in the atmosphere that are associated with convective rainfall and may be used to improve the forecasting of the temporal distribution of convective precipitation. The elementary parameters of the daily precipitation cycle were identified, such as the amplitude and phase of the frequency and total thunderstorm precipitation. A separate analysis was performed of air mass and frontal precipitation. The 24‐h thunderstorm precipitation cycle depends on the synoptic situation that determines the thermal and humidity properties of air masses. There is an afternoon peak in Kraków's general diurnal pattern of thunderstorm precipitation that is primarily linked to cold fronts and to air mass precipitation occurring in polar maritime air. Thunderstorm precipitation linked to warm fronts is less frequent and is concentrated in the evening. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society