Open AccessThe role of orography in the regeneration of convection: A case study from the convective and orographically-induced precipitation study
Author(s) -
V. Smith,
S Mobbs,
Ralph Burton,
Matt Hobby,
F. Aoshima,
Volker Wulfmeyer,
Paolo Di Girolamo
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
meteorologische zeitschrift
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1610-1227
pISSN - 0941-2948
DOI - 10.1127/metz/2014/0418
Subject(s) - orography , convection , squall line , weather research and forecasting model , mesoscale meteorology , precipitation , convective inhibition , geology , mesoscale convective system , outflow , atmospheric sciences , climatology , free convective layer , environmental science , meteorology , geography , combined forced and natural convection , natural convection , oceanography
A case study that took place during the Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS) is presented. A squall-line embedded with convective precipitation, which was associated with the outflow boundary of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) regenerated above the crests of the Black Forest. This followed an initial decay of convection as the MCS descended in the lee of the Vosges to cross the Rhine valley. High resolution simulations using the WRF numerical model will demonstrate that the Black Forest mountains were instrumental in causing significant modification to the distribution and intensity of convection in the region. Fine scale detail of the orography was, however, found to be unimportant. Instead, modelling errors are attributed to poor boundary layer representation