Measurements of the near‐surface flow over a hill

The near‐surface flow over a hill with moderate slope and height comparable with the boundary‐layer depth is investigated through field measurements of the mean flow (at 2 m), surface pressure, and turbulent momentum flux divergence between 8 and 15 m. The measurements were made along an east–west transect across the hill Tighvein (height 458 m, approximate width 8 km) on the Isle of Arran, south‐west Scotland, during two separate periods, each of around three‐weeks duration. Radiosonde ascents are used to determine the variation of a Froude number, F L = U / NL , where U is the wind speed at the middle‐layer height, h m, N is the mean Brunt–Väisälä frequency below this height and L is a hill length‐scale. Measurements show that for moderately stratified flows (for which F L ≳0.25) a minimum in the hill‐induced surface‐pressure perturbation occurs across the summit and this is accompanied by a maximum in the near‐surface wind speed. In the more strongly stratified case F L ≲0.25 the pressure field is more asymmetric and the lee‐slope flow is generally stronger than on the windward slope. Such a flow pattern is qualitatively consistent with that predicted by stratified linear boundary‐layer and gravity‐wave theories. The near‐surface momentum budget is analysed by evaluating the dominant terms in a Bernoulli equation suitable for turbulent flow. Measurements during periods of westerly flow are used to evaluate the dominant terms, and the equation is shown to hold to a reasonable approximation on the upwind slope of the hill and also on the downwind slope, away from the summit. Immediately downwind of the summit, however, the Bernoulli equation does not hold. Possible reasons for this, such as non‐separated sheltering and flow separation, are discussed. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society