Potential vorticity structure of embedded convection in a warm conveyor belt and its relevance for large-scale dynamics

Oertel, Annika; Boettcher, Maxi; Joos, Hanna; Sprenger, Michael; Wernli, Heini

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-127-2020

Articles | Volume 1, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-127-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-1-127-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 1, issue 1

Research article

|

09 Apr 2020

Research article |

| 09 Apr 2020

Potential vorticity structure of embedded convection in a warm conveyor belt and its relevance for large-scale dynamics

Annika Oertel, Maxi Boettcher, Hanna Joos, Michael Sprenger, and Heini Wernli

Video supplement

Detailed evolution of warm conveyor belt ascent and associated upper-level potential vorticity field in a convection-resolving simulation Annika Oertel https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000392157

Short summary

Warm conveyor belts (WCBs) are important, mainly stratiform cloud forming airstreams in extratropical cyclones that can include embedded convection. This WCB case study systematically compares the characteristics of convective vs. slantwise ascent of the WCB. We find that embedded convection leads to regions of significantly stronger precipitation. Moreover, it strongly modifies the potential vorticity distribution in the lower and upper troposphere, where its also influences the waveguide.