Observations and simulation of intense convection embedded in a warm conveyor belt – how ambient vertical wind shear determines the dynamical impact

Oertel, Annika; Sprenger, Michael; Joos, Hanna; Boettcher, Maxi; Konow, Heike; Hagen, Martin; Wernli, Heini

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-89-2021

Articles | Volume 2, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-89-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-2-89-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 2, issue 1

Research article

|

02 Feb 2021

Research article |

| 02 Feb 2021

Observations and simulation of intense convection embedded in a warm conveyor belt – how ambient vertical wind shear determines the dynamical impact

Annika Oertel, Michael Sprenger, Hanna Joos, Maxi Boettcher, Heike Konow, Martin Hagen, and Heini Wernli

Model code and software

COSMO model code COSMO http://www.cosmo-model.org/content/consortium/licencing.htm

Short summary

Convection embedded in the stratiform cloud band of strongly ascending airstreams in extratropical cyclones (so-called warm conveyor belts) can influence not only surface precipitation but also the upper-tropospheric potential vorticity (PV) and waveguide. The comparison of intense vs. moderate embedded convection shows that its strength alone is not a reliable measure for upper-tropospheric PV modification. Instead, characteristics of the ambient flow co-determine its dynamical significance.