Weather and Climate Dynamics
Weather and Climate Dynamics
WCD
Articles | Volume 5, issue 1
Articles | Volume 5, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-17-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-17-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 5, issue 1
Research article
 | 
11 Jan 2024
Research article |  | 11 Jan 2024

Impact of precipitation mass sinks on midlatitude storms in idealized simulations across a wide range of climates

Tristan H. Abbott and Paul A. O'Gorman

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Cited articles

Abbott, T. H. and O'Gorman, P. A.: Data for “Impact of Precipitation Mass Sinks on Midlatitude Storms in Idealized GCM Simulations over a Wide Range of Climates” (Version 3), Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10075590, 2023. a
Ahmadi-Givi, F., Graig, G., and Plant, R.: The dynamics of a midlatitude cyclone with very strong latent-heat release, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 130, 295–323, https://doi.org/10.1256/qj.02.226, 2004. a
Bott, A.: Theoretical considerations on the mass and energy consistent treatment of precipitation in cloudy atmospheres, Atmos. Res., 89, 262–269, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2008.02.010, 2008. a
Büeler, D. and Pfahl, S.: Potential vorticity diagnostics to quantify effects of latent heating in extratropical cyclones. Part I: Methodology, J. Atmos. Sci., 74, 3567–3590, https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-17-0041.1, 2017. a, b
Chang, E. K., Lee, S., and Swanson, K. L.: Storm track dynamics, J. Climate, 15, 2163–2183, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2002)015<02163:STD>2.0.CO;2, 2002. a
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Short summary
Atmospheric models often neglect the mass sink from precipitation fallout, but a small number of modeling studies suggest that this mass sink may intensify storms. We provide evidence, using simulations and theory, that precipitation mass sinks have little systematic effect on storm intensity unless exaggerated by an order of magnitude. This result holds even in very warm climates with very heavy rainfall and helps to justify the neglect of precipitation mass sinks in atmospheric models.
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