Kinematic Structure and Flux Quantities in a Convective Storm from Dual-Doppler Radar Observations

Abstract

The NOAA/WPL dual-Doppler radar System has been used to determine the three-dimensional kiematic, structure of a convective storm during its decaying Stage which grew in a weakly sheared environment. The internal flow appears Similar in many respects to the Wokingham storm described by Browning and Ludlam even though the latter existed in a strongly sheared environment. Among the similar features are an upshear tilted updraft, a surface gust front, the intrusion of middle-level cool dry air, a precipitation-filled down-draft, and a vortex pattern suggestive of obstacle flow. Quantitative flux results are presented. Profiles of mass, water vapor, energy, momentum and vorticity fluxes were computed using the Doppler data and other supporting data from the National Hail Research Experiment surface network and upper air soundings.