The Effects of Evaporation, Water Load and Wind Shear on Cloud Development in a Three-Dimensional Numerical Model

Abstract

Steiner's (1973) three-dimensional cloud model has been updated to incorporate the deep anelastic system of equations and the microphysical parameterization scheme of Kessler (1969) for precipitation growth. The interactions between cloud microphysics and dynamics for an isolated cumulus cloud in a unidirectional shearing environment has been examined in four comparative experiments. The results confirm that 1) the intensity of convection is suppressed by shear except during the initial stage, and 2) evaporative cooling can have a more dominant effect than water loading in limiting the vertical development of a moderate size cumulus.