Effects of Melting on Frontogenesis

Abstract

Frontal precipitation systems are simulated with a 2D cloud model including ice-phase microphysics. Despite the use of idealized frontogenetic forcing in the simulations, some observed characteristics of frontal zones and their associated cloud and precipitation fields are reproduced in the simulations. The effects of melting snow on surface frontogenesis is investigated. It is found that the cooling effects of melting snow significantly accelerate surface frontogenesis in winter storm environments, especially when the melting layer is close to the surface. However, the steady-state surface frontal strength in the model is not sensitive to the melting effects. Finescale thermal and kinematic perturbations inside the frontal zone near the melting level, quite similar to those recently reported in the literature, are evident in the model results. Analysis of the model results suggests that cooling from melting snow may induce these thermal and kinematic perturbations and may enhance baroclinicity, resulting in accelerating frontogenesis. These frontogenetic effects should be strongest when the melting layer is near the surface, thus explaining the often observed coincidence of surface fronts with the surface rain?snow boundary in winter storms.