Process-Oriented Analysis of Environmental Conditions Associated with Precipitation Fog Events in the New York City Region

Abstract

An analysis of the environmental conditions associated with precipitation fog events is presented using 20 yr of historical observations taken in a region centered on New York, New York. The objective is to determine the preferred weather scenarios and identify physical processes influencing the formation of fog during precipitation. Salient synoptic-scale features are identified using NCEP?NCAR reanalyses. Local environmental parameters, such as wind speed and direction, temperature, and humidity, are analyzed using surface observations, while the vertical structure of the lower atmosphere is examined using available rawinsonde data. The analysis reveals that precipitation fog mostly occurs as a result of the gradual lowering of cloud bases as continuous light rain or light drizzle is observed. Such scenarios occur under various synoptic weather patterns in areas characterized by large-scale uplift, differential temperature advection, and positive moisture advection. Precipitation fog onset typically occurs with winds from the northeast at inland locations and onshore flow at coastal locations, with flows from the south to southwest aloft. A majority of the cases showed the presence of a sharp low-level temperature inversion resulting from differential temperature advection or through the interaction of warm air flowing over a cold surface in onshore flow conditions. This suggests a common scenario of fog formation under moistening conditions resulting from precipitation evaporating into colder air near the surface. A smaller number of events formed with cooling of the near-saturated or saturated air. Evidence is also presented of the possible role of shear-induced turbulent mixing in the production of supersaturation and fog formation during precipitation.