Cumulus Cloud Characteristics over Western South Dakota

Abstract

Meteorological information from aircraft penetrations of cumulus clouds over western South Dakota has been analyzed to yield distributions of liquid water content, vertical motion and temperature. Ice particles are encountered in only 26% of the penetrations. Medium size clouds (diameters between 0.5 and 2 mi) tend to have higher mean liquid water contents than either small or large clouds; however, large clouds have the highest maximum liquid water contents. Peak values of both up- and downdrafts occur in the larger clouds but mean vertical motions tend to decrease with increasing cloud size. Cross correlations among various parameters show that the locations of wet and dry areas within clouds are not necessarily correlated with vertical air movement.