Introduction: An analysis of freezing rain (FZRA) events in Quebec City (YQB), Quebec, Canada, a climatologically active area, is counted over a 30 year period (1979-2008) in an attempt to better understand the synoptic patterns, severity, and frequency of such events. Methods: of the 218 individual events, 48 are classified as severe and are given a more in depth analysis at various pressure levels. events are partitioned into five categories based on synoptic patterns, including the location and organization of surface features, 500 hpa trough location and length, and instantaneous geostrophic wind direction at YQB at the first hour of reported FZRA. Composite analyses of atmospheric variables are then created for each category, and the latter are then compared. Results: each of the five categories has a unique thermodynamic and dynamic signature. Identifying these signatures within forecast models may significantly improve the prediction of freezing rain events. discussion: fzrA events have not been studied extensively in the SLRV and so identifying these aforementioned signatures within forecast models may significantly improve the prediction of freezing rain events.
Introduction: Freezing rain (FZRA), a hazardous meteorological phenomenon, is associated with airflows from both cyclones and anticyclones. Though researchers have placed primary emphasis on the cyclone’s role in FZRA, we intend to examine the anticyclone's role in transporting near-surface cold air. more specifically, we study its impact on the duration of FZRA in a region of orographically enhanced vulnerability, namely at Quebec city (YQB), located in the st-lawrence river Valley (SLRV). This region is an active zone of freezing rain due to orographic influences that promote pressure-driven channeling. Methods: within the SLRV region, we define a severe event using a minimum duration threshold of six hours and found 47 severe freezing rain cases during a 30-year period (1979-2008). we then partitioned these cases into categories based on precipitation phase change and 850hpa geostrophic relative vorticity. results: we found that the duration of freezing rain is determined in large part by the intensity and location of the anticyclone. discussion: The anticyclone enhances pressure-driven channeling, and this channeling provides the replenishment of cold air at the surface required to maintain FZRA. identifying these anticyclonic features provides a novel approach to determine the potential duration of FZRA events.
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