Potential vorticity structure of embedded convection in a warm conveyor belt and its relevance for large-scale dynamics

Abstract

Abstract. Warm conveyor belts (WCBs) are important airstreams in extratropical cyclones. They can influence large-scale flow evolution by modifying the potential vorticity (PV) distribution during their cross-isentropic ascent. Although WCBs are typically described as slantwise-ascending and stratiform-cloud-producing airstreams, recent studies identified convective activity embedded within the large-scale WCB cloud band. However, the impacts of this WCB-embedded convection have not been investigated in detail. In this study, we systematically analyze the influence of embedded convection in an eastern North Atlantic WCB on the cloud and precipitation structure, on the PV distribution, and on larger-scale flow. For this reason, we apply online trajectories in a high-resolution convection-permitting simulation and perform a composite analysis to compare quasi-vertically ascending convective WCB trajectories with typical slantwise-ascending WCB trajectories. We find that the convective WCB ascent leads to substantially stronger surface precipitation and the formation of graupel in the middle to upper troposphere, which is absent for the slantwise WCB category, indicating the key role of WCB-embedded convection for precipitation extremes. Compared to the slantwise WCB trajectories, the initial equivalent potential temperature of the convective WCB trajectories is higher, and the convective WCB trajectories originate from a region of larger potential instability, which gives rise to more intense cloud diabatic heating and stronger cross-isentropic ascent. Moreover, the signature of embedded convection is distinctly imprinted in the PV structure. The diabatically generated low-level positive PV anomalies, associated with a cyclonic circulation anomaly, are substantially stronger for the convective WCB trajectories. The slantwise WCB trajectories lead to the formation of a widespread region of low-PV air (that still have weakly positive PV values) in the upper troposphere, in agreement with previous studies. In contrast, the convective WCB trajectories form mesoscale horizontal PV dipoles at upper levels, with one pole reaching negative PV values. On a larger scale, these individual mesoscale PV anomalies can aggregate to elongated PV dipole bands extending from the convective updraft region, which are associated with coherent larger-scale circulation anomalies. An illustrative example of such a convectively generated PV dipole band shows that within around 10 h the negative PV pole is advected closer to the upper-level waveguide, where it strengthens the isentropic PV gradient and contributes to the formation of a jet streak. This suggests that the mesoscale PV anomalies produced by embedded convection upstream organize and persist for several hours and therefore can influence the synoptic-scale circulation. They thus can be dynamically relevant, influence the jet stream and (potentially) the downstream flow evolution, which are highly relevant aspects for medium-range weather forecast. Finally, our results imply that a distinction between slantwise and convective WCB trajectories is meaningful because the convective WCB trajectories are characterized by distinct properties.

Diabatic generation of negative potential vorticity and its impact on the North Atlantic jet stream

“…This helps to explain why negative PV is typically found in strips aligned with the jet stream. In convective‐permitting simulations of NAWDEX cases (Oertel et al ., ), each local maximum in heating generates a PV dipole (as described in Chagnon and Gray, ) but a consequence of the synoptic‐scale vertical wind shear is that all the PV dipoles must be aligned with the negative side facing the jet stream core. A direct result of the common orientation is an upscale influence of diabatic processes on the flow field, felt through the integral effects of the dipoles.…”

“…This puts a constraint on the generation of negative PVvalues on synoptic scales since the dilution process can reduce PV towards zero, but not change its sign. On smaller scales, localised regions of negative PV can be generated and their presence is consistent with studies on the mesoscale and smaller whereby heating anomalies in an environment with strong vertical wind shear are known to create quasi‐horizontal PV dipoles, with no constraint on its sign (Chagnon and Gray, ; Oertel et al ., ). The quasi‐horizontal dipoles arise from a second PV tendency term given by a non‐advective PV flux along isentropic surfaces (Haynes and McIntyre, ).…”

Microphysics and dynamics of snowfall associated with a warm conveyor belt over Korea

“…Joos and Wernli, 2012;Madonna et al, 2014). WCBs are the primary precipitation-producing feature in extratropical cyclones (Browning, 1990;Eckhardt et al, 2004) and are responsible for more than 70 % of precipitation extremes in the major storm tracks (Pfahl et al, 2014). However, precipitation and cloud processes also impact the dynamics of extratropical cyclones.…”

“…The location of Pyeongchang on a peninsula at mid-latitudes offers an interesting setting to study the interplay between synoptic circulation, orographic effects and microphysics. First, the surrounding Yellow Sea and East Sea provide nearby sources of moisture for precipitation, which is particularly relevant for wintertime WCBs (Pfahl et al, 2014). Secondly, WCBs play a crucial role for precipitation over the Korean Peninsula: between 80 % and 90 % of extreme precipitation is associated with WCBs in South Korea according to a climatological study by Pfahl et al (2014).…”

“…First, the surrounding Yellow Sea and East Sea provide nearby sources of moisture for precipitation, which is particularly relevant for wintertime WCBs (Pfahl et al, 2014). Secondly, WCBs play a crucial role for precipitation over the Korean Peninsula: between 80 % and 90 % of extreme precipitation is associated with WCBs in South Korea according to a climatological study by Pfahl et al (2014). The ICE-POP 2018 data set includes, among other data, multiple-frequency radar measurements and highresolution snowflake photographs.…”