Case: 22 October 2016

Summary

Open cell cumulus event with relatively small gaps observed between cells

Description

Widespread open cell (cold air outbreak) cumulus event that followed a frontal passage. Cells exhibited relatively small gaps (spatially) between the precipitating cells. Winds were primarily from the north and strong (>30 kts) throughout the event. The melting level was at approx. 2.0 km AGL at the start of this event, lowering to 1.5 km by midday. Observed cloud echo top heights were typically below the melting level (prior to 12 UTC), transitioning or deepening to slightly above this melting level (after 12 UTC). Select high clouds were observed throughout the event by SEVIRI, associated with the frontal passage that happened the prior day.

Available assets

Standard ARM profiling assets, SEVIRI

Critical period: 12:00-18:00

Shallow open cell cumulus with light precipitation

True color MODIS AQUA — Figure 48 True color afternoon MODIS AQUA image with overlaid LES domains. The image domain corresponds to the size of the model forcing domain.