Case: 26 August 2017

Summary

Daytime development of closed cell precipitating cloud conditions

Description

This event was a transitional cloud event wherein a relatively closed precipitating stratocumulus cloud condition developed over the ENA main site and its surroundings throughout the daytime hours. These clouds remained in ENA’s immediate vicinity throughout the mid-afternoon into early evening hours. The boundary layer winds were light to moderate and from a favorable northerly direction throughout the event. The observed peaks in precipitation and regional cloud coverage occurred around 12 UTC. Observed cloud echo top heights were typically below 1.5 -2.0 km AGL.

Available assets

Standard ARM profiling assets, SEVIRI. SACR. RLPROF-FEX. Additional ENA GNSS ground station radiosonde launch (0340 UTC)

Critical period: 08:00-17:00

Overcast cloud conditions over the ENA main site

True color MODIS AQUA — Figure 52 True color afternoon MODIS AQUA image with overlaid LES domains. The image area corresponds to the 5° region sampled for the larger forcing option. The yellow and orange boxes correspond to the sizes of the 25 km and 102 km LES domains, respectively.