HR: 1330h
AN: H23A-14    [Abstracts]
TI: Characterization of Rainfall Intensity and Storm Lifecycles in South Florida
AU: * Theisen, C J
EM: ctheisen@aero.und.edu
AF: University of North Dakota, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, PO BOX 9006, Grand Forks, ND 58201 United States
AU: Kucera, P A
EM: pkucera@aero.und.edu
AF: University of North Dakota, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, PO BOX 9006, Grand Forks, ND 58201 United States
AU: Poellot, M R
EM: poellot@aero.und.edu
AF: University of North Dakota, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, PO BOX 9006, Grand Forks, ND 58201 United States
AB: Understanding tropical thunderstorm cirrus anvil microphysics and their relation to the lifecycle and intensity of the thunderstorm's convective core will help improve modeling of these clouds and their environment. The Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) was conducted over south Florida 2002. Measurements collected during the experiment provide an opportunity to study rainfall intensity and lifecycle characteristics of storms observed in South Florida. Data collected from the University of North Dakota's Citation research aircraft and the NASA S-Band polarimetric Doppler radar (NPOL) are used in this study. Storm events were selected from days throughout July that had coincident observations (space and time) between the Citation and NPOL. The intensity and general lifecycles of the thunderstorms and their convective cores are examined to find the maximum reflectivity, anvil height, 10 dBZ height, and 40 dBZ height. These values are then compared with the microphysical properties derived from Citation data, which includes the mean, mean volume, and median volume diameters, as well as the particle concentration. In a previous study of an event that occurred on 16 July, a positive correlation was found between the mean volume diameter, the maximum reflectivity, and maximum 40 dBZ height, as well as a slight negative correlation between the particle concentration and maximum anvil height. This study will expand on those results by examining several more cases during July. Through these comparisons, we are trying to determine if there are any relationships between the pre-storm environment, storm intensity, and properties of the cirrus anvil cloud of tropical convective systems.
DE: 3314 Convective processes
DE: 3354 Precipitation (1854)
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly