Dry Microburst Sounding (Caracena et al)Lecture #28
Thunderstorm Forecasting with Thermodynamic Diagrams
Wednesday, 5 April 2001
Text Reading for Lecture
#27
Pages 174-175; review 161-171
The Thermodynamic
Diagram 2
(download this powerpoint file, in
COMPRESSED format, HERE)
For uncompressed file, click HERE
The
Thermodynamic Diagram 3
(download this powerpoint file, in
COMPRESSED format, HERE)
For uncompressed file, click HERE
Dry Microburst Sounding (Caracena et al)
Wet microburst Sounding (Caracena et al.)
Click HERE for several microburst photos.
Convective Available Potential Energy:
The difference in temperature between
the rising parcel and the environment, added for each
level where the parcel is WARMER than the
enviornment, produces an area that is proportional
to the amount of energy available to the thunderstorm
updraft. It is clearly visible on a thermodynamic
diagram:
Bulk Richardson Number: A ratio of CAPE to
the amount of wind shear between the ground and
approximately 6 km altitude. It provides a means for
estimating storm type, as shown in this FIGURE.
LIGHTNING
Presentation 1 and compressed Powerpoint file
Presentation 2 and compressed Powerpoint file
