CASE 28 - Afternoon convection over SMO

8/15/04

Microphysical scans 1945 - 2115 Z, 1h 30m

 

 

SYNOPTIC CONDITIONS SUMMARY:

 

Zone 7, S zone 8, and central zone 5 saw activity flair overnight as a weak trough moved across central Mexico. The southern portion of the trough linked up with low-level moisture from the Gulf of California (see image) and was aided by orographic lift while the northern portion continued to feed off SE flow from the Gulf of Mexico.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Day 0 forecast discussion text

 

Winds

200 mb - model.ETA.200408160000.00_200mb_wnd.gif

500 mb - model.ETA.200408160000.00_500mb_wnd.gif

700 mb - model.ETA.200408160000.00_700mb_wnd.gif

850 mb - model.ETA.200408160000.00_850mb_wnd.gif

 

 

 

EVENT SUMMARY:

 

24 h precipitation totals -

 

 

S-POL SUMMARY:

 

S-Pol log - spol_081504.txt

 

SCAN OVERVIEW:

 

 

 

1945 Z

Begin Microphysical Scanning, Switching to MicroFar135: RHI centered on 25 deg. Most convection is contained within 135 deg sector.

 

1945 Z, Base reflectivity

 

2003 Z

RHIs to storms near 90 deg, have some 60 dBZ in them aloft. Rotating PPI CCW to cover Intensifying cell near 335 deg.

 

2000Z, Base reflectivity

 

2015 Z

RHIs to 335 deg storm. The PPI sector is well populated by popcorn convection.

 

2015Z, Base reflectivity

 

2030 Z

RHIs to 75 deg storm.

 

2030Z, Base reflectivity

 

2045 Z

RHIs to cell at 352 deg. The plan is to get back to climo scanning.

 

2045Z, Base reflectivity

 

2115 Z

End Microphysical Scanning, Switching to ClimoNear: The mountains are well filled with loosely organized multicellular storms. The PPI sectors were really too narrow (and too limited in range) to catch the full flavor of what is occurring.

 

2115Z, Base reflectivity