Great Basin frontogenesis

Orography has a profound influence on frontal evolution in many parts of the world, including the Great Basin of the United States. Recent studies show that the Great Basin is a frequent breeding ground of strong fronts, with a confluent wake to the lee of the Sierra Nevada appearing to play an important role in the incipient frontal development. Differential surface sensible heating and evaporative cooling also appear to contribute to the frontal sharpening in many cases. This poster provides an overview of important literature concerning orographic effects on fronts, with an emphasis on the Great Basin frontogenesis. It also uses observations and WRF simulations to examine orographic and diabatic contributions to intense Great Basin frontogenesis during the 2002 Tax Day Storm, which featured wind gusts of >30 ms-1 and a 1-h temperature fall of 16°C (including 6°C in 3 s!) at Salt lake City.