Low-level mesocyclogenesis in the presence of increasing low-level atmospheric stability

The impact of increasing low-level atmospheric stability below cloud base on low-level mesocyclogenesis is explored through numerical simulations of idealized supercell thunderstorms with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Low-level stability is increased by cooling the surface temperature of the Weisman and Klemp (1982) analytic sounding at regular intervals and prescribing a linear temperature profile from the surface to cloud base. The effects of this increased stability on the development, strength, persistence, and evolution of low-level mesocyclones and cold pools in the suite of experiments are examined. The influence of variability in low-level mesocyclogenesis on the vertical motion field is also investigated. Initial results suggest that low-level mesocyclone strength decreases with increasing stability, but the decrease is not linear.