32nd Conference on Broadcast Meteorology/31st Conference on Radar Meteorology/Fifth Conference on Coastal Atmospheric and Oceanic Prediction and Processes

Wednesday, 6 August 2003: 11:00 AM
Airborne Doppler observations of bow-echo convective systems observed during BAMEX
David P. Jorgensen, NOAA/NSSL, Boulder, CO; and B. F. Smull, C. Ziegler, W. Lee, and R. Wakimoto
This study uses airborne Doppler radar measurements from the NOAA and NRL P-3 instrumented aircraft during the Bow-Echo and MCV Experiment (BAMEX) to examine the detailed airflow and precipitation structure associated with several strong bow-echo systems. BAMEX utilized three aircraft, two equipped with dual Doppler radar systems (including the NCAR ELDORA radar mounted on the NRL P-3), the third deploying dropsondes, to map the mesoscale evolution of long-lived MCSs especially those exhibiting strong bowing indicative of possible strong straight-line surface winds. Examples will be shown of bow-echo structure, particularly of rear inflow jets within the stratiform rain region, to illustrate the quality and quantity of new observations.

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