The Role of Direct Insolation and Near-Surface Moisture Advection in the Recovery of CAPE on 31 March 2016 during VORTEX-Southeast

We examine the relative roles of direct insolation and near-surface moisture advection in the recovery of convective available potential energy (CAPE) on 31 March 2016 in northern Alabama, using VORTEX-Southeast observations. In between the morning storms and the evening tornadic storms, CAPE over the VORTEX-Southeast domain increased by at least 500 J kg^-1. A timeline of the day’s events is provided with a focus on the lower levels of the atmosphere, especially solar insolation and moisture advection which are hypothesized as the main mechanisms behind the recovery of CAPE. Data from the University of Massachusetts S-Band frequency-modulated, continuous-wave (FMCW) radar and NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) Collaborative Lower Atmospheric Mobile Profiling System (CLAMPS) are used to characterize the boundary layer evolution in the pretornadic storm environment.

We examine the relative roles of direct insolation and near-surface moisture advection in the recovery of convective available potential energy (CAPE) on 31 March 2016 in northern Alabama, using VORTEX-Southeast observations. In between the morning storms and the evening tornadic storms, CAPE over the VORTEX-Southeast domain increased by at least 500 J kg^-1. A timeline of the day’s events is provided with a focus on the lower levels of the atmosphere, especially solar insolation and moisture advection which are hypothesized as the main mechanisms behind the recovery of CAPE. Data from the University of Massachusetts S-Band frequency-modulated, continuous-wave (FMCW) radar and NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) Collaborative Lower Atmospheric Mobile Profiling System (CLAMPS) are used to characterize the boundary layer evolution in the pretornadic storm environment.