8.1
Lightning Observations during an Intense Winter Storm in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin on 1 March 2007
PAPER WITHDRAWN
Daniel J. Miller, NOAA/NWS, Duluth, MN
An intense winter storm affected northeast Minnesota, northwest Wisconsin and western Lake Superior from the afternoon of 28 February 2007 through midday on 1 March 2007. Blizzard conditions resulting from a combination of estimated 5 cm/hr (2 in/hr) snowfall rates and sustained winds from 14-18 m/s (30-40 mph) with frequent gusts greater than 23 m/s (50 mph) were observed for a period of 12 to 18 hours. Severe impacts from the wind and snow occurred in the Duluth-Superior metro area, where visibility was restricted to only a few hundred meters and virtually all transportation was shut down for approximately 12 hours. The intense snowfall and winds occurred underneath a very strong, deep-layer deformation zone and axis of intense, deep-layer frontogenesis forcing for mesoscale ascent to the northwest of the surface low that was also accompanied by elevated instability. One of the more interesting aspects of this winter storm was the numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes that occurred with the primary band of heavy snow. Lightning activity with the primary heavy snow band will be examined, in conjunction with the mesoscale structure of the precipitation band as observed on radar. Finally, some operational impacts of lightning associated with this winter storm will be presented.
Session 8, Use of Lightning Data in the Operational Warning and Decision Making Process
Wednesday, 23 January 2008, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM, 222
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