Frontal interaction with mesoscale topography

Abstract

A two-dimensional, hydrostatic, nearly adiabatic primitive equation model is used to study the evolution of a front passing across topography. Frontogenesis is forced by shearing deformation associated with the nonlinear evolution of an Eady wave. This study extends previous work by including an upper-level potential vorticity (PV) anomaly and a growing baroclinic wave in a baroclinically unstable basic state. Results for the Eady wave simulations show that the mountain retards and blocks the approaching front at the surface while the upper-level PV anomaly associated with the front moves across the domain unaffected. Warm advection ahead of the lee trough forces convergence and cyclonic vorticity growth near the base of the lee slope. This vorticity growth is further encouraged by the approach of the upper-level PV anomaly. The upper-level PV anomaly then couples with this new surface vorticity center and propagates downstream. The original surface front remains trapped on the windward slope. Thus when the upstream blocking is strong, frontal propagation is discontinuous across the ridge. This evolution occurs for tall mountains and narrow mountains, as well as weak fronts. For low mountains, wide mountains, and strong fronts, only weak retardation is observed on the windward slope. The surface front remains coupled with the upper-level PV anomaly. The front moves continuously across the mountain. The net result, regardless of mountain size and shape, is that the front reaches the base of the lee slope stronger, sooner, and with a decreased cross-front scale compared to the 'no-mountain' case. Well downstream of the mountain, no position change of the surface front is observed.