Observational and numerical study of a microburst line-producing storm

Abstract

Doppler radar analysis revealed strong convergence above cloud base into the region of downdraft 3.5 to 4.5 km above ground. Aircraft measurements detected light rain with graupel aloft in microburst downdrafts. A two-dimensional cloud model simulation captured many of the observed features of the cloud line structure and wind fields. The formation of graupel/hail was important to the precipitation process in the model. The loading of rain and graupel and the cooling effect of rain evaporation and graupel melting were all important in microburst production - the graupel in the formative stages of the downdraft, and the rain in the further intensification of the downdraft and enhancement of the microburst outflow. -from Authors