Wind Profiler Observations of Tropical Storm Flo at Saipan

Abstract

Wind profiler and serial sounding observations extending to the upper troposphere are used to analyze Tropical Storm Flo (1990) as it passed within 115 km of the experimental site on Saipan. These data resolve details of the circulation and precipitation structure of the storm and its rainbands. Analysis of principal and secondary rainbands in outer radii indicate that there are considerable similarities with previous studies. Although the bands contained distinct precipitation maxima, there is no evidence of active convection and the mean structure is similar to that observed in the stratiform regions of squall lines. The vertical circulations in the rainbands are weak and complex, but distinct azimuthal wind maxima are observed that have maxima of relative vorticity and inertial stability on the inner edge. The divergence fields for the entire analysis period are strongly coherent and are indicative of vertically propagating gravity waves generated in the near inertially neutral outflow layer. The analysis thus demonstrates the usefulness of wind profilers for tropical cyclone observations.