Statistical, Synoptic, and Thermodynamic Analysis of Hailstorms in the Mexican Plateau

Abstract

This study shows a statistical, synoptic and thermodynamic analysis of hailstorms in the Mexican Altiplano (AL-ME), a region that concentrates a large number of events each year. For this purpose, the annual cycle of hailstorms was calculated and related to storm and rain events, and databases from the National Meteorological Service (SMN) of the meteorological observatories of Puebla, Tlaxcala, State of Mexico, Hidalgo and Mexico City, during the period 1981-2017, were used. In addition, three severe hail events were selected and analyzed through satellite images of the infrared (IR) channel, synoptic charts, proximity soundings and composite maps of meteorological variables made with ERA5 reanalysis data. The results show that hail events increase in April and decrease in November. The vertical profiles generated allowed identifying the thermodynamic characteristics of these phenomena, where values of Available Convective Potential Energy between 642 J/kg and 2166 J/kg, Convective Inhibition from 0 J/kg to -28 J/kg and a good performance of the Elevation Index, between -3 and -7, were observed for hail detection. Finally, synoptic patterns that favored the analyzed hailstorms were identified, such as high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico and a trough over the study region, which predominated during the three events.