Development of a Monsoon Depression and Its Interaction with the Large-Scale Background: A Case Study

Abstract

Structure and time evolution of the large-scale background and an embedded synoptic-scale monsoon depression and their interactions are studied. The depression formation is preceded by a cyclonic circulation around 400 hPa. The Fourier-based scale separation technique is used to isolate large (wavenumbers 0–8) and synoptic-scale (wavenumbers 12–60). The wavelength and depression center is determined objectively. The synoptic-scale depression has an average longitudinal wavelength of around 1900 km and a north–south size of 1100 km; it is most intense with a vorticity of 20.5 x 10-5 s-1 at 900 hPa. The strongest cold core of -3.0°C below 850 hPa and the above warm core of around 2.0°C are evident. The depression is tilted southwestward in the midtroposphere with no significant vertical tilt in the lower troposphere. The mean maximum intensity and upward motion over the life cycle of depression are in close agreement with the composite values. A strong cyclonic shear zone is developed in the midtroposphere preceding the depression. The necessary condition for barotropic (baroclinic) instability is satisfied in the midtroposphere (boundary layer). Strong northward transport of momentum by the depression against the southward shear is found. The strong growth of the MD in the lower troposphere is due to downward transfer of excess energy gained in the midtroposphere from the barotropic energy conversion and east–west direct thermal circulation as the vertical energy flux. The baroclinic interaction contributes to the maintenance of the cold core in the lower troposphere. The diabatic heating rate is computed and its role in the genesis and growth of MD is investigated.