The objective use of upper air soundings to specify precipitation type.

Abstract

Linear screening regression is used to derive relationships between parameters computed from observed upper air soundings (RAOBs) and concurrent observations of precipitation type. Statistical screening results indicate that of the parameters tried the following are important: the mean temperature in the surface-1000 m and 500-2500 m layers; the depth of the warm layer (temperature more than 0oC); the area between the temperature profile and the 0oC isotherm in the warm layer; the depth of the surface-based cold layer; and the area between the wet-bulb temperature profile and the 0oC isotherm in the surface- based cold layer.- from Author