Questions on Severe Thunderstorms, Continued
1. Let us design a sounding that will favor the development of severe thunderstorms.
(a) Draw the temperature vs height from 0 to 2 km assuming dry adiabatic ascent is suppressed in this layer.
(b) Draw the dewpoint temperature vs height in this layer assuming cloudbase is at 2 km.
(c) Draw the temperature and dewpoint temperature vs height from 2 km to 5 km if only cloudy parcels can rise through this layer.
(d) Draw the height contours on the 500 mb surface above this region, assuming there is divergence at this level.
2. Explain how the conditions in problem (1) enhance formation of severe thunderstorms.
3. Suppose the horizontal wind is westerly and increasing with height. THere is a strong updraft that is maximum near point A. Explain how and why the air is rotating (a) a bit to the East of point A and (b) a bit to the West of point A.
4. Consider four clouds:
A has top at -40 C, base at -20 C, updraft 10 m/s.
B has top at 0 C, base at +20 C, updraft 10 m/s
C has top at -40 C, base at +20 C, updraft 10 m/s
D has top at -40 C, base at +20 C, updraft 20 m/s
Based on this information, which cloud do you expect to have more lightning and why?
5. Why is the lightning channel visible?