Low-level meridional vorticity evolution

The evolution of the meridional vorticity (defined positive directed southward) is shown below. For the frontal case, the vorticity structure exists initially due to the frontal circulation. For the isolated convection, the vorticity develops in response to convective updrafts and downdrafts.

On this page, the meridional vorticity field is shown up to 2.5 km elevation for clarity. A similar page showing the structure up to 9 km appears here.

The view is towards the west-northwest.

Images from squall line simulations
Forcing Frontal Isolated
Perturb. Random+Bubble
Case n324 n322
20 minutes
50 minutes
80 minutes
110 minutes
140 minutes
170 minutes
200 minutes

Simulation data: Cloud | Theta | Cell | Meridional vorticity | Vertical vorticity | Movies.

Brian F. Jewett | bjewett@ncsa.uiuc.edu | homepage