Urban Aerosol Impacts on Downwind Convective Storms

• Published in: Journal of applied meteorology (1988) 2007-06, Vol.46 (6), p.828-850
• Main Authors: van den Heever, Susan C., Cotton, William R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosols; Cities; Clouds; Coastal zone; Convection; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Land use; Lightning; Meteorology; Meteors; Precipitation; Rain; Storms; Storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms; Urban areas; Vertical air currents; Weather forecasting; Wind
• ISSN: 1558-8424; 0894-8763; 1558-8432; 1520-0450
• DOI: 10.1175/jam2492.1

The impacts of urban-enhanced aerosol concentrations on convective storm development and precipitation over and downwind of St. Louis, Missouri, are investigated. This is achieved through the use of a cloud-resolving mesoscale model, in which sophisticated land use processes and aerosol microphysics are both incorporated. The results indicate that urban-forced convergence downwind of the city, rather than the presence of greater aerosol concentrations, determines whether storms actually develop in the downwind region. Once convection is initiated, urban-enhanced aerosols can exert a significant effect on the dynamics, microphysics, and precipitation produced by these storms. The model results indicate, however, that the response to urban-enhanced aerosol depends on the background concentrations of aerosols; a weaker response occurs with increasing background aerosol concentrations. The effects of aerosols influence the rate and amount of liquid water and ice produced within these storms, the accumulated surface precipitation, the strength and timing of the updrafts and downdrafts, the longevity of the updrafts, and the strength and influence of the cold pool. Complex, nonlinear relationships and feedbacks between the microphysics and storm dynamics exist, making it difficult to make definitive statements about the effects of urban-enhanced aerosols on downwind precipitation and convection. Because the impacts of urban aerosol on downwind storms decrease with increasing background aerosol concentrations, generalization of these results depends on the unique character of background aerosol for each urban area. For urban centers in coastal areas where background aerosol concentrations may be very low, it is speculated that urban aerosol can have very large influences on convective storm dynamics, microphysics, and precipitation.