Observed influence of riming, temperature, and turbulence on the fallspeed of solid precipitation

Update Item Information
Publication Type pre-print
School or College College of Mines & Earth Sciences
Department Meteorology
Creator Garrett, Timothy J.
Other Author Yuter, Sandra E.
Title Observed influence of riming, temperature, and turbulence on the fallspeed of solid precipitation
Date 2014-01-01
Description Forecasts of the amount and geographic distribution of snow are highly sensitive to a model's parameterization of hydrometeor fallspeed. Riming is generally thought to lead to particles with a higher mass and terminal velocity. Yet models commonly assume that heavily rimed particles such as graupel have a fixed density and that their settling speed is unaffected by turbulence in storms. Here we show automated measurements of photographed hydrometeor shape and fallspeed using a new instrument placed in Utah's Wasatch Mountain Range. The data show that graupel in low-turbulence conditions has a size-dependent fallspeed distribution with a mode near 1 m s−1, a result that is generally consistent with prior observations. However, the distributions are broadened by turbulence and there is a correspondence between particle density and air temperature. In high turbulence and at low temperatures, any sensitivity of fallspeed to particle size disappears.
Type Text
Publisher American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Volume 41
Issue 18
First Page 6515
Last Page 6522
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation Garrett, T. J., & Yuter, S. E. (2014). Observed influence of riming, temperature, and turbulence on the fallspeed of solid precipitation. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(18), 6515-22.
Rights Management Garrett, T. J., & Yuter, S. E., Observed influence of riming, temperature, and turbulence on the fallspeed of solid precipitation, Geophysical Research Letters, 41(18), 6515-22. Copyright 2014 American Geophysical Union. Reproduced/modified by permission of American Geophysical Union.
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 498,303 bytes
Identifier uspace,19094
ARK ark:/87278/s60s2zmv
Setname ir_uspace
ID 713044
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s60s2zmv
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