Abstract
Abstract. The main purpose of this study is to provide a simple statistical analysis of several stability indices and parameters for extreme and non-extreme thunderstorm events during the period 1997 to 2001 in Cyprus. For this study, radiosonde data from Athalassa station (35°1´ N, 33°4´ E) were analyzed during the aforementioned period. The stability indices and parameters set under study are the K index, the Total Totals (TT) index, the Convective Available Potential Energy related parameters such as Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), Downdraft CAPE (DCAPE) and the Convective Inhibition (CIN), the Vorticity Generator Parameter (VGP), the Bulk Richardson Number (BRN), the BRN Shear and the Storm Relative Helicity (SRH). An event is categorized as extreme, if primarily, CAPE was non zero and secondary, if values of both the K and the TotalTotals (TT) indices exceeded 26.9 and 50, respectively. The cases with positive CAPE but lower values of the other indices, were identified as non-extreme. By calculating the median, the lower and upper limits, as well as the lower and upper quartiles of the values of these indices, the main characteristics of their distribution were determined.
Highlights
Stability indices have been developed and used for both research and operational forecasting of severe weather and thunderstorms by quantifying the thermodynamic instability with the aid of radiosonde data
This paper is dealing with the statistical analysis of 9 parameters and/or indices in the area of Cyprus; the Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), Downdraft CAPE (DCAPE), Convective Inhibition (CIN), Bulk Richardson Number (BRN), Storm Relative Helicity (SRH), Vorticity Generator Parameter (VGP), BRNsh, TT and K index
The present analysis aims to determine the ranges of values of the aforementioned indices for the occurrence of extreme and non extreme weather events
Summary
Stability indices have been developed and used for both research and operational forecasting of severe weather and thunderstorms by quantifying the thermodynamic instability with the aid of radiosonde data. In forecasting the most severe convective storms, which tend to be those that are longlasting and rotating, parameters such as the Bulk Richardson Number (Weisman and Klemp, 1982), BRN shear (Rasmussen and Wilhelmson, 1983) and storm-relative helicity SRH (Davies-Jones, 1984) have been used. These parameters gained acceptance in practical applications through theoretical, numerical modeling and observational studies. The present analysis aims to determine the ranges of values of the aforementioned indices for the occurrence of extreme and non extreme weather events
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