Adjustment of the summertime marine atmospheric boundary layer to the western Iberia coastal morphology

Abstract

AbstractDuring summer (June, July, and August), northerly winds driven by the Azores anticyclone are prevalent over western Iberia. The Quick Scatterometer Satellite 2000 to 2009 summertime estimates reveal a broad high wind speed (≥7 ms−1) area extending about 300 km from shore and along the entire Iberian west coast. Nested in this large high‐speed region, preferred maximum regions anchored in the Iberian major capes, Finisterre, Roca, and S. Vicente, are found. Composite analyses of wind maxima were performed to diagnose the typical summertime synoptic‐scale pressure distribution associated with these smaller size high‐speed regions. The flow low‐level structure was further studied with a mesoscale numerical prediction model for three northerly events characterized by typical summertime synoptic conditions. A low‐level coastal jet, setting the background conditions to the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) response to topography, was found in the three cases. The causes for wind maximum downwind capes were investigated, focusing on the hypothesis that western Iberia MABL responds to hydraulic forcing. For the three events supercritical and transcritical flow conditions were identified and expansion fan signatures were found downwind each cape. Aircraft measurements, performed during one of the events, gave additional evidence of the expansion fan leeward Cape Roca. The importance of other forcing mechanisms was also assessed by considering the hypothesis of downslope wind acceleration and found to be in direct conflict with soundings and surface observations.