Convection Initiation Associated with a Sea-Breeze Front, a Gust Front, and Their Collision

Abstract

Abstract The initiation of convection associated with a sea-breeze front, a gust front, and their collision is analyzed using data collected in east-central Florida during the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification project. In conjunction with satellite, surface, and rawinsonde information, dual-Doppler radar-derived winds are used to determine the three-dimensional kinematic factors critical to storm development. The gust front, which emanated from storms on the western half of the peninsula, propagated more rapidly and was deeper than the sea-breeze front, which originated from the east coast and was characterized by a distinctly scalloped appearance. Convection associated with the sea-breeze front appeared to develop preferentially at the vertices of this scalloped pattern where there were enhanced regions of convergence and upward motion. On the gust front, a Helmholtz shearing instability produced an organized configuration of convergence and updraft maxima along its length. However, these were...