Diagnostic Analyses of the Modified Convective Vorticity Vector in Non-uniformly Saturated Moist Flow

Abstract

AbstractBecause the real atmosphere is non-uniformly saturated, the generalized potential temperature is introduced. The convective vorticity vector, which can depict the occurrence and development of mesoscale deep convective systems, is modified and re-derived in a nonuniformly saturated moist atmosphere (C*). Then, a case study is performed for a frontal rainfall event which occurred near the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China. The diagnostic results of C* show that, in the lower troposphere, the vertical component of C* (C*z ) can diagnose developments and movements of precipitation and convection better than those of Cm (Cmz, in saturated moist flow) and C (Cz, in dry flow). C*z is a good predictor for precipitation analyses as well.