CoastalWx Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I apologize for asking this question here, but maybe it provokes a few posts. I'm aware of the phenomenon of local convergence resulting in snow near SLC and other parts of the Rockes, where air "piles up" just west or upwind of mtn slopes, as moist air if forced up the side of a mtn in an otherwise stable environment. I know this pile up, or speed convergence of air has been known to produce precipitation. Do any of you know the name of this phenomenon? I was wondering if anybody knew of a few good papers on it. I remember this being discussed back in November or December. Sorry this East Coast flatlander was asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baroclinic_instability Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I apologize for asking this question here, but maybe it provokes a few posts. I'm aware of the phenomenon of local convergence resulting in snow near SLC and other parts of the Rockes, where air "piles up" just west or upwind of mtn slopes, as moist air if forced up the side of a mtn in an otherwise stable environment. I know this pile up, or speed convergence of air has been known to produce precipitation. Do any of you know the name of this phenomenon? I was wondering if anybody knew of a few good papers on it. I remember this being discussed back in November or December. Sorry this East Coast flatlander was asking. Mtn blocking and the froude number FTW! I wrote a topic on that very subject here. http://jasonahsenmac...ntain-blocking/ I also did some forecasting at Salt Lake City--so I am well versed on the phenomenon of mtn blocking SLC is hard to forecast for for that very reason--oh and the Salt Lake too makes it quite the challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendrite Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I think NWS BTV termed it "orographically blocked flow" in their Jan 2010 BTV snowstorm case study. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dendrite Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Mtn blocking and the froude number FTW! I wrote a topic on that very subject here. http://jasonahsenmac...ntain-blocking/ I also did some forecasting at Salt Lake City--so I am well versed on the phenomenon of mtn blocking SLC is hard to forecast for for that very reason--oh and the Salt Lake too makes it quite the challenge. Froude number...that's the term I couldn't remember.Anyways...here's the BTV case... http://www.erh.noaa.gov/btv/events/02Jan2010/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baroclinic_instability Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Froude number...that's the term I couldn't remember. Anyways...here's the BTV case... http://www.erh.noaa....ents/02Jan2010/ A nice writeup. Goes to show the challenge of mountain forecasting--a lot of experience is needed--and even then there simply will be a lot of busts. You have to have thick skin to forecast in the mountains because busts are inevitable at some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Mtn blocking and the froude number FTW! I wrote a topic on that very subject here. http://jasonahsenmac...ntain-blocking/ I also did some forecasting at Salt Lake City--so I am well versed on the phenomenon of mtn blocking SLC is hard to forecast for for that very reason--oh and the Salt Lake too makes it quite the challenge. HA! That's where I read it..lol. Ok, cool. I didn't know if it had a fancy term. I was looking at some stuff out west, and it triggered that memory for whatever reason. Thanks again to both you and Brian (Dendrite). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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