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Mesoscale surface-wind characteristics and potential gravity-wave formation during cross-Alpine airflow

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Summary

Mesoscale flow characteristics in the Alpine region are deduced from a set of daily large-scale analyses (1981–1990) by means of statistical-dynamical downscaling. This method utilizes the results of a large number of mesoscale numerical simulations in combination with known statistics of the forcing large-scale conditions. The investigation is restricted to cross-Alpine large-scale flow from 165 to 265 degrees at 500 hPa. Such types of flow are favourable to south foehn.

The results provide model-based climatological estimates of surface wind direction and upper-level gravity-wave formation at a horizontal resolution of 20 and 10 km. Simulated surface wind roses agree well with observations and show a dominance of low-level flow around the Alps with bimodal frequency distributions of wind direction north and south of the mountains. The areas where splitted flows preferably merge are identified. Gravity waves are most likely to occur above the western parts of the Alps. A secondary maximum of likelihood was found above Tyrol and Trentino. Surface wind roses and gravity-wave formation are both checked with respect to their sensitivity to season (spring vs. autumn) and large-scale flow direction (south to southwest vs. southwest to west).

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  1. D. Heimann

    Present address: Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR) Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, D- 82234, Weßling, Germany

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    Heimann, D. Mesoscale surface-wind characteristics and potential gravity-wave formation during cross-Alpine airflow. Meteorl. Atmos. Phys. 62, 49–70 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01037479

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