Abstract
The time-space evolution of an extratropical cyclonic precipitation field over U S A is simulated in a stochastic setting as outlined in Kavvas et al. (1988). The birth of a cyclonic storm is characterized by the simultaneous birth of a cyclone center and births of subsynoptic precipitation areas (SPA) at preferred locations around the cyclone center. The precipitation cores and cells which are used as the fundamental building blocks of the SPAs are approximated by circular precipitation areas (CPA) of different sizes. The time space evolution of the precipitation field after the birth is governed by (1) the movement of the synoptic cyclone described by the cyclone center trajectory, (2) independent nonidentically distributed random velocities of the individual CPAs relative to the cyclone center, (3) the births of new CPAs in time and space relative to the cyclone center, (4) the independent evolution in time of the individual spatially uniform intensities of the existing CPAs, (5) the expansion and shrinkage of the existing CPAs in the course of movement and (6) the dissipation (death) of a random number of existing CPAs within the cyclonic system. The computer simulation, the results of which are presented in this paper, successfully reproduced the general mesoscale and synoptic scale features of the radar detected cyclonic rain fields as observed by Austin and Houze (1972), Houze et al. (1976), Hobbs (1978), Hobbs and Locatelli (1978), Houze (1981), Houze and Hobbs (1982) and others.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Austin, P.M.; Houze, R.A. jr. 1972: Analysis of the structure of precipitation patterns in New England. J. Appl. Meteor. 11, 926–935
Battan, L.B. 1973: Radar observations of the atmosphere.: University of Chicago Press, Chicago, ILL.
Hobbs, P.M. 1978: Organization and structure of clouds and precipitation on the mesoscale and microscale in cyclonic storms. Rev. Geophys. and Space Phys. 16 (4), 741–755
Hobbs, P.V.; Locatelli, J.D. 1978: Rainbands, precipitation cores and generating cells in a cyclonic storm. J. Atmos. Sci. 35, 230–241
Houze, R.A. 1981: Structure of atmospheric precipitation systems: A Global Survey. Radio Sci. 16, 671–689
Houze, R.A.; Hobbs, P.V. 1982: Organization and structure of precipitating cloud systems. Adv. in Geophys. 24, 225–315
Houze, R.A.; Hobbs, P.V.; Biswas, K.R.; Davis, W.M. 1976: Mesoscale rainbands in extratropical cyclones. Mon. Weather Rev. 104, 868–878
Kavvas, M.L.; Puri, P.S. 1983: A stochastic model of the extratropical cyclonic precipitation field formed around a low pressure center. EOS 64(18), 221–315
Kavvas, M.L.; Herd, K.R. 1985: A radar-based stochastic model for short-time-increment rainfall. Water Resour. Res. 21(9), 1437–1455
Kavvas, M.L.; Puri, P.S.; Saquib, M.N. 1987: On a stochastic description of the time-space behavior of extratropical cyclonic precipitation fields. Stochastic Hydrol. and Hydraul 1, 37–52
Kavvas, M.L.; Puri, P.S.; Saquib, M.N. 1988: Analytical extensions on a stochastic description of cyclonic precipitation fields based on a model of cyclone low pressure center behavior (this issue).
Zawadski, I. 1973: Statistical properties of precipitation patterns. J. Appl. Meteor. 12, 459–472
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saquib, M.N., Kavvas, M.L. & Puri, P.S. Simulation of the time-space evolution of an extratropical cyclonic precipitation field over USA. Stochastic Hydrol Hydraul 2, 281–294 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544041
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01544041