# Presentation: 251696

## Application of MIPS to Severe Winter Storms

- Marcia R. Estrem
- Kevin R. Knupp (UAH)
- Robert M. Rauber
- Brian F. Jewett
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

## Outline

- Motivation
- MIPS:
- Mobile Integrated
-     Profiling System
- Case Study
- Application to Upcoming Winter

## Motivation

- Understand evolution of frontal structures
- Large ice/snow storm in Jan 2002 over Midwest
- Freezing rain  sleet  snow in north-central KS
- Mobile profiling instruments would be useful to analyze complete detail

## Motivation

- Most studies using profiling instruments have been conducted during warm-season events

## What is MIPS? Mobile Integrated Profiling System

- MIPS

- Surface station & satellite on top of van, computers inside, instruments on trailer powered by generator

## What is MIPS? Mobile Integrated Profiling System

- Measures vertical profile of wind speed and direction

- 915 MHz 5-beam  Doppler Profiler

## What is MIPS? Mobile Integrated Profiling System

- Retrieves vertical wind speed and direction, as well as Tv in RASS mode

- Doppler Sodar

## What is MIPS? Mobile Integrated Profiling System

- 12-Ch Microwave Profiling Radiometer

- Measures profiles of temperature, water vapor, and liquid water

## What is MIPS? Mobile Integrated Profiling System

- CT-25K Ceilometer

- Indicates Cloud Height

## What is MIPS? Mobile Integrated Profiling System

- Elec. Field Mill

- Measures electric field in storms

## MIPS

- Mobility to place in desirable location for data
- Unique combination of instruments with high temporal & vertical resolution not available in operational setting
- Can examine fine-scale structure of frontal zones associated with freezing rain, snow, blizzards, etc.
- Useful in validating numerical model forecasts on small spatial and temporal scales

## Cool-Season Study of Rain/Snow Event 6-7 Feb 2003

- Radiometer in Huntsville, AL
- Elevation 672 ft

- MIPS in NW Georgia
- Elevation 2000 ft

- 80 km

## L

- 300 mb

- Sfc

- RH

- 850 mb

- 12 Z 6 Feb

**Moist**

- H

- H

## Mean Sea Level Pressure (mb), Surface Frontal Location, and GOES-8 Visible Satellite at 1800 UTC 6 Feb 2003 

- Mean Sea Level Pressure (mb), Surface Frontal Location, and GOES-8 Visible Satellite at 1800 UTC 6 Feb 2003

- Arctic front returning northward as warm front, associated with low pressure system near Louisiana

**Developing low pressure system**

**Return flow around high**

**Moist**

## Radar Composite at 1800 UTC 6 Feb 2003

- Precipitation began in western TX around         1800 UTC 5 Feb and slowly tracked eastward

- Huntsville area: 0.5 - 0.6 in. precipitation

## MIPS Time-Height Cross-Sections on      6 Feb 2003

- Steady decrease in cloud height between 00 Z and 12 Z

- Fall velocity can indicate precipitation type

- Onset of precipitation

- Higher spectral width 1 km above cloud base

## MIPS in NW Georgia

- Cloud Base

- 2/6/2003 Profiler Winds

- Winds change speed and direction with height at decreasing altitudes over time (shear zone associated with front)

## High Spectral Width Corresponds With Shear Zone Associated With Front

- Location of Wind Shift

## Radiometer in Huntsville, AL on 6 Feb 2003

- Yellow indicates freezing level (0°C) AGL

- Anomalous temperature rise & RH discontinuity because retrieval scheme does not include effects of scattering by rain

- Moist Air

- Variations in intensity of precipitation

## Application to Upcoming Winter

- Illustrates potential usefulness of MIPS in analyzing and understanding fine-scale features of fronts and other atmospheric boundaries in winter storms
- Plan to deploy MIPS in Midwest during several storms this winter (Dec 1 – Feb 28)
- Transition of rain  freezing rain  snow
- Frontal structures within storm

## Locating Sites

- No more than 8-hour drive for MIPS from Huntsville, AL
- Away from Appalachians
- Within 40 km of WSR-88D Radar
- In precipitation mode for highest resolution
- Provides an additional data set
- Near airport
- Less ground clutter
- Parking lot that is plowed regularly

## Radar Locations

- Paducah, KY (PAH)
- Memphis, TN (NQA)
- Columbus, MS (GWX)
- Hytop, AL (HTX)
- Nashville, TN (OHX)
- Hopkinsville, KY (HPX)
- Louisville, KY (LVX)
- Evansville, IN (EVV)

## Airports

- Charles W. Baker Airport, Millington, TN

- General DeWitt Spain Airport, Memphis, TN

## Slide 24

## Deployment

- Notify MIPS one week in advance of possible event, notify SOO, Airport
- Decision must be made in time for:
- Deployment before precipitation arrives at location
- Set-up time for MIPS (~1 hour), must be during daylight
- 8 hour or less MIPS travel time
- Necessary travel time for UIUC

## Any Questions?