During the SABLES2006 (Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment in Spain 2006) field campaign, a gravity-wave episode was observed on the night of July 11 by the microbarometers deployed at the surface and on the 100-m tower. The high-amplitude, low-frequency periodic pressure fluctuations were very well correlated with the wind speed and direction. Data from neighbouring automatic stations showed that the gravity wave was not local, but long-lived and mesoscale. The propagation of the wave over the experimental site had significant effects on the structure of the weakly-stratified nocturnal boundary layer that developed that night: the stability increased, turbulent vertical motions were suppressed, the nocturnal low-level jet was disrupted, and periodic temperature fluctuations of amplitude up to 3-4 K were observed. In this work we analyse the different available data sources (tower data, RASS-SODAR, microbarometric, satellite imagery, automatic stations) to describe the phenomena in depth and to find a suitable explanation for the generation and propagation of the wave. The linear wave theory explains remarkably well most of the observations, and the wave parameters could be estimated by applying a wavelet-based technique to surface microbarometric measurements. We also analyse the vertical structure of the wave and find wave ducting conditions above the surface. Finally, by means of the multi-resolution flux decomposition, we analyse in detail the changes in vertical turbulent fluxes and the spectra of turbulent motions produced by the interaction between the gravity wave and the local flow.

Abstract. Data from SABLES98 experimental campaign have been used in order to study the influence of stability (from weak to strong stratification) on the flux-profile relationships for momentum, φ m , and heat, φ h . Measurements from 14 thermocouples and 3 sonic anemometers at three levels (5.8, 13.5 and 32 m) for the period from 10 to 28 September 1998 were analysed using the framework of the local-scaling approach (Nieuwstadt, 1984a;1984b), which can be interpreted as an extension of the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (Obukhov, 1946). The results show increasing values of φ m and φ h with increasing stability parameter ζ =z/ , up to a value of ζ ≈1-2, above which the values remain constant. As a consequence of this levelling off in φ m and φ h for strong stability, the turbulent mixing is underestimated when linear similarity functions (Businger et al., 1971) are used to calculate surface fluxes of momentum and heat. On the other hand when φ m and φ h are related to the gradient Richardson number, R i , a different behaviour is found, which could indicate that the transfer of momentum is greater than that of heat for high R i . The range of validity of these linear functions is discussed in terms of the physical aspects of turbulent intermittent mixing.

A six‐year climatology of radiation fog has been compiled at two sites: the Research Centre for the Lower Atmosphere (CIBA, Spain) and the Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR, The Netherlands). These sites are contrasted in terms of geographical situation, climate zone, altitude, humidity and soil water availability. Therefore, several climatological differences in fog abundance, onset, dissipation and duration have been quantified between the two sites. The more humid site (CESAR) is characterised by relatively short radiation fog events distributed throughout the year. However, radiation fog at the drier site (CIBA) is more persistent and appears during late autumn/winter months. In general, its formation requires more time after sunset (∼2 h more), since further cooling is required to reach saturation. The forecast of these fog events has been evaluated through two different approaches. First, we extend the statistical method presented by Menut et al. (2014) (M14). This method uses statistics to define threshold values on key variables for fog formation (pre‐fog) and verifies its predictability using observations and numerical model output. We present some of the most appropriate threshold values for the forecasting of pre‐fog periods at both sites, which differ from those presented in M14 and depend on the optimisation of the hit rate or the false‐alarm rate. Additionally, we also extend M14 by suggesting other variables as potential predictors for fog formation (friction velocity and visibility tendency). Finally, we focus on fog simulation by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in terms of liquid water content. The WRF model was able to simulate radiation fog when configured with sophisticated physical options and high resolution. However it failed in simulating the onset, dissipation and the vertical extent of fog (which was overestimated). The model results were extremely sensitive to the spin‐up time.

No abstract

No abstract