Origin of the moisture feeding the Heavy Precipitating Systems over Southeastern France

Duffourg, Fanny; Ducrocq, Véronique

doi:10.5194/nhess-11-1163-2011

Cited by 96 publications

(119 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…As discussed in Duffourg and Ducrocq (2011) and Ducrocq et al (2014), the southeastern part of France has previously experienced heavy precipitation with devastating flash floods, floods and landslides. The PEACH observational setup in conjunction with the other HyMeX research and operational instrumentation aims at documenting the lightning activity existing, or not, in those heavy-precipitation systems.…”

Section: Scientific Objectives and Observational/ Modeling Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of the lightning and atmospheric electricity observations collected in southern France during the HYdrological cycle in Mediterranean EXperiment (HyMeX), Special Observation Period 1

et al. 2015

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Abstract. The PEACH project (Projet en Electricité Atmosphérique pour la Campagne HyMeX -the Atmospheric Electricity Project of the HyMeX Program) is the atmospheric electricity component of the Hydrology cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment (HyMeX) experiment and is dedicated to the observation of both lightning activity and electrical state of continental and maritime thunderstorms in the area of the Mediterranean Sea. During the HyMeX SOP1 (Special Observation Period) from 5 September to 6 November 2012, four European operational lightning locating systems (ATDnet, EUCLID, LINET, ZEUS) and the HyMeX lightning mapping array network (HyLMA) were used to locate and characterize the lightning activity over the northwestern Mediterranean at flash, storm and regional scales. Additional research instruments like slow antennas, video cameras, microbarometer and microphone arrays were also operated. All these observations in conjunction with operational/research ground-based and airborne radars, rain gauges and in situ microphysical records are aimed at characterizing and understanding electrically active and highly precipitating events over southeastern France that often lead to severe flash floods. Simulations performed with cloud resolving models like Meso-NH and Weather Research and Forecasting are used to interpret the results and to investigate further the links between dynamics, microphysics, electrification and lightning occurrence. Herein we present an overview of the PEACH project and its different instruments. Examples are discussed to illustrate the comprehensive and Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. E. Defer et al.: Atmospheric electricity observations during HyMeX SOP1unique lightning data set, from radio frequency to acoustics, collected during the SOP1 for lightning phenomenology understanding, instrumentation validation, storm characterization and modeling.

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Section: Scientific Objectives and Observational/ Modeling Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview of the lightning and atmospheric electricity observations collected in southern France during the HYdrological cycle in Mediterranean EXperiment (HyMeX), Special Observation Period 1

et al. 2015

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“…The Mediterranean Sea, still warm during autumn, is a major source of moistening and heating of the marine boundary layer through air-sea sensible and latent heat fluxes (Duffourg and Ducrocq, 2011). In addition, the southerly to easterly low-level sea winds that prevail during HPEs transport this moist and conditionally unstable air toward the coast (Ricard et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Idealized numerical simulations of quasi‐stationary convective systems over the Northwestern Mediterranean complex terrain

Bresson

Ducrocq

Nuissier

et al. 2012

Quart J Royal Meteoro Soc

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Northwestern Mediterranean coastal regions are frequently affected by torrential rainfall associated with quasi-stationary mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). The present work examines how the characteristics of a conditionally unstable flow impinging on the coastal complex terrain of the Northwestern Mediterranean can affect the location and intensity of quasi-stationary MCSs. The study is based on idealized simulations, but including the major ingredients of Northwestern Mediterranean heavy precipitation events: a moist conditionally unstable marine flow of about 100 km width facing the true terrain, composed of the Massif Central surrounded by the Alps and the Pyrenees.We find that MCSs are located upstream of the mountain range with a slow flow, whereas with a rapid flow the heaviest precipitation is over the Massif Central slopes. In a similar way, when the lateral environment is drier the heaviest precipitation is located upstream whereas a humid environment favours precipitation over the slopes. The dominant lifting mechanism is strongly related to the location of the system: (1) direct orographic triggering for systems over mountain slopes and (2) cold-pool triggering for upstream systems. In addition, the neighbouring mountains interplay through deflection of the flow and induced low-level convergence favoured by slow or dry lateral environments and through cold-pool blocking within valleys. Copyright c 2012 Royal Meteorological SocietyKey Words: deep convection; heavy precipitation; mesoscale processes

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“…While they found contributions from the Mediterranean, north Africa and the Atlantic, a clear quantification of these contributions has not been possible in their study. Duffourg and Ducrocq (2011) used a high-resolution simulation with Eulerian on-line passive tracers to study moisture sources for heavy precipitation systems over southeast France. In their study, moisture from the Mediterranean is the main moisture source under anticyclonic conditions, while during cyclonic conditions also remote moisture from the Atlantic ocean contributes to the precipitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of North Atlantic evaporation hot spots on southern Alpine heavy precipitation events

Winschall

Sodemann

Wernli

2011

Quart J Royal Meteoro Soc

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Origin of the moisture feeding the Heavy Precipitating Systems over Southeastern France

Cited by 96 publications

References 32 publications

An overview of the lightning and atmospheric electricity observations collected in southern France during the HYdrological cycle in Mediterranean EXperiment (HyMeX), Special Observation Period 1

An overview of the lightning and atmospheric electricity observations collected in southern France during the HYdrological cycle in Mediterranean EXperiment (HyMeX), Special Observation Period 1

Idealized numerical simulations of quasi‐stationary convective systems over the Northwestern Mediterranean complex terrain

Impact of North Atlantic evaporation hot spots on southern Alpine heavy precipitation events

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