Castillo et al. (2025) Evaluation of Monin‐Obukhov Similarity Theory Wind Profiles in Convective Storm Environments and Cold Pools at the ARM Southern Great Plains Atmospheric Observatory

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-09-18
• Authors: J. Alvarez Castillo, Ian N. Williams
• DOI: 10.1029/2025jd043659

Research Groups

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program

Short Summary

This study evaluates the performance of Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) in fair-weather and convective storm environments using observational data, finding that MOST accurately predicts wind profiles in fair weather but systematically overestimates wind shear in cold pools following convective storms.

Objective

• To understand the nature of prediction errors in Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) in and around convective storms by evaluating MOST wind profiles against observations in fair-weather and convective storm environments.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Point observations at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains Atmospheric Observatory, evaluating phenomena at the mesoscale (convective storms, mesoscale convective systems, ordinary thunderstorms, cold pools).
• Temporal Scale: Event-based (fair-weather and convective storm periods) and instantaneous profile evaluation.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST)
• Data sources: Wind and eddy covariance flux measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains Atmospheric Observatory.

Main Results

• MOST wind profiles showed good agreement with observations in fair-weather conditions.
• In convective storm environments, MOST systematically overestimated wind shear in cold pools after gust front passage.
• Surface layer stability was identified as an important factor in assessing MOST performance within convective storm environments.
• The overestimation of wind shear in cold pools suggests the significant role of non-local fluxes in downward momentum transfer.

Contributions

• Provides an observational evaluation of MOST performance specifically within convective storm environments, including mesoscale convective systems and ordinary thunderstorms.
• Identifies a systematic error in MOST (overestimation of wind shear) in cold pools, a critical region for numerical weather prediction.
• Highlights the importance of surface layer stability in assessing MOST in dynamic convective conditions.
• Suggests the influence of non-local fluxes in momentum transfer during these events.
• Offers recommendations for improving surface wind and flux predictions in convective storm simulations.

Funding

Not specified in the abstract.

Citation

@article{Castillo2025Evaluation,
  author = {Castillo, J. Alvarez and Williams, Ian N.},
  title = {Evaluation of Monin‐Obukhov Similarity Theory Wind Profiles in Convective Storm Environments and Cold Pools at the ARM Southern Great Plains Atmospheric Observatory},
  journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1029/2025jd043659},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025jd043659}
}