edu.ucar.opensky::articles:23446 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-25T15:07:26.111480 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7pr8073 Updraft and downdraft core size and intensity as revealed by radar wind profilers: MCS observations and idealized model comparisons 2020-06-16T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7pr8073 https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD031774 Wang, D. author Giangrande, S. E. author Feng, Z. author Hardin, J. C. author Prein, Andreas author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher This study explores the updraft and downdraft properties of mature stage mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in terms of draft core width, shape, intensity, and mass flux characteristics. The observations use extended radar wind profiler (RWP) and surveillance radar data sets from the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program for midlatitude (Oklahoma, USA) and tropical (Amazon, Brazil) sites. MCS drafts behave qualitatively similar to previous aircraft and RWP cloud summaries. The Oklahoma MCSs indicate larger and more intense convective updraft and downdraft cores, and greater mass flux than Amazon MCS counterparts. However, similar size-intensity relationships and draft vertical profile behaviors are observed for both regions. Additional similarities include weak positive correlations between core intensity and core width (correlation coefficient r similar to 0.5) and increases in draft intensity with altitude. A model-observational intercomparison for draft properties (core width, intensity, and mass flux) is also performed to illustrate the potential usefulness of statistical observed draft characterizations. Idealized simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting model aligned with midlatitude MCS conditions are performed at model grid spacings (Delta x) that range from 4 km to 250 m. It is shown that the simulations performed at Delta x = 250 m at similar mature MCS lifecycle stages are those that exhibit draft intensity, width, mass flux, and shape parameter performances best matching with observed properties. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright 2020 American Geophysical Union. None eng geoscientificInformation