Storm Forecast
Valid: Mon 24 Sep 2012 06:00 to Tue 25 Sep 2012 06:00 UTC
Issued: Sun 23 Sep 2012 22:13
Forecaster: TUSCHY
A level 2 was issued for S/SE France and N-Italy
mainly for excessive rainfall, large to very large hail, severe wind
gusts and an isolated tornado event.
A level 1 was issued for parts of Benelux and Germany mainly for strong to severe wind gusts and an isolated tornado event.
A level 1 was issued for far SE Germany and parts of N-Austria mainly for large hail and strong to severe wind gusts.
A
level 1 was issued for parts of the E-Adriatic Sea mainly for large
hail, heavy rain, strong to severe wind gusts and an isolated tornado
risk.
SYNOPSIS
The predominant vortex over N-Europe shifts
eastward, stepping aside for another cyclonic vortex, which approaches
from the N-Atlantic. A strengthening depression from the Bay of Biscay
gets incorporated into the circulation of the second vortex and the net
result will be a major cyclonic vortex, centered over UK, which becomes
the steering mechanism for quite some time. Over the Mediterranean,
geopotential heights start to decrease with weak ridging present over
the far E-Mediterranean.
Side-note:
Multiple structural
changes occurred and will occur with the consolidating depression, which
moves off the Bay of Biscay to the north/northeast. After initiated by a
southbound moving upper low with a distinct tropopause fold during the
overnight hours of the 21st to the 22nd, roughly 36h of a slightly less
barocline atmosphere allowed for some low-end core modification,
although negligible (and still classified as a true cold core low). As
of writing (23rd), a plume of slightly modified tropical air (modified
due to onshore trajectories into the depression's center), encircled
most of the center and assisted in disorganized but slightly deeper
convection with no distinct banding present. However this pushed the
depression near the shallow warm core structure on available phase
diagrams. During the afternoon hours of the 23rd however, an approaching
frontal boundary from the NW marked the beginning of another round of
enhanced baroclinity with models showing the evolution of a distinct
tropopause fold over Ireland and UK during the forecast period, bending
into the system. This increase of baroclinity results in a rapid
deepening phase, which starts around the beginning of my forecast period
and offers a central pressure drop of at least 10 K in probably less
than 24 h while crossing UK from the SW with a strong turn to the NW
during the night.
This results in a quite complex frontal and
thermal structure of that low, as the majority of the models now propose
some type of thermodynamic core modification. Current thinking is that a
moderate warm-core seclusion takes place during the forecast although
described history of that depression may offer a better defined LL warm
core structure compared to truley extratropical cases. Latest ASCAT
scans reveal a quite symmetric near surface wind field with
uncontaminated 30-40 kt winds along the W/S and SE-ern fringes (much
less defined along the NE quadrant) and this well defined wind field in
the lower troposphere remains intact during much of the forecast period.
To
complicate that scenario once more, ongoing baroclinic transformation
will result in more typical vertical wind field distribution of the
extra tropics along the southern fringe, as a strong mid/high-level jet
moves in from the west and crosses N-France and Benelux during the
night. Along the northern fringe of the depression however (e.g. N-UK
and Scotland), no modification is expected until 06Z due to the dominant
and still westward pointing wrap-around occlusion, which keeps the
shallow warm core intact.
DISCUSSION
... Far E-France, parts of Germany and parts of Benelux ...
At
06Z, a strongly tilted warm front will be situated over the Netherlands
and N-Germany with a slow down of its northward shift forecast (in
response to the rapidly deepening low over the UK). A surface cold front
is about to exit E-France with a rapid NE-ward motion, so a constantly
narrowing warm sector over Germany will be the result with some type of
triple point evolving over NW Germany during the night, as the occlusion
process builds east.
At mid/upper levels, a NE ward swinging
trough affects the area of interest. This trough weakens significantly
during its shift to the NE with strong mid-level NVA forecast atop the
NE-ward surging cold front. Strong frontal circulation of the cold front
however may offset some of those more negative effects in addition to
other models, showing the upper trough slightly stonger with better
cyclonic curvature. CI should occur, given weakly capped warm sector and
healthy looking cold front. Scattered DMC activity is forecast.
From
the thermodynamic perspective, the (sub)tropical background of that air
mass features weak mid-level lapse rates for all areas beside those
along and just north of the Alps (where Alpine EML fans out to the NE,
affecting SE Germany and parts of Austria during the forecast). Forecast
soundings confirm MIMIC-TPW output with 30 to roughly 40 mm TPW present
behind the warm front, as deep plume of moisture spreads NE-wards. Of
concern is the cloudy warm sector, which keeps diabatic heating limited,
although not much extra heating is needed for some CAPE build-up, given
surface and 925 hPa dewpoints in the mid tens (with a few stations
upstream (NE France) even reporting surface dewpoints in the upper
tens). Models like WRF show some break up of the thick cloud shield, so
even some diabatic heating is forecast and therefore, we agree in the
quite robust CAPE forecast of 500 to locally 800 J/kg MLCAPE (EZ on the
lower-end side). CAPE might be the most robust over far NW Germany and
Benelux with a second maximum over far SW/SE Germany and N-Austria.
In-between (e.g. W-C Germany), somewhat worse moisture/stronger BL
mixing result in substantially lower CAPE. Finally, LL CAPE might be
enhanced as seen in some forecast soundings.
Kinematics are good,
especially at lower levels. With the eastward punching mid-high level
jet from N-France probably arriving too late, DLS remains modest with 15
to locally 20 m/s, nevertheless enough for organized convection.
Similar shear magnitude however is also forecast in the lower
troposphere (3km and 1km bulk shear). Not only the speed shear, but also
SRH is enhanced with peaks in excess of 200 m^2/s^2 in the lowest km
(e.g. ahead/along of the cold front).
Numerous rounds of CI are forecast:
a)
Sporadic warm front activity over NW-Germany (ongoing from the
overnight hours). Forecast soundings show some MUCAPE with veered
profiles, but nothing severe is forecast. This was the main reason for
expanding the low prob. lightning area far to the NE over NE Germany.
The risk wanes until noon.
b) Warm sector convection. Coverage of
convection is uncertain and depends on isolated better diabatic heating
and forcing. Current thinking is that the Netherlands/NW Germany may
see isolated activity during the morning hours onwards. However it will
take some time before thunderstorms become surface based (probably until
noon), so again no severe risk is forecast with that activity (at least
until noon).
c) The main risk seems to evolve along the cold
front and potential prefrontal convergence zone, which crosses the
highlighted area during the daytime hours from SW to NE. Generally, the
Netherlands/NW Germany (arrivial during peak heating) and SW Germany
(better BL moisture) may see the highest probabilities for thunderstorms
with less activity in-between. With worsening background forcing, a
broken line of showers and thunderstorms is forecast, probably more
solid over NW-Germany. Severe wind gusts will be the primary risk (with
25 m/s in 850 hPa) , but would not be surprised to see an isolated
tornado report. The overall tornado risk might be steered by mesoscale
processes/boundaries and locally better heating and therefore the
overall risk is hard to pinpoint that far out. Over W-C Germany the
severe risk might be low due to weak CAPE, but model forecasts diverge
too much to split the level 1 into two distinct areas. Also, not much
downward transport needed to mix 20-25 m/s winds down to the surface in
showers/thunderstorms. The severe risk rapidly diminishes after sunset.
... SE Germany and N-Austria ...
The
set-up seems quite favorable for an organized prefrontal wind shift
zone, which races eastwards during the late afternoon and evening hours,
affecting SE Germany and N-Austria. Given steeper lapse rates aloft and
improving BL moisture result in roughly 800 J/kg MLCAPE. The
consolidating convergence zone over S-Germany may spark isolated
thunderstorms, also moving off the N-Alps to the NE. Northward expanding
cirrus shield of an Italian cluster may keep instability limited over
the area, which was excluded from the level 1. A few well organized
multicells/isolated supercells with strong to severe wind gusts, large
hail and heavy rain evolve further east over far SE Germany. Betimes,
storms line up while entering N-Austria and the W-Czech Republic with a
temporarily enhanced more concentrated severe wind gust risk over N
Austria. Rapidly diminishing CAPE should lower the severe risk over the
Czech Republic. The highest severe risk probably exists south and east
of Munich (Germany) and west of Linz (Austria).
... SE France, parts of Switzerland, N-Italy and far S-Austria ...
An
active severe weather day is in store for the area of interest. Falling
pressure south of the Alps slows the eastward moving cold front down,
while entering NW-Italy. This front may stall for some time, before
moving leisurely to the east during the rest of the forecast. A
vorticity lobe at mid-levels crosses the area from west to east and
moves in an unstable and strongly sheared air mass south of the Alps.
500-1000 J/kg MLCAPE, 20-25 m/s DLS and 15 m/s 0-3 km shear create a
favorable set-up for well organized multicells/supercells.
Current
thinking is that an ongoing cluster of showers/thunderstorms approaches
from S France (probably featuring a V-shaped MCS), which enters NW
Italy until noon. The main risk with that activity will be excessive
rain due to slow moving storms and abundant influx of moist
Mediterranean air from the south. The tail-end of the MCS (e.g. along
the coast of S/SE France) may be accompanied by isolated supercells with
large hail and an isolated tornado risk, which was the reason for
upgrading that part.
Thereafter, storms rapidly spread or evolve
east over N Italy with well organized multicells/isolated supercells
forecast. All kind of severe is forecast with strongest storms,
including large to very large hail, strong to severe wind gusts,
excessive rainfall amounts and an isolated tornado risk. The rainfall
risk may be maximized over far NE Italy/far W-Slovenia.
Thunderstorms
continue well into the night while spreading SE-wards along the E-coast
of the Adriatic Sea. We also added a broad low prob. lightning area
over parts of the N-Balkan States, as plume of better MUCAPE advects
east.
... N-UK and Scotland ...
Westward wrapping
occlusion shifts only slowly to the north during the forecast period.
Prolonged period of lift/forcing/influx of very moist air and slow storm
motion indicate a high probability for heavy rain. Some MUCAPE is
forecast, so we do not want to exclude a sporadic thunderstorm event
(not reflected on our outlook map).
Beside the rain risk, a
gradually intensifying easterly LLJ with 850 hPa winds up to 30 m/s
results in severe wind gusts over Scotland (especially at more exposed
areas). This risk is not included due to non-existent DMC activity.
During
the overnight hours, thunderstorm probabilities increase over the
English Channel,the S-North Sea and the N-Bay of Biscay as cold air at
mid-levels spreads to the south and east.
Opozorilo (meteoalarm)
velja od 24.09.2012 01:00 CET Do 24.09.2012
23:59 CET
Veter Stopnja ogroženosti: Rumena
en: Slovenia / North-East : en: maximum wind speed : from 50
to 70 km/h. en: sl: Slovenija / severovzhod : sl: maksimalna hitrost vetra : od
50 do 70 km/h. sl:
velja od 24.09.2012 16:00 CET Do 24.09.2012
23:00 CET
Nevihte Stopnja ogroženosti: Rumena
en: Slovenia / North-East : en: Thunderstorms are possible,
accompanied by local intense precipitation and gusty winds. sl: Slovenija /
severovzhod : sl: Možne so krajevne nevihte z lokalnimi nalivi in močnejšimi
sunki vetra.
Opis situacije
Zvečer so se iz jugozahoda približevala nevihtna linija. Zato sem se
odpravil na prvi nočni čejs.Sprva sem mislil nevihtno linijo počakat pri
Termah Ptuj,vendar sem si zadnji čas premislil in sem se zapeljal na
majhen hribček(panorama)Vičava,ki leži zraven bivše vojašnice.Razgled na
prihod nevihte je bil odličen .Ob okoli 21:15 se je začelo bliskat v smeri Celja,nevihtna linija je
hitro potovala.Tako je ob okoli 21:30 že začelo kapljat,glavnina nas je
zajela ob 21:42.Odboji nevihte so bile med 45-50dbz. Ker je bil prehod
hiter nisem mogel narest več posnetkov,zato sem še doma iz balkona nekaj
poslikal.V nevihti je padlo 4,8mm dežja ,max. inteziteta je bila
55,6mm/hr ob 22:12.Veter je dosegal na vremenski postaji okoli 35km/h
,na bližni Arso postaji,ki je bolj na odprtem pa kar 69km/h.Nevihta je
ponehala ob okoli 23:15. Med 00:00-1:30 še malo deževalo padlo je še
dodatnih 2,0mm dežja ,skupaj tako torej 6,8mm.
Moja prva CG-jevka
Slike posnete doma iz balkona