Sy. Zhong et al., A CASE-STUDY OF THE GREAT-PLAINS LOW-LEVEL JET USING WIND PROFILER NETWORK DATA AND A HIGH-RESOLUTION MESOSCALE MODEL, Monthly weather review, 124(5), 1996, pp. 785-806
A detailed case study of one complete episode of a typical summertime
Great Plains low-level jet (LLJ) using data collected by the NOAA wind
profiler demonstration network is presented. The high temporal and sp
atial resolution of the data from the profiler network permits a much
more detailed picture of the Great Plains LLJ than is possible from pr
evious studies of this phenomenon. A three-dimensional mesoscale numer
ical model is also used to simulate the episode and to provide informa
tion on the physical mechanisms responsible for the initiation, evolut
ion, maintenance, and decay of the LLJ. The position and width of the
jet core, as well as the diurnal variation of wind speed and direction
inside the jet core are well predicted by the model. The analysis and
modeling suggest that the diurnal oscillation of horizontal pressure
gradient over sloping terrain is secondary to the inertial oscillation
mechanism resulting from the release of frictional constraint in the
evening and throughout the night in driving this example of the summer
time Great Plains LLJ. The meridional variation of the Coriolis parame
ter as air moves northward appears to enhance the strength of the jet.
A larger amplitude of the diurnal oscillation of the jet speed is fou
nd to be associated with drier soil, while rising motion downstream of
the jet core is Stronger for wetter soil. This enhanced vertical moti
on appears to be associated with latent heat release due to precipitat
ion. A horizontal variation of soil moisture content also appears to b
e important in reproducing the observed convergence and precipitation
patterns in this case.