Observations of nonclassical frontal propagation and frontally forced gravity waves adjacent to steep topography

Through the integrated analysis of remote sensing and in situ data taken al ong the Front Range of Colorado, this study describes the interactions that occurred between a leeside arctic front and topographically modulated flow s. These interactions resulted in nonclassical frontal behavior and structu re across northeastern Colorado. The shallow arctic front initially advance d southwestward toward the Front Range foothills, before retreating eastwar d. Then, a secondary surge of arctic air migrated westward into the foothil ls. During its initial southwestward advance, the front exhibited obstacle- like, density-current characteristics. Its initial advance was interrupted by strong downslope northwesterly flow associated with a high-amplitude mou ntain wave downstream of the Continental Divide, and by a temporal decrease in the density contrast across the front due to diurnal heating in the col d air and weak cold advection in the warm air. The direction and depth of f low within the arctic air also influenced the frontal propagation. The shallow, obstacle-like front actively generated both vertically propaga ting and vertically trapped gravity waves as it advanced into the downslope northwesterly flow, resulting in midtropospheric lenticular wave clouds al oft that tracked with the front. Because the front entered a region where s trong downslope winds and mountain waves extended downstream over the high plains, the wave field in northeastern Colorado included both frontally for ced and true mountain-forced gravity waves. A sequence of Scorer parameter profiles calculated from hourly observations reveals a sharp contrast betwe en the prefrontal and postfrontal wave environments. Consequently, analytic resonant wave mode calculations based on the Scorer parameter profiles rev eal that the waves supported in the postfrontal regime differed markedly fr om those supported in the prefrontal environment. This result is consistent with wind profiler observations that showed the amplitude of vertical moti ons decreasing substantially through 16 km above mean sea level (MSL) after the shallow frontal passage.