FY 1988

Atmosphere-ocean interaction in mid-latitude storms

Fleagle, R.G., N.A. Bond, and W.A. Nuss

Meteorol. Atmos. Phys., 38(1–2), 50–63, doi: 10.1007/BF01029947 (1988)

Surface fluxes of heat, latent heat, and momentum, and entrainment fluxes and vertical motion at the top of the boundary layer have been calculated for limited regions of several mid-latitude ocean storms. Results have been combined to describe distributions of boundary layer processes which are characteristic of such storms. Surface heat fluxes have important effects in the region west of cold or occluded fronts and are relatively unimportant with a band of about 200 km width east of fronts. Entrainment in pre-frontal regions is driven largely by vertical shear at the top of the boundary layer, while in post-frontal regions it is driven largely by surface heat flux. Boundary layers are well defined in regions more than roughly 200 km east or west of fronts; but closer to fronts boundary layers are not well defined due to the combined effects of entrainment, condensation, and vertical motion associated with the distribution of surface stress.