DOCSLIB.ORG

THE CLIMATOLOGY of the DELAWARE BAY/SEA BREEZE By

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
THE CLIMATOLOGY of the DELAWARE BAY/SEA BREEZE By THE CLIMATOLOGY OF THE DELAWARE BAY/SEA BREEZE by Christopher P. Hughes A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Marine Studies Summer 2011 Copyright 2011 Christopher P. Hughes All Rights Reserved THE CLIMATOLOGY OF THE DELAWARE BAY/SEA BREEZE by Christopher P. Hughes Approved: _____________________________________________________ Dana E. Veron, Ph.D. Professor in charge of thesis on behalf of the Advisory Committee Approved: _____________________________________________________ Charles E. Epifanio, Ph.D. Director of the School of Marine Science and Policy Approved: _____________________________________________________ Nancy M. Targett, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment Approved: _____________________________________________________ Charles G. Riordan, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dana Veron, Ph.D. for her guidance through the entire process from designing the proposal to helping me create this finished product. Daniel Leathers, Ph.D. for his continual assistance with data analysis and valued recommendations. My fellow graduate students who have supported and helped me with both my research and coursework. This thesis is dedicated to: My family for their unconditional love and support. My wonderful fiancée Christine Benton, the love of my life, who has always been there for me every step of the way. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Motivation ............................................................................................... 1 1.2 Sea Breeze Formation and Structure ....................................................... 3 1.3 Sea Breeze Observations......................................................................... 4 1.3.1 Radar Detection ....................................................................... 4 1.3.2 Satellite Data ............................................................................ 5 1.3.3 Meteorological Station Data .................................................... 6 1.4 Importance .............................................................................................. 7 1.4.1 Tourism .................................................................................... 7 1.4.2 Pollution ................................................................................... 8 1.4.3 Wind Power .............................................................................. 9 1.5 Literature Review.................................................................................. 10 1.5.1 Theoretical Sea Breeze Model ............................................... 10 1.5.2 New Jersey Sea Breeze .......................................................... 11 1.5.3 What Affects a Sea Breeze? ................................................... 12 1.5.4 Past Study of Delaware Winds ............................................... 14 2 DATA ACQUISITION ...................................................................................... 24 2.1 Observation Data .................................................................................. 24 2.2 Modeling Data ...................................................................................... 28 2.2.1 Introduction ............................................................................ 28 2.2.2 Data Forcing ........................................................................... 28 iv 2.2.3 Run Time Options / Schemes ................................................. 29 2.2.4 WRF Represented Coastline .................................................. 30 3 SOUTHER DELAWARE WIND CLIMATOLOGY ........................................ 34 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 34 3.2 Data Validity ......................................................................................... 34 3.3 Buoy #44009 ......................................................................................... 36 3.4 Wind Roses ........................................................................................... 37 3.5 WRF Wind Direction Comparison ........................................................ 41 3.6 WRF/OBS Time Series Analysis .......................................................... 44 3.7 Summary ............................................................................................... 45 4 DELAWARE BAY/SEA BREEZE ................................................................... 61 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 61 4.2 Sea Breeze Detection Program ............................................................. 68 4.3 WRF Sea Breeze Detection Program .................................................... 73 4.4 Observed Sea Breeze Results................................................................ 76 4.5 WRF Sea Breeze Results ...................................................................... 84 4.6 WRF/OBS Sea Breeze Case Study ....................................................... 87 4.6.1 Case 1: Strong West Synoptic Winds (7/3/2009) ................... 88 4.6.2 Case 2: Missed Synoptic Scenario (6/9/2009) ....................... 88 4.6.3 Case 3: Accurate Sea Breeze Representation (7/17/09) ......... 89 4.6.4 Case 4: WRF Coastal Ocean Sea Breeze (8/2/2009) ............. 90 4.6.5 Case 5: WRF Missing an Observed Sea Breeze (7/12/2009) ............................................................................. 91 4.6.6 Summary ................................................................................ 91 4.7 Sea Breeze Forecasting ......................................................................... 92 4.8 Return Flow Analysis ............................................................................ 94 5 SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 124 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................... 126 v LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Obs. station distance from water bodies ................................................ 33 Table 3.1: Obs. station wind direction by land type (2005-2009) .......................... 55 Table 3.2: Obs. station wind direction diurnal difference (2005-2009) .................. 56 Table 3.3: WRF wind direction by land type (2009) .............................................. 57 Table 3.4: WRF wind direction diurnal difference (2009) ...................................... 58 Table 3.5: WRF grid cell comparison by land type (2009) ..................................... 59 Table 3.6: Obs./WRF comparison statistics (2009) ................................................ 60 Table 4.1: Sea breeze classification scheme ......................................................... 119 Table 4.2: Obs. station sea breeze frequency (2005-2009) ................................... 120 Table 4.3: Arrival time of the classic sea breeze ................................................... 121 Table 4.4: Obs. station sea breeze correlation along the coast .............................. 122 Table 4.5: Obs. station sea breeze predictability based on conditions at 8 am (DBBB).................................................................. 123 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1: Meteorological stations of interest ....................................................... 16 Figure 1.2: Representation of a sea breeze circulation ........................................... 17 Figure 1.3: NEXRAD Radar detected sea breeze front over Delaware (KDOV) .. 18 Figure 1.4: NOAA satellite detected sea breeze front over Florida ........................ 19 Figure 1.5: NREL projection of Delaware's wind power resource ......................... 20 Figure 1.6: Offshore wind energy areas for possible development ........................ 21 Figure 1.7: GE Energy idealized power curve for a wind turbine .......................... 22 Figure 1.8: Geophysical variables that control a sea breeze ................................... 23 Figure 2.1: Domains used in WRF ......................................................................... 31 Figure 2.2: WRF Grid cell representation of obs. stations ..................................... 32 Figure 3.1: Annual obs. station wind roses (2005-2009) ........................................ 47 Figure 3.2: Temperature time series for buoy #44009 (1984-2009) ....................... 48 Figure 3.3: Buoy #44009 wind roses for 1984-2009 and 2005-2009 ..................... 49 Figure 3.4: Regional strength of dominant wind directions (2005-2009) .............. 50 Figure 3.5: Obs. /WRF wind rose comparison by season: DBNG (2009) .............. 51 Figure 3.6: Location of selected grid cell pairs in WRF ......................................... 52 Figure 3.7: Obs./WRF wind comparison at BRND1 (Jan./Jul. 2009) .................... 53 Figure 3.8: Obs./WRF temperature comparison
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sea Breeze: Structure, Forecasting, and Impacts
    SEA BREEZE: STRUCTURE, FORECASTING, AND IMPACTS S. T. K. Miller,1 B. D. Keim,2,3 R. W. Talbot,1 and H. Mao1 Climate Change Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA Received 15 January 2003; revised 9 June 2003; accepted 19 June 2003; published 16 September 2003. [1] The sea breeze system (SBS) occurs at coastal loca- mechanisms, structure and related phenomena, life cy- tions throughout the world and consists of many spatially cle, forecasting, and impacts on air quality. and temporally nested phenomena. Cool marine air INDEX TERMS: 3329 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Me- propagates inland when a cross-shore mesoscale (2–2000 soscale meteorology; 3307 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: km) pressure gradient is created by daytime differential Boundary layer processes; 3322 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dy- heating. The circulation is also characterized by rising namics: Land/atmosphere interactions; 3339 Meteorology and Atmo- currents at the sea breeze front and diffuse sinking spheric Dynamics: Ocean/atmosphere interactions (0312, 4504); 3399 currents well out to sea and is usually closed by seaward Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: General or miscellaneous; flow aloft. Coastal impacts include relief from oppressive KEYWORDS: sea breeze hot weather, development of thunderstorms, and Citation: Miller, S. T. K., B. D. Keim, R. W. Talbot, and H. Mao, Sea changes in air quality. This paper provides a review of breeze: Structure, forecasting, and impacts, Rev. Geophys., 41(3), 1011, SBS research extending back 2500 years but focuses doi:10.1029/2003RG000124, 2003. primarily on recent discoveries.
    [Show full text]
  • Replenishment Versus Retreat: the Cost of Maintaining Delaware's Beaches
    Ocean& Coastal Management ELSEVIER Ocean & Coastal Management 44 (2001) 87-104 www.elsevier.comllocalclocecoaman Replenishment versus retreat: the cost of maintaining Delaware's beaches Heather Daniel* Graduate Colle(Je' of Moril1e SIIlt/ies, University of Delaware, Ncwark, DE /9716. USA Abstract The dynamic nature of Delaware's Atlantic coastline coupled with high shoreline property values and a growing coastal tourism industry combine to create a natural resources management problem that is particularly difllcult to address. The problem of communities threatened with storm damage and loss of recreational beaches is seriolls. Local and slate oflkials are dealing with the connicts that arise from development occurring on coastal barriers. Delaware must decide which erosion control option is the most beneficial and economically sound choice. Dehates over beach management options began with the discussion of a long~term management strategy. Beach nourishment and retreat were the primary approaches discussed during the development of H comprehensive managcment plan, entitled Beaches 2000. This plan was developed to deal with beach erosion through the year 2000. Beaches 2000 recommends a series ofactions that incorporate a variety of issues related to the management and protection of Delaware's Atlantic coastline. The recommendations arc intended to guide state and local policy regarding the statc's benches. The goal of Beaches 2000 is to cnsure that this important natural resource and tourist attraction continues to he available to the citizens of Delaware and out-or-state beach visitors. Since the publication of this document, the state has managed Delaware's shorelines through nourishment activities. Nourishment projccts have successfully maintained beach widths·.
    [Show full text]
  • Delaware Bay Estuary Project Supporting the Conservation and Restoration Of
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Coastal Program Delaware Bay Estuary Project Supporting the conservation and restoration of the salt marshes of Delaware Bay People have altered the expansive salt marshes of Delaware Bay for centuries to farm salt hay, try to control mosquitoes, create channels for boats, to increase developable land, and other reasons all resulting in restricted tidal flow, disrupted sediment balances, or increasing erosion. Sea level rise and coastal storms threaten to further negatively impact the integrity of these salt marshes. As we alter or lose the marshes we lose the valuable habitats and ecological services they provide. tidal creek - Katherine Whittemore Addressing the all-important sediment balance of salt marshes is critical for preserving their resilience. A healthy resilient marsh may be able to keep pace with erosion and sea level rise through sediment accretion and growth Downe Twsp, NJ - Brian Marsh of vegetation. However, the delicate sediment balance of salt marshes is DBEP works to support efforts to learn more about the techniques often disrupted by barriers to tidal influence and altered drainage onto and to conserve and restore salt marshes and support the populations of fish and wildlife that rely on them. We support new and off the marsh resulting in sediment ongoing coastal resiliency initiatives and coastal planning as they starved systems, excessive mudflats, or pertain to habitat restoration and conservation. We are interested increased erosion. in finding effective tools and mechanisms for conserving and restoring salt marsh integrity on a meaningful scale and support efforts that bring partners together to approach this challenge.
    [Show full text]
  • Sea-Breeze-Initiated Rainfall Over the East Coast of India During the Indian Southwest Monsoon
    Nat Hazards DOI 10.1007/s11069-006-9081-2 ORIGINAL PAPER Sea-breeze-initiated rainfall over the east coast of India during the Indian southwest monsoon Matthew Simpson Æ Hari Warrior Æ Sethu Raman Æ P. A. Aswathanarayana Æ U. C. Mohanty Æ R. Suresh Received: 9 September 2005 / Accepted: 24 September 2006 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract Sea-breeze-initiated convection and precipitation have been investigated along the east coast of India during the Indian southwest monsoon season. Sea- breeze circulation was observed on approximately 70–80% of days during the summer months (June–August) along the Chennai coast. Average sea-breeze wind speeds are greater at rural locations than in the urban region of Chennai. Sea-breeze circulation was shown to be the dominant mechanism initiating rainfall during the Indian southwest monsoon season. Approximately 80% of the total rainfall observed during the southwest monsoon over Chennai is directly related to convection initiated by sea-breeze circulation. Keywords Sea breeze Æ Monsoon Æ Mesoscale circulation M. Simpson Æ S. Raman Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8208, USA H. Warrior Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India P. A. Aswathanarayana Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India U. C. Mohanty Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India R. Suresh India Meteorological Department, Chennai, India M. Simpson (&) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, L103, Livermore, CA 94551-0808, USA e-mail: [email protected] 123 Nat Hazards 1 Introduction Sea-breeze circulation occurs along coastal regions because of the contrast between surface temperatures over land and water.
    [Show full text]
  • FORECASTERS' FORUM Introducing Lightning Threat Messaging Using
    OCTOBER 2019 F O R E C A S T E R S ’ F O R U M 1587 FORECASTERS’ FORUM Introducing Lightning Threat Messaging Using the GOES-16 Day Cloud Phase Distinction RGB Composite CYNTHIA B. ELSENHEIMER NOAA/NWS Southern Region Headquarters, Fort Worth, Texas Downloaded from http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/WAF-D-19-0049.1 by NOAA Central Library user on 11 August 2020 a CHAD M. GRAVELLE Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma (Manuscript received 9 March 2019, in final form 1 July 2019) ABSTRACT In 2001, the National Weather Service (NWS) began a Lightning Safety Awareness Campaign to reduce lightning-related fatalities in the United States. Although fatalities have decreased 41% since the campaign began, lightning still poses a significant threat to public safety as the majority of victims have little or no warning of cloud-to-ground lightning. This suggests it would be valuable to message the threat of lightning before it occurs, especially to NWS core partners that have the responsibility to protect large numbers of people. During the summer of 2018, a subset of forecasters from the Jacksonville, Florida, NWS Weather Forecast Office investigated if messaging the threat of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning in developing convection was possible. Based on previous CG lightning forecasting research, forecasters incorporated new high-resolution Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16 Day Cloud Phase Distinction red–green–blue (RGB) composite imagery with Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor isothermal reflectivity and total lightning data to determine if there was enough confidence to message the threat of CG lightning before it occurred.
    [Show full text]
  • ESSENTIALS of METEOROLOGY (7Th Ed.) GLOSSARY
    ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY (7th ed.) GLOSSARY Chapter 1 Aerosols Tiny suspended solid particles (dust, smoke, etc.) or liquid droplets that enter the atmosphere from either natural or human (anthropogenic) sources, such as the burning of fossil fuels. Sulfur-containing fossil fuels, such as coal, produce sulfate aerosols. Air density The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it. Air density is usually expressed as g/cm3 or kg/m3. Also See Density. Air pressure The pressure exerted by the mass of air above a given point, usually expressed in millibars (mb), inches of (atmospheric mercury (Hg) or in hectopascals (hPa). pressure) Atmosphere The envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it by the planet's gravitational attraction. The earth's atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen. Carbon dioxide (CO2) A colorless, odorless gas whose concentration is about 0.039 percent (390 ppm) in a volume of air near sea level. It is a selective absorber of infrared radiation and, consequently, it is important in the earth's atmospheric greenhouse effect. Solid CO2 is called dry ice. Climate The accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events over a long period of time. Front The transition zone between two distinct air masses. Hurricane A tropical cyclone having winds in excess of 64 knots (74 mi/hr). Ionosphere An electrified region of the upper atmosphere where fairly large concentrations of ions and free electrons exist. Lapse rate The rate at which an atmospheric variable (usually temperature) decreases with height. (See Environmental lapse rate.) Mesosphere The atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere.
    [Show full text]
  • Draft FL Case Study Narrative for Stakeholders Review
    SEPTEMBER 2020 Project Hyperion - Narrative Case Study Report: South Florida Kripa Jagannathan ([email protected]) and Andrew Jones ([email protected]) Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Contributors ● Paul Ullrich, University of California, Davis (Project Team Leader) ● Bruce Riordan, Climate Readiness Institute (Engagement Facilitator) ● Abhishekh Srivastava & Richard Grotjahn, University of California, Davis ● Carolina Maran, South Florida Water Management District ● Colin Zarzycki, Pennsylvania State University ● Dana Veron and Sara Rauscher, University of Delaware ● Hui Wang, Tampa Bay Water ● Jayantha Obeysekera, Florida International University ● Jennifer Jurado, Broward County ● Kevin Reed, Stony Brook University ● Simon Wang & Binod Pokharel, Utah State University ● Smitha Buddhavarapu, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 1. Co-production in Hyperion ..................................................................................................... 4 2. Regional hydro-climatic context & challenges ....................................................................... 5 3. Climate information needs for water management ................................................................ 6 3.1. Overview ........................................................................................................................ 6 3.2. List of decision-relevant metrics and their importance ..................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ensemble-Based Data Assimilation and Targeted Observation of a Chemical Tracer in a Sea Breeze Model
    ARTICLE IN PRESS Atmospheric Environment 41 (2007) 3082–3094 www.elsevier.com/locate/atmosenv Ensemble-based data assimilation and targeted observation of a chemical tracer in a sea breeze model Amy L. Stuarta,Ã, Altug Aksoyb, Fuqing Zhangc, John W. Nielsen-Gammonc aDepartments of Environmental and Occupational Health and Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, MDC-56, Tampa, FL 33612-3805, USA bNational Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA cDepartment of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA Received 5 June 2006; received in revised form 25 September 2006; accepted 28 November 2006 Abstract We study the use of ensemble-based Kalman filtering of chemical observations for constraining forecast uncertainties and for selecting targeted observations. Using a coupled model of two-dimensional sea breeze dynamics and chemical tracer transport, we perform three numerical experiments. First, we investigate the chemical tracer forecast uncertainties associated with meteorological initial condition and forcing error. We find that the ensemble variance and error builds during the transition between land and sea breeze phases of the circulation. Second, we investigate the effects on the forecast variance and error of assimilating tracer concentration observations extracted from a truth simulation for a network of surface locations. We find that assimilation reduces the variance and error in both the observed variable (chemical tracer concentrations) and unobserved meteorological variables (vorticity and buoyancy). Finally, we investigate the potential value to the forecast of targeted observations. We calculate an observation impact factor that maximizes the total decrease in model uncertainty summed over all state variables.
    [Show full text]
  • Sea and Land Breezes METR 4433, Mesoscale Meteorology Spring 2006 (Some of the Material in This Section Came from ZMAG)
    1 Sea and Land Breezes METR 4433, Mesoscale Meteorology Spring 2006 (some of the material in this section came from ZMAG) Definitions: The sea breeze is a local, thermally direct circulation arising from differential heating between a body of water and the adjacent land. The circulation blows from the body of water (ocean, large lakes) toward land and is caused by hydrostatic pressure gradient forces related to the temperature contrast. Therefore, the sea breeze usually is present on relatively calm, sunny, summer days, and alternates with the oppositely directed, usually weaker, nighttime land breeze. As the sea breeze regime progresses, the wind develops a component parallel to the coast, owing to the Coriolis deflection. The leading edge of the sea breeze is called the sea breeze front. The basic structure of the sea breeze is shown below: Life Cycle. The sea breeze normally starts in the morning, a few hours after sunrise, when the solar radiation heats the boundary layer over land. A classical explanation for the development of a sea breeze is the "Upwards" Theory: The differential heating between land and sea leads to the development of a horizontal pressure gradient, which causes a flow from land towards sea. This flow is called a "return current", even though it may develop before the actual sea breeze. The mass divergence and resulting pressure fall over land and the convergence and pressure rise over the sea initiate the Sea-Breeze close to the surface The return current aloft carries the excess of air towards the sea. Cloud development frequently occurs in the ascending part of the circulation, while clouds tend to dissipate over the sea, where the air is sinking.
    [Show full text]
  • Camden, New Jersey
    COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING MARKET ANALYSIS Camden, New Jersey U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Policy Development and Research As of August 1, 2014 Bucks Mercer Montgomery Monmouth Pennsylvania Housing Market Area Chester New Jersey Ocean Delaware Philadelphia The Camden Housing Market Area (HMA) is coter­ minous with the Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division. Burlington Pennsylvania For purposes of this analysis, the three­county HMA Camden is divided into three submarkets: Burlington County; Delaware Gloucester Camden County, which includes the central city of New Castle Camden; and Gloucester County. The HMA includes Salem Atlantic portions of the Joint Base McGuire­Dix­Lakehurst (Joint Base), which contains facilities for the U.S. Great Bay Delaware Bay Cumberland Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy. Summary Economy annual rate of 0.6 percent during the for 4,075 new homes in the HMA next 3 years. Table DP­1 at the end (Table 1). The 410 units currently The economy of the Camden HMA, of this report provides employment under construction and a portion of which accounts for approximately data for the HMA. the 13,800 other vacant units in the 12 percent of all jobs in New Jersey, HMA that may reenter the market weakened after expanding during Sales Market will satisfy a portion of the forecast 2012. During the 12 months ending demand. July 2014, nonfarm payrolls declined The sales housing market in the HMA is slightly soft but improving, with an by 1,900 jobs, or 0.4 percent, to an Rental Market average of 505,800 jobs compared estimated vacancy rate of 1.4 percent, with an increase of 6,450 jobs, or down from 1.6 percent in 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of the Florida And
    DETECTION AND ANALYSIS OF SEA BREEZE AND SEA BREEZE ENHANCED RAINFALL: A STUDY OF THE FLORIDA AND DELMARVA PENINSULAS by Daniel P. Moore A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geography Summer 2019 © 2019 Daniel P. Moore All Rights Reserved DETECTION AND ANALYSIS OF SEA BREEZE AND SEA BREEZE ENHANCED RAINFALL: A STUDY OF THE FLORIDA AND DELMARVA PENINSULAS by Daniel P. Moore Approved: __________________________________________________________ Dana E. Veron, Ph.D. Professor in charge of thesis on behalf of the Advisory Committee Approved: __________________________________________________________ Delphis F. Levia, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Geography Approved: __________________________________________________________ Estella Atekwana, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Earth Ocean & Environment Approved: __________________________________________________________ Douglas J. Doren, Ph.D. Interim Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education and Dean of the Graduate College ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dana E. Veron, PhD for her constant support and encouragement. My thesis committee for sharing their wealth of knowledge and expertise. The Delaware Environmental Observing System, Florida Automated Weather Network, National Data Buoy Center, National Center for Environmental Prediction, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection all for providing data to make this thesis possible. The folks at Unidata, namely Sean Arms, PhD. and Ryan May, PhD., for maintaining (and upgrading) their servers to ensure I had consistent access to the radar data archive. The Department of Energy Grant DESC0016605 and the University of Delaware Department of Geography for funding my education.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 1. INTRODUCTION the Sea Breeze Is a Well Studied Yet Hard to Forecast
    1. INTRODUCTION The sea breeze is a well studied yet hard to forecast meteorological phenomena. It is defined as an onshore wind formed near the coast as a result of differential heating between the air over the land and air over the sea. It is generally accepted that on a sunny day the land absorbs short wave radiation and the temperature of the air above the land is forced to rise. The air temperature can vary by about 10oC between day and night. Whilst the sea surface also receives an input of heat it does not warm so quickly due to its lower thermal capacity, the temperature will not change more than 2oC between day and night (Arya, 1999). A horizontal pressure differential forms as lower pressure is found over the land where air is rising and as a result sea air flows from the higher pressure to the lower pressure replacing the rising land air as seen in Figure 1. Figure 1: Heating over the land causes an expansion of the column B forming lower pressure at the surface. Air travels from the higher pressure over the sea to the land and there is a return flow aloft. Taken from Simpson (1994) p8. 1 The air from the sea is found to be cooler and more humid than the land air it replaces. Therefore on a hot summer ’s day it is often found that the re is a cooling onshore breeze at the coastline which develops during the day. The leading edge of a sea breeze, where the moist sea air meets the less dense dri er land air, can form a sea breeze front (SBF).
    [Show full text]