Mechanisms of Ageostrophic Wind Convergence in the Boundary Layer of
Coastal Warm-Sector Extreme Heavy Rainfall
Abstract
The South China coast has a high incidence of warm-sector heavy rainfall
(WSHR) events. The ageostrophic winds in the boundary layer in most of
these events associated with the southwesterly boundary layer jets
(BLJs) mainly exhibit strong convergence at rainfall area. In this
paper, we analyze two cases of WSHR in May 2013 and May 2015, which
occurred in similar synoptic environments but varied in intensity,
extent, and duration of rainfall, where the ageostrophic winds are the
confrontational confluence and asymptotic confluence pattern,
respectively. ERA-5 reanalysis data and the diagnostic equation of
ageostrophic wind are used to examine the factors affecting the
ageostrophic winds in the northern land region and the southern offshore
region of the rainfall. The results suggest that land-sea contrast leads
to the convergence of ageostrophic winds in the rainfall area. Boundary
layer friction dominates the northeasterly ageostrophic winds on land.
The diurnal variation of BLJs dominates the ageostrophic winds and their
diurnal variation at sea, contributing southwesterly or southeasterly
ageostrophic winds, so the phase difference between the land and sea
forms confrontational or asymptotic confluence, respectively. BLJs with
different intensities, extents, and diurnal variations can lead to
different ageostrophic wind patterns and their confluence modes. The
land-sea thermal contrast can directly affect ageostrophic winds, and it
can also affect the diurnal variation of BLJs, thus affecting the
ageostrophic winds and their confluence mode. It is further verified
that the BLJs and thermal forcing are important in warm-sector heavy
rainfall processes in South China.