Analysis of stability parameters in relation to precipitation associated with pre-monsoon thunderstorms over Kolkata, India

Abstract

The upper air RS/RW (Radio Sonde/Radio Wind) observations at Kolkata (22.65 N, 88.45 E) during premonsoon season March–May, 2005–2012 is used to compute some important dynamic/thermodynamic parameters and are analysed in relation to the precipitation associated with the thunderstorms over Kolkata, India. For this purpose, the pre-monsoon thunderstorms are classified as Light Precipitation (LP), Moderate Precipitation (MP) and Heavy Precipitation (HP) thunderstorms based on the magnitude of associated precipitation. Richardson number in non-uniformly saturated atmosphere (R_i*)well indicate the occurrence of thunderstorms about 2 hours in advance. Moderate vertical wind shear in lower troposphere (0–3 km) and weak shear in middle troposphere (3–7 km) leads to heavy precipitation thunderstorms. The wind shear in 3–7 km atmospheric layers, EHI and VGP are good predictors of precipitation associated with thunderstorm. Lower tropospheric wind shear and Richardson number is a poor discriminator of the three classified thunderstorms.