A Case Study on the Differences in Environmental Conditions for Hail Clouds between Northern and Southern Regions and the Characteristics of Hail Clouds Development and Evolution

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  • Emergency Management College/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological DisastersNanjing University of Information Science and TechnologyNanjing 210044JiangsuChina

Online published: 2025-04-29

Abstract

Unstable energystrong horizontal environmental wind shear and 0 °C layer height are important fac‐ tors affecting surface hailfall. To explore the differences in environmental stratification of hail clouds between northern and southern Chinathis study compares the environmental characteristics before two hail events in XunyiShaanxiand northwestern Fujian. The three-dimensional hail cloud numerical model was used to simulate the development characteristics of these two events under different disturbance temperatures through sensitivity experimentswhile also discussing the impact of strong wind shear on the Fujian hail case. The results show that the Shaanxi case has a large Convective Available Potential EnergyCAPEbut very weak vertical wind shearwhereas the Fujian case exhibits a relatively small CAPE but strong vertical wind shear. The height of the 0 °C layer in both hail clouds is relatively consistent. The atmospheric water vapor content during the formation of the Shaanxi hail cloud is lowerthe cloud base height is higherand the efficiency of CAPE transforming into up‐ draft kinetic energy is higher. In contrastthe southern hail cloud has higher lower atmospheric humidity and a lower cloud base heightmaking it easier to release unstable energy. As the intensity of convection increasesthe peak values of vertical wind speed become greater and occur earlierthe content of hail increases and its duration is prolongedthe intensity of solid-liquid precipitation intensifiesand the precipitation volume intensifies. The strong wind shear in the Fujian case weakens the convective intensity and shortens its lifespanthe weaker the convection isthe more obvious the effect is. Additionallystrong wind shear weakens solid-liquid precipitation. When there is no wind shearhail exhibits larger specific water content and number concentrationwider range of existencelonger time and earlier occurrence timebut the hail range is smaller.

Cite this article

WANG Qingyuan, GUO Fengxia, DENG Jie, HE Miao, FU Hanghang, CHEN Yutan . A Case Study on the Differences in Environmental Conditions for Hail Clouds between Northern and Southern Regions and the Characteristics of Hail Clouds Development and Evolution[J]. Plateau Meteorology, 0 : 1 . DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-0534.2025.00047

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