The Relationship of Surface Pressure Features to the Precipitation and Airflow Structure of an Intense Midlatitude Squall Line

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Abstract
Observations from the Oklahoma–Kansas Preliminary Regional Experiment for STORM-Central (OK PRE-STORM) have been used to document the surface pressure features accompanying an intense midlatitude squall line with trailing stratiform precipitation. Three well-known features are observed: a pre-squall mesolow, a squall mesohigh and a wake low. Particular attention is given to the wake low, its life cycle and association with the trailing stratiform portion of the squall line. During the formative stage, the pressure field to the rear of the squall line mesohigh is relatively flat with only weak stratiform precipitation present. As the squall line enters the developing-to-mature stages, a pronounced wake low appears at the back edge of the surface stratiform precipitation area. The squall line at this time is characterized by a strong rear-inflow jet, descending from the upper troposphere, as far as 500 km behind the leading convective line, to the lower troposphere just behind the line. The trailin... Abstract Observations from the Oklahoma–Kansas Preliminary Regional Experiment for STORM-Central (OK PRE-STORM) have been used to document the surface pressure features accompanying an intense midlatitude squall line with trailing stratiform precipitation. Three well-known features are observed: a pre-squall mesolow, a squall mesohigh and a wake low. Particular attention is given to the wake low, its life cycle and association with the trailing stratiform portion of the squall line. During the formative stage, the pressure field to the rear of the squall line mesohigh is relatively flat with only weak stratiform precipitation present. As the squall line enters the developing-to-mature stages, a pronounced wake low appears at the back edge of the surface stratiform precipitation area. The squall line at this time is characterized by a strong rear-inflow jet, descending from the upper troposphere, as far as 500 km behind the leading convective line, to the lower troposphere just behind the line. The trailin...

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