Interaction of mesoscale convection and frontogenesis

On the basis of the MM5 simulation data of the severe storm that occurred over the southeastern part of Hubei province on 21 July 1998, the interaction of mesoscale convection and frontogenesis is dealt with using the thermodynamical equation and frontogenetical function. The results show that the outbreak of the severe storm is closely related to the local frontogenesis. In fact, the interaction between the shearing instability of the low-level jet (LLJ) and the topographic forcing generates an gravity-inertia wave as well as local frontogenesis (the first front), which consequently induce the onset of the severe storm. From then on, owing to the horizontal and vertical advection of the potential temperature, the new frontogenesis (the second front) is formed to the northeast side of the severe storm, which initiates the second rain belt. Meanwhile, a two-front structure emerges over the southeastern part of Hubei province. Accompanied with the further intensification of the convection, the rain droplets evaporation cooling strengthens the first front and weakens the second front, resulting in single front structure over the southeastern part of Hubei province in the period of the strong convection.