Heat and Moisture Budgets of an Intense Midlatitude Squall Line

Abstract Rawinsonde data from OK PRE-STORM are used to calculate the heat and moisture budgets during the late mature through dissipating stages of an intense squall line system with a trailing stratiform region. Budgets have been computed at three separate times using composited data from approximately 30 rawinsondes over three-hour intervals. Data spacing is marginally adequate to resolve features within the broad (∼200 km) stratiform region, but not the narrow (∼40 km) leading convective line. Low-level radar data and surface accumulated rainfall are used to partition the system into convective line and stratiform regions, and to cheek the accuracy of the heat and moisture budgets. The squall line had a pronounced descending rear inflow jet that extended toward the front of the system with time, and strong front-to-rear flow above and beneath this jet. The diagnosed vertical motion showed deep ascent in the leading convective line and upper-level ascent above lower-level descent in the trailing stratif...