Potential Vorticity (PV) Thinking in Operations: The Utility of Nonconservation

Abstract The use of the potential vorticity (PV) framework by operational forecasters is advocated through case examples that demonstrate its utility for interpreting and evaluating numerical weather prediction (NWP) model output for weather systems characterized by strong latent heat release (LHR). The interpretation of the dynamical influence of LHR is straightforward in the PV framework; LHR can lead to the generation of lower-tropospheric cyclonic PV anomalies. These anomalies can be related to meteorological phenomena including extratropical cyclones and low-level jets (LLJs), which can impact lower-tropospheric moisture transport. The nonconservation of PV in the presence of LHR results in a modification of the PV distribution that can be identified in NWP model output and evaluated through a comparison with observations and high-frequency gridded analyses. This methodology, along with the application of PV-based interpretation, can help forecasters identify aspects of NWP model solutions that are d...

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