Characteristics of a Subtropical Squall Line Determined from TAMEX Dual-Doppler Data. Part II: Dynamic and Thermodynamic Structures and Momentum Budgets.

Abstract A thermodynamic retrieval method was used to study the dynamical and thermodynamical structure of a subtropical squall line, which occurred on 17 May 1987 over the Taiwan Straits. Three-dimensional wind fields were derived from the dual-Doppler data based on the methodology presented in Part I of this paper. Subsequently, fields of perturbation pressure and temperature were retrieved from the detailed wind field using the three momentum equations. Results show that the overall structural features of this subtropical squall line are similar to those of a tropical squall line. The orientation of the squall line is almost in a north–south direction. In the lowest layer, the gust front is located to the immediate east of the main convective updrafts. High pressure occurs behind the gust front with low pressure to its east. A buoyancy-induced low pressure area lies beneath the convective updraft corresponding to the ascending warm environmental air. In the middle and upper layers, high pressure forms ...