Dual-Aircraft Investigation of the Inner Core of Hurricane Norbert. Part II: Mesoscale Distribution of Ice Particles

Abstract Horizontal fields of cloud microphysical parameters, vertical air motion, and horizontal wind at the 6-km level in Hurricane Norbert (1984) were obtained by mapping and interpolating data collected on board a WP-3D aircraft along numerous flight tracks executed within the central region of the storm. Although the storm was characterized by a strong vortex of winds reaching peak values > 50 m s−1 all around the storm, the precipitation was concentrated on the southwest side of the storm. A sloping eyewall was located within 20 to 30 km of the eye. Stratiform precipitation dominated the region outside the eyewall. A 25-km-wide band of maximum stratiform precipitation was centered 60–70 km southwest of the storm center. The ice particles at flight level tended to be relatively large both in the eyewall and in the outer band of stratiform precipitation. Particles were smaller and more numerous (100–300 L−1) in the zone between the eyewall and outer stratiform band. These particles occurred on the out...