Earth:Heat burst
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In meteorology, a heat burst is a rare atmospheric phenomenon characterized by a sudden, localized increase in air temperature near the Earth's surface. Heat bursts typically occur during night-time and are associated with decaying thunderstorms.[1] They are also characterized by extremely dry air and are sometimes associated with very strong, even damaging, winds.
Although the phenomenon is not fully understood, the event is thought to occur when rain evaporates (virga) into a parcel of cold, dry air high in the atmosphere, making the air denser than its surroundings.[2] The parcel descends rapidly, warming due to compression, overshoots its equilibrium level, and reaches the surface, similar to a downburst.[3]
Recorded temperatures during heat bursts have reached well above 40 °C (104 °F), sometimes rising by 10 °C (18 °F) or more within only a few minutes.
Characteristics
In general, heat bursts occur during the late spring and summer seasons. During these times, air-mass thunderstorms tend to generate due to daytime heating and lose their main energy during the evening hours.[4] Due to the potential temperature increase, heat bursts normally occur at night, though they have also been recorded during the daytime. Heat bursts can vary widely in duration, from a couple of minutes to several hours. The phenomenon is usually accompanied by strong gusty winds, extreme temperature changes, and an extreme decrease in humidity. They may occur near the end of a weakening thunderstorm cluster. Dry air and a low-level temperature inversion may also be present during the storm.[5]
Causes
Heat bursts are thought to be caused by a mechanism similar to that of downbursts. As the thunderstorm starts to dissipate, the layer of clouds starts to rise. After the clouds have risen, a rain-cooled layer remains. The cluster shoots a burst of unsaturated air down towards the ground. In doing so, the system loses all of its updraft-related fuel.[6] The raindrops begin to evaporate into dry air, which reinforces the effects of the heat burst (evaporation cools the air, increasing its density). As the unsaturated air descends into lower levels of the atmosphere, the air pressure increases. The descending air parcel warms at the dry adiabatic lapse rate of approximately 10 °C per 1000 meters (5.5 °F per 1000 feet) of descent. The warm air from the cluster replaces the cool air on the ground. The effect is similar to someone blowing down on a puddle of water.
On 4 March 1990, the National Weather Service in Goodland, Kansas, detected a system that had weakened, containing light rain showers and snow showers. It was followed by gusty winds and a temperature increase. The detection proved that heat bursts can occur in both summer months and winter months, and also that a weakening thunderstorm was not necessary for the development of a heat burst.
Forecasting
The first step in forecasting and preparing for heat bursts is recognizing the events that precede them. Rain from a high convection cloud falls below cloud level and evaporates, cooling the air. Air parcels that are cooler than the surrounding environment descend in altitude. Lastly, temperature conversion mixed with a downdraft momentum continues downward until the air reaches the ground. The air parcels then become warmer than their environment.
McPherson, Lane, Crawford, and McPherson Jr. researched the heat burst system at the Oklahoma Mesonet, which is owned by both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. The purpose of their research was to discover any technological benefits and challenges in detecting heat bursts, to document the time of day and year at which heat bursts are most likely to occur, and to research the topography of where heat bursts are most likely to occur in Oklahoma.
Scientists and meteorologists use archived data to manually study data that detected 390 potential heat burst days during a fifteen-year period. In studying the archived data, they observed that 58% of the potential days had dry line passages, frontal passages, or a temperature change due to an increase in solar radiation in the hours of the morning or a daytime precipitation weather system.
By studying the archived data, scientists have the ability to determine the beginning, peak, and end of heat burst conditions. The peak of heat burst conditions is the maximum observed temperature. The beginning of a heat burst is the time during which the air temperature increases without decreasing until after the peak; the end of a heat burst is when the system ceases to affect the temperature and dew point of the area.
In addition to researching the life cycle and characteristics of heat bursts, a group of scientists concluded that the topography of Oklahoma coincided with the change in atmospheric moisture between northwest and southeast Oklahoma. An increase in convection normally occurs over the High Plains of the United States during the late spring and summer. They also concluded that a higher increase in convection develops if a mid-tropospheric lifting mechanism interacts with an elevated moist layer.[7]
Documented cases
| Date | Location | Temperature °F/°C (Initial) | Temperature °F/°C (Final) | Difference (Max) | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2023 | Schertz, TX | 73 °F (23 °C) | 93 °F (34 °C) | 20 °F | [8] |
| 24 July 2023 | Death Valley, California | 107 °F (42 °C) | 123 °F (51 °C) | 16 °F | [9] |
| 17 July 2023 | Cherokee, Oklahoma | 90 °F (32 °C) | 103 °F (39 °C) | 13 °F | [10][11] |
| 17 June 2022 | Georgetown, Texas | 82 °F (28 °C) | 99 °F (37 °C) | 17°F | [12] |
| 11 October 2022 | Durban, South Africa | 88 °F (31 °C) | 100 °F (38 °C) | 12°F | [13] |
| 14 June 2022 | Tracy, Minnesota | 80 °F (27 °C) | 93 °F (34 °C) | 13°F | [14] |
| 21 May 2022 | Beja, Portugal | 73.2 °F (22.9 °C) | 92.1 °F (33.4 °C) | 18.9°F | [15] |
| 20 May 2022 | Greenville, North Carolina | 73 °F (23 °C) | 86 °F (30 °C) | 13°F | [16] |
| 22 June 2021 | Littleton, Colorado | 72 °F (22 °C) | 88 °F (31 °C) | 16°F | [17][18] |
| 13 June 2021 | Friona, Texas | 70 °F (21 °C) | 88.1 °F (31.2 °C) | 18°F | |
| 18 May 2021 | San Antonio, Texas | 79 °F (26 °C) | 91 °F (33 °C) | 12°F | [19][20] |
| 4 June 2020 | Edmond, Oklahoma | N/A | 97 °F (36 °C) | N/A | |
| 25 July 2019 | Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, England | 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) | 89.6 °F (32.0 °C) | 18°F | [21] |
| 16 July 2017 | Chicago, Illinois | 72 °F (22 °C) | 79 °F (26 °C) | 7°F | [22][23][24] |
| 16 July 2017 | Chicago, Illinois | 73 °F (23 °C) | 81 °F (27 °C) | 8°F | |
| July 2016[lower-alpha 1] | Hobart, Oklahoma | 80.6 °F (27.0 °C) | 105.7 °F (40.9 °C) | 25.2°F | [25] |
| 29 July 2014 | Calgary, Alberta | 77 °F (25 °C) | 84 °F (29 °C) | 7°F | [26][27][28] |
| January 2014 | Melbourne, Victoria | 85.8 °F (29.9 °C) | 102 °F (39 °C) | 16.2°F | [29][30][31] |
| 75.6 °F (24.2 °C) | 90.5 °F (32.5 °C) | 14.9°F | |||
| 79.9 °F (26.6 °C) | 92.5 °F (33.6 °C) | 12.6°F | |||
| 92.5 °F (33.6 °C) | 97.5 °F (36.4 °C) | 5°F | |||
| 11 June 2013 | Grand Island, Nebraska | 74.2 °F (23.4 °C) | 93.7 °F (34.3 °C) | 19.5°F | [32] |
| 15 May 2013 | Dane County, Wisconsin | N/A | N/A | 10°F | [33] |
| 14 May 2013 | South Dakota | 58 °F (14 °C) | 79 °F (26 °C) | 21°F | [34] |
| 1 July 2012 | Georgetown, South Carolina | 79 °F (26 °C) | 90 °F (32 °C) | 11°F | [35] |
| 3 May 2012 | Bussey, Iowa | 74 °F (23 °C) | 85 °F (29 °C) | 11°F | [36][37] |
| 29 April 2012 | Torcy, Seine-et-Marne, France | 56.1 °F (13.4 °C) | 75 °F (24 °C) | 18.9°F | [38] |
| 23 August 2011 | Atlantic, Iowa | 88 °F (31 °C) | 102 °F (39 °C) | 14°F | [39][40][41] |
| 3 July 2011 | Indianapolis, Indiana | N/A | N/A | 15°F | [42] |
| 9 June 2011 | Wichita, Kansas | 85 °F (29 °C) | 102 °F (39 °C) | 17°F | [43] |
| 29 October 2009 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 87.8 °F (31.0 °C) | 94.2 °F (34.6 °C) | 6.4°F | [44] |
| 26 April 2009 | Delmarva Peninsula | 68 °F (20 °C) | 87 °F (31 °C) | 19°F | [45] |
| 18 August 2008 | Edmonton, Alberta | 72 °F (22 °C) | 88 °F (31 °C) | 16°F | [46][47][48][49][50] |
| 3 August 2008 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | 70 °F (21 °C) | 101 °F (38 °C) | 31°F | [51] |
| 26 June 2008 | Cozad, Nebraska | N/A | N/A | 20°F | [52] |
| 16 June 2008 | Midland, Texas | 71 °F (22 °C) | 97 °F (36 °C) | 26°F | [53][54] |
| 25 May 2008 | Emporia, Kansas | 71 °F (22 °C) | 91 °F (33 °C) | 20°F | [55] |
| 16 July 2006 | Canby, Minnesota | N/A | 100 °F (38 °C) | N/A | [56] |
| 20 June 2006 | Hastings, Nebraska | 75 °F (24 °C) | 94 °F (34 °C) | 19°F | [57][58] |
| 12 June 2004 | Wichita Falls, Texas | 83 °F (28 °C) | 94 °F (34 °C) | 11°F | [59][60] |
| May 1996 | Chickasha, Oklahoma | 87.6 °F (30.9 °C) | 101.9 °F (38.8 °C) | 14.3°F | [61] |
| May 1996 | Ninnekah, Oklahoma | 87.9 °F (31.1 °C) | 101.4 °F (38.6 °C) | 13.5°F | |
| 28 July 1995 | Phoenix, Arizona | 106.0 °F (41.1 °C) | 114.0 °F (45.6 °C) | 8°F | [62] |
| 2 July 1994 | Barcelona, Spain | N/A | N/A | 23°F | [63] |
| August 1993 | Barcelona, Spain | N/A | N/A | 23 °F | |
| 15 June 1960 | Kopperl, Texas | 75 °F (24 °C) | 140 °F (60 °C) | 25 °F | Possible that temps rose above 100 °F (38 °C), however thermometers designed to detect temperatures up to 140 °F (60 °C) broke.[64] |
See also
- Topographically induced winds of related nature:
Notes
- ↑ This event lasted from 11:00 pm CDT, 6 July, to 12:15 am CDT, 7 July
References
- ↑ American Meteorological Society. (2000). Glossary of Meteorology. American Meteorological Society. ISBN 1-878220-34-9. http://amsglossary.allenpress.com/glossary/search?id=heat-burst1.
- ↑ "Oklahoma "heat burst" sends temperatures soaring". USA Today. 8 July 1999. https://www.usatoday.com/weather/wheatbst.htm.
- ↑ Johnson, Jeffrey (December 2003). "Examination of a Long-Lived Heat Burst Event in the Northern Plains". National Weather Digest (National Weather Association) 27: 27–34. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0QRG/is_27/ai_n11836123.
- ↑ National Weather Service Albuquerque, NM Weather Forecast Office. "Heat Bursts". Retrieved from http://www.srh.noaa.gov/abq/?n=localfeatureheatburst
- ↑ "All About Heat Bursts". National Weather Service. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=heatburst_info.
- ↑ National Weather Service. Wilmington, North Carolina. "Georgetown Heat Burst." Retrieved from www.weather.gov/ilm/GeorgetownHeatBurst.
- ↑ Kenneth Crawford, Justin Lane, Renee McPherson, William McPherson Jr. "A Climatological Analysis of Heat Bursts in Oklahoma (1994-2009)." International Journal of Climatology. Volume 31. Issue 4. Pages 531-544. (10 Mar.).
- ↑ Villalpando, Roberto (2023-09-11). "Rare heat burst recorded near Schertz after storms: Here's what you need to know about heat bursts." (in en). https://www.expressnews.com/san-antonio-weather/article/heat-burst-san-antonio-texas-weather-18359821.php.
- ↑ "Weather tracker: Extreme heat grips Death Valley in California | US news | the Guardian". https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/24/weather-tracker-extreme-heat-death-valley-california-heatwave-southern-europe.
- ↑ Oberholtz, Chris (2023-07-18). "Spinning 'mothership' cloud helps create rare meteorological phenomenon heat burst in Oklahoma" (in en-US). https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/mothership-supercell-kansas-heat-burst-oklahoma.
- ↑ "Although winds have come down a bit, it's been about 100 degrees in Cherokee for the past 2 hours from this heat burst!" (in en). https://twitter.com/NWSNorman/status/1681124305080565760.
- ↑ "NWS Austin/San Antonio On Twitter". https://twitter.com/NWSSanAntonio/status/1669964792617132032.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Time Series Viewer" (in EN-US). https://www.weather.gov/wrh/timeseries?site=KRBG&hours=72&units=english&chart=on&headers=on&obs=tabular&hourly=false&pview=standard&history=yes&start=20220817&end=20220819.
- ↑ "NWS Twin Cities on Twitter". https://twitter.com/NWSTwinCities/status/1536655639690088449.
- ↑ "IPMA - Detalhe noticia". https://www.ipma.pt/pt/media/noticias/news.detail.jsp?f=/pt/media/noticias/textos/Heatburst_Beja_maio_2022.html.
- ↑ "NWS Newport/Morehead On Twitter". https://twitter.com/NWSMoreheadCity/status/1527573604346384384.
- ↑ "NWS Boulder On Twitter". https://twitter.com/NWSBoulder/status/1407569283803074560.
- ↑ "Heat burst raises temperature 16 degrees in 30 minutes near Chatfield Reservoir". KDVR. June 2021. https://kdvr.com/news/local/heat-burst-raises-temperature-16-degrees-in-30-minutes-near-chatfield-reservoir/.
- ↑ "Thunderstorms cause 'heat burst' in San Antonio Tuesday morning" (in en). https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/weather/2021/05/18/thunderstorms-cause--heat-burst--in-san-antonio-tuesday-morning.
- ↑ "Rare Heat Burst Causes Damage in San Antonio - Videos from The Weather Channel" (in en-US). https://weather.com/news/weather/video/rare-heat-burst-causes-damage-in-san-antonio.
- ↑ "'Heat burst': If you slept badly last night, this could be why" (in en). Sky News. 26 July 2019. https://news.sky.com/story/heat-burst-if-you-slept-badly-last-night-this-could-be-why-11770761.
- ↑ "July 16, 2017: Sharp Overnight Temperature Climb Observed; Heat Burst?". NWS Chicago. 16 July 2017. https://www.weather.gov/lot/2017jul16_heatburst.
- ↑ "MESOWEST STATION INTERFACE". https://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base_dyn.cgi?stn=KORD&unit=0&time=LOCAL&product=&year1=2017&month1=7&day1=16&hour1=4&hours=24&past=1&graph=0&order=1.
- ↑ "MESOWEST STATION INTERFACE". https://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base_dyn.cgi?stn=KMDW&unit=0&time=LOCAL&product=&year1=2017&month1=7&day1=16&hour1=4&hours=24&past=1&graph=0&order=1.
- ↑ "MESOWEST STATION INTERFACE". http://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base_dyn.cgi?product=&past=1&stn=KHBR&unit=0&time=LOCAL&day1=7&month1=07&year1=2016&hour1=1.
- ↑ "After Calgary's heat burst, what's in store for Wednesday?", The Weather Network, 31 July 2014, http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/after-calgarys-heat-burst-whats-in-store-for-wednesday/32949/, retrieved 2 August 2014
- ↑ "Warm west - cool east", Valley Weather (Montreal, Quebec), 31 July 2014, http://valleyweather.blogspot.ca/2014/07/warm-west-cool-east.html, retrieved 1 August 2014
- ↑ "Hourly Data Report for July 29, 2014", Environment Canada Weather Office, 29 July 2014, http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/hourlydata_e.html?timeframe=1&Prov=AB&StationID=50430&hlyRange=2012-07-09%7c2014-08-05&Year=2014&Month=7&Day=29, retrieved 6 August 2014
- ↑ "Latest Weather Observations for Laverton". Bureau of Meteorology. http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV60901/IDV60901.94865.shtml.
- ↑ "Latest Weather Observations for Cerberus". Bureau of Meteorology. http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV60901/IDV60901.94898.shtml.
- ↑ "Latest Weather Observations for Melbourne". Bureau of Meteorology. http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDV60901/IDV60901.94868.shtml.
- ↑ "Riverside/Barr Weather". http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KNEGRAND2&month=6&day=11&year=2013.
- ↑ "'Heat burst' winds leave trail of downed lines". http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/rare-heat-burst-hits-southern-wisconsin-leading-to-wind-damage-hm9v4cn-207561281.html.
- ↑ "Gusty Winds This Morning From Apparent Heat Bursts". http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=abr&storyid=50352&source=0.
- ↑ "Georgetown Heat Burst" (in EN-US). https://www.weather.gov/ilm/GeorgetownHeatBurst.
- ↑ "Rare phenomenon leads to bizarre weather event in Central Iowa". Des Moines Register. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120503/NEWS/305030096/Rare-phenomenon-leads-to-bizarre-weather-event-in-Central-Iowa.
- ↑ "Rare heat burst just occurred in Iowa". KCCI. http://www.kcci.com/weather/Rare-heat-burst-just-occurred-in-Iowa/-/9358602/12537222/-/2misjxz/-/index.html.
- ↑ "24 °C en Île-de-France la nuit dernière, des rafales à 110 km/h !". METEO CONSULT - La Chaine Météo / Groupe Figaro. 30 April 2012. http://actualite.lachainemeteo.com/actualite-meteo/2012-04-29-14h56/24-c-en-ile-de-france-la-nuit-derniere--des-rafales-a-110-km-h---16673.php.
- ↑ "Heat Burst Affects Southwest Iowa". National Weather Service Des Moines, Iowa. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=dmx&storyid=72161&source=0.
- ↑ "Rare "Heat burst" hits Atlantic area". Radio Iowa. 24 August 2011. http://www.radioiowa.com/2011/08/24/rare-heat-burst-hits-atlantic-area/.
- ↑ "Temps Rocket From 80s to 102 in Minutes". KCCI. http://www.kcci.com/r/28962004/detail.html.
- ↑ "Heat Burst Occurs in the Indianapolis Area". http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=ind&storyid=70360&source=0.
- ↑ http://www.kwch.com/kwch-jab-did-you-feel-this-mornings-heat-burst-20110609,0,5006130.story [yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ "Heat Burst in Buenos Aires". http://foro.meteored.com/meteorologia+general/bolsa+de+aire+caliente+en+buenos+aires+345ordm+c+y+8+de+hr+a+las+10+pm-t109635.0.html;msg2192335#new.
- ↑ Heat burst erh.noaa.gov [|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ "The heat burst of 18 August 2008". http://www.umanitoba.ca/environment/envirogeog/weather/heatburst.html.
- ↑ "Hourly Data Report for August 18, 2008". http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/hourlydata_e.html?timeframe=1&Prov=AB&StationID=31427&dlyRange=2005-01-21%7C2015-04-01&Year=2008&Month=8&Day=18.
- ↑ "Observations". http://www.umanitoba.ca/environment/envirogeog/weather/heatburstobs.txt.
- ↑ "The evening tephigram from the region". http://www.umanitoba.ca/environment/envirogeog/weather/heatbursttephi.html.
- ↑ "Reflectivity animation (RADAR)". http://www.umanitoba.ca/environment/envirogeog/weather/heatburstanim.html.
- ↑ "Convective Heat Burst moves across Sioux Falls". https://www.weather.gov/fsd/20080803-heatburst-siouxfalls#:~:text=Between%20415%20am%20and%20445,in%20a%20very%20short%20time..
- ↑ "NTV - KHGI/KWNB/WSWS-CA - Where your news comes first. - Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln | Cozad Witnesses Rare Weather". http://www.nebraska.tv/Global/story.asp?S=8563368&nav=menu605_2.
- ↑ http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2008/06/17/news/top_stories/doc4857af7c54b33314052160.txt [yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ "Midland Heat Burst - Damage Survey". http://www.srh.noaa.gov/maf/headline/?id=2008_06_18_Midland_Heat_Burst.
- ↑ "Special Weather Statement". National Weather Service, Topeka, Kansas. http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KEMP/2008/5/25/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA.
- ↑ "Late Night Heat Burst in Western Minnesota on 16–17 July 2006". National Weather Service, Twin Cities. http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/heatburst060717.htm.
- ↑ "Weather History for Hastings, NE". http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KHSI/2006/6/20/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA.
- ↑ "Hastings, NE". http://www.crh.noaa.gov/gid/?n=news_243.
- ↑ "Daily Historical Weather Browser". http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxhistory/gethistory.php?month=06.
- ↑ "Heat Burst strikes OK/KS late Friday night". http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=31351&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a.
- ↑ Cappella, Chris (23 June 1999). "Heat burst captured by weather network". USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/weather/wokhtbst.htm.
- ↑ "Weather History for Phoenix, Arizona". https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/az/phoenix/KPHX/date/1995-7-28.
- ↑ ARÚS DUMENJO, J. (2001): "Reventones de tipo cálido en Cataluña", V Simposio nacional de predicción del Instituto Nacional de Meteorología, Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, Madrid, págs. 1-7 Repositorio Arcimís, http://repositorio.aemet.es/handle/20.500.11765/4699 (versión electrónica).[1] [2] [3] [4]
- ↑ "The Kopperl Heat Burst". 15 June 2009. https://www.alabamawx.com/?p=20008.
External links
- "P11.13 THE 22–23 May 1996 Heatburst: a severe wind event"
- What is a Heat Burst?
- The Texas Heat Burst, Others
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