Analysis of a dryline during IHOP: Implications for convection initiation

The dryline was classified as a null case since air parcels lifted over the convergence boundary were unable to reach the level of free convection preventing thunderstorms from forming. A secondary dryline associated with a distinct moisture discontinuity developed to the west of the primary dryline.

The primary dryline exhibited substantial along-frontal variability owing to the presence of misocyclones. This nonlinear pattern resembled the precipitation core/gap structure associated with cold fronts during one of the analysis times although the misocyclones were positioned within the gap regions. Radar refractivity has been recently shown to accurately retrieve the low-level moisture fields within the convective boundary layer; however, its use in forecasting the initiation of convection has been restricted to qualitative interpretations.