The evolution of mountain waves and rotors in the lee of Pike's Peak under the influence of a cold front: Implications for aircraft safety

Dynamical effects associated with the approaching cold front caused the amplification of the evolving lee wave and rotor, creating increasingly more hazardous flight conditions for nearby airports. The rapidly evolving winds measured by a Doppler lidar and 915-MHz wind profilers, and simulated by the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), produced light-to-moderate turbulence for a research aircraft making missed approaches at the Colorado Springs Airport during the wave amplification phase.

As the cold front approached the foothills, the lee-wave--rotor system ended abruptly, reducing hazardous flight conditions. The Doppler lidar's detailed measurements of the lee-wave--rotor system allowed for an evaluation of RAMS ability to capture these complex wind features. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons between the lidar range--height measurements and model x-z cross sections are presented.