American Geophysical Union Become an AGU Member
Subscribe to AGU Journals		 AGU Home AGU Publications

Editor's Highlight

Read Full Article (file size: 355654 bytes)    Cited by

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L03815, doi:10.1029/2007GL031404, 2008

Water vapor and surface observations in northwestern Mexico during the 2004 NAME Enhanced Observing Period

E. R. Kursinski

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA


R. A. Bennett

Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA


D. Gochis

Research Applications Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA


S. I. Gutman

NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, USA


K. L. Holub

NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, USA


R. Mastaler

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA


C. Minjarez Sosa

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico


I. Minjarez Sosa

Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico


T. van Hove

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA


Abstract

We report on precipitable water vapor (PWV) from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and surface meteorological network during the 2004 North American Monsoon Experiment (NAME) in northwestern Mexico. The monsoon onset is evident as a large PWV increase over several days beginning July 1. Data in the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) foothills reveal a dynamical transition in mid-August from smaller, sub-synoptic scale to larger, synoptic scale moisture structure. During the Sub-synoptic phase in the SMO foothills, a positive feedback operates where near-daily precipitation supplied moisture maintains 15% higher surface mixing ratios that lower the lifting condensation level facilitating initiation of moist convection. Along the western edge of the SMO, precipitation typically occurs hours after the local temperature maximum, triggered by westward propagating convective disturbances. Precipitation is typically preceded by a rapid rise in PWV and sharp decrease in surface temperature, implying models must include moist convective downdrafts in the NAM area.

Received 25 July 2007; accepted 23 November 2007; published 14 February 2008.

Keywords: water vapor; monsoon; GPS.

Index Terms: 1840 Hydrology: Hydrometeorology; 1855 Hydrology: Remote sensing (1640); 1836 Hydrology: Hydrological cycles and budgets (1218, 1655); 1655 Global Change: Water cycles (1836); 1220 Geodesy and Gravity: Atmosphere monitoring with geodetic techniques (6952).

Read Full Article (file size: 355654 bytes)    Cited by

Citation: Kursinski, E. R., R. A. Bennett, D. Gochis, S. I. Gutman, K. L. Holub, R. Mastaler, C. Minjarez Sosa, I. Minjarez Sosa, and T. van Hove (2008), Water vapor and surface observations in northwestern Mexico during the 2004 NAME Enhanced Observing Period, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L03815, doi:10.1029/2007GL031404.