Articles | Volume 19, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-663-2019
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-663-2019
Research article
 | 
17 Jan 2019
Research article |  | 17 Jan 2019

Nocturnal low-level clouds in the atmospheric boundary layer over southern West Africa: an observation-based analysis of conditions and processes

Bianca Adler, Karmen Babić, Norbert Kalthoff, Fabienne Lohou, Marie Lothon, Cheikh Dione, Xabier Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, and Hendrik Andersen

Related authors

Improving solution availability and temporal consistency of an optimal-estimation physical retrieval for ground-based thermodynamic boundary layer profiling
Bianca Adler, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6603–6624, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, 2024
Short summary
Sensitivity of thermodynamic profiles retrieved from ground-based microwave and infrared observations to additional input data from active remote sensing instruments and numerical weather prediction models
Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Ludovic Bariteau, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, Sergio Pezoa, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3933–3948, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, 2024
Short summary
Exploring the daytime boundary layer evolution based on Doppler spectrum width from multiple coplanar wind lidars during CROSSINN
Nevio Babić, Bianca Adler, Alexander Gohm, Manuela Lehner, and Norbert Kalthoff
Weather Clim. Dynam., 5, 609–631, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-609-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-609-2024, 2024
Short summary
Evaluation of a cloudy cold-air pool in the Columbia River basin in different versions of the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model
Bianca Adler, James M. Wilczak, Jaymes Kenyon, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Joseph B. Olson, and David D. Turner
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 597–619, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, 2023
Short summary
Evaluating convective planetary boundary layer height estimations resolved by both active and passive remote sensing instruments during the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign
James B. Duncan Jr., Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Tyler Bell, Irina V. Djalalova, Laura Riihimaki, Joseph Sedlar, Elizabeth N. Smith, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2479–2502, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, 2022
Short summary

Related subject area

Subject: Dynamics | Research Activity: Field Measurements | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Physics (physical properties and processes)
Measurement report: The promotion of the low-level jet and thermal effects on the development of the deep convective boundary layer at the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert
Lian Su, Chunsong Lu, Jinlong Yuan, Xiaofei Wang, Qing He, and Haiyun Xia
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10947–10963, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10947-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10947-2024, 2024
Short summary
Estimating scalar turbulent fluxes with slow-response sensors in the stable atmospheric boundary layer
Mohammad Allouche, Vladislav I. Sevostianov, Einara Zahn, Mark A. Zondlo, Nelson Luís Dias, Gabriel G. Katul, Jose D. Fuentes, and Elie Bou-Zeid
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9697–9711, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9697-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9697-2024, 2024
Short summary
Overview: quasi-Lagrangian observations of Arctic air mass transformations – introduction and initial results of the HALO–(𝒜 𝒞)3 aircraft campaign
Manfred Wendisch, Susanne Crewell, André Ehrlich, Andreas Herber, Benjamin Kirbus, Christof Lüpkes, Mario Mech, Steven J. Abel, Elisa F. Akansu, Felix Ament, Clémantyne Aubry, Sebastian Becker, Stephan Borrmann, Heiko Bozem, Marlen Brückner, Hans-Christian Clemen, Sandro Dahlke, Georgios Dekoutsidis, Julien Delanoë, Elena De La Torre Castro, Henning Dorff, Regis Dupuy, Oliver Eppers, Florian Ewald, Geet George, Irina V. Gorodetskaya, Sarah Grawe, Silke Groß, Jörg Hartmann, Silvia Henning, Lutz Hirsch, Evelyn Jäkel, Philipp Joppe, Olivier Jourdan, Zsofia Jurányi, Michail Karalis, Mona Kellermann, Marcus Klingebiel, Michael Lonardi, Johannes Lucke, Anna E. Luebke, Maximilian Maahn, Nina Maherndl, Marion Maturilli, Bernhard Mayer, Johanna Mayer, Stephan Mertes, Janosch Michaelis, Michel Michalkov, Guillaume Mioche, Manuel Moser, Hanno Müller, Roel Neggers, Davide Ori, Daria Paul, Fiona M. Paulus, Christian Pilz, Felix Pithan, Mira Pöhlker, Veronika Pörtge, Maximilian Ringel, Nils Risse, Gregory C. Roberts, Sophie Rosenburg, Johannes Röttenbacher, Janna Rückert, Michael Schäfer, Jonas Schaefer, Vera Schemann, Imke Schirmacher, Jörg Schmidt, Sebastian Schmidt, Johannes Schneider, Sabrina Schnitt, Anja Schwarz, Holger Siebert, Harald Sodemann, Tim Sperzel, Gunnar Spreen, Bjorn Stevens, Frank Stratmann, Gunilla Svensson, Christian Tatzelt, Thomas Tuch, Timo Vihma, Christiane Voigt, Lea Volkmer, Andreas Walbröl, Anna Weber, Birgit Wehner, Bruno Wetzel, Martin Wirth, and Tobias Zinner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8865–8892, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8865-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8865-2024, 2024
Short summary
Impact of boundary layer stability on urban park cooling effect intensity
Martial Haeffelin, Jean-François Ribaud, Jonnathan Céspedes, Jean-Charles Dupont, Aude Lemonsu, Valéry Masson, Tim Nagel, and Simone Kotthaus
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1777,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1777, 2024
Short summary
Contrasting extremely warm and long-lasting cold air anomalies in the North Atlantic sector of the Arctic during the HALO-(𝒜 𝒞)3 campaign
Andreas Walbröl, Janosch Michaelis, Sebastian Becker, Henning Dorff, Kerstin Ebell, Irina Gorodetskaya, Bernd Heinold, Benjamin Kirbus, Melanie Lauer, Nina Maherndl, Marion Maturilli, Johanna Mayer, Hanno Müller, Roel A. J. Neggers, Fiona M. Paulus, Johannes Röttenbacher, Janna E. Rückert, Imke Schirmacher, Nils Slättberg, André Ehrlich, Manfred Wendisch, and Susanne Crewell
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8007–8029, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8007-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8007-2024, 2024
Short summary

Cited articles

Adler, B., Kalthoff, N., and Gantner, L.: Nocturnal low-level clouds over southern West Africa analysed using high-resolution simulations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 899–910, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-899-2017, 2017. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k
Babić, K., Adler, B., Kalthoff, N., Andersen, H., Dione, C., Lohou, F., Lothon, M., and Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, X.: The observed diurnal cycle of nocturnal low-level stratus clouds over southern West Africa: a case study, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2018-776, in review, 2018. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n
Bajamgnigni Gbambie, A. and Steyn, D.: Sea breezes at Cotonou and their interaction with the West African monsoon, Int. J. Climatol., 33, 2889–2899, 2013. a
Bauer-Pfundstein, M. R. and Görsdorf, U.: Target separation and classification using cloud radar Doppler-spectra, in: Proceedings 33rd Intern. Conf. on Radar Meteorology, Cairns, Australia, 2007. a
Download
Short summary
This study deals with nocturnal stratiform low-level clouds that frequently form in the atmospheric boundary layer over southern West Africa. We use observational data from 11 nights to characterize the clouds and intranight variability of boundary layer conditions as well as to assess the physical processes relevant for cloud formation. We find that cooling is crucial to reach saturation and a large part of the cooling is related to horizontal advection of cool air from the Gulf of Guinea.
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint