What happens in a gust front?

A gust front is a line of dangerously gusty winds created by certain weather conditions. When a downdraft from a raining thunderstorm hits the ground, it spreads out in all directions. When that cloud begins to rain, cooler air descends to the surface.

What’s the difference between a gust front and an outflow boundary?

The actual cold front is drawn on a weather map at the “leading edge” of the cold air. An outflow boundary (sometimes called a gust front) is a rush of cold air out of the frigid upper levels of a thunderstorm.

What is thunderstorm outflow?

Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather satellite imagery or a fine line on weather radar imagery.

What is the purpose of a gust front in severe thunderstorms?

A gust front is a boundary that separates a cold downdraft of a thunderstorm from warm, humid surface air.

How do outflow boundaries influence multicell thunderstorms?

Outflow boundaries create low-level wind shear which can be hazardous during aircraft takeoffs and landings. If a thunderstorm runs into an outflow boundary, the low-level wind shear from the boundary can cause thunderstorms to exhibit rotation at the base of the storm, at times causing tornadic activity.

What causes outflow boundary?

An outflow boundary, can also be referred to as a gust front forms when rain-cooled air from the downdraft of a thunderstorm hits the ground and spreads out ahead of a storm or in the direction that the lower level surface winds are flowing.

What are strong outflow winds?

Thunderstorms can be very dangerous, producing heavy rain, lightning, hail, and strong winds. Outflow winds are a cool rush of air accelerating down from a thunderstorm. When the air hits the ground the air spreads out in a variety of directions, very similar to a water balloon crashing to the ground.

What is outflow boundary condition?

Outflow boundary conditions are derived for any downstream domain where an explicit relationship of pressure as a function of flow rate or velocities can be obtained at the coupling interface. We developed this method in the context of a stabilized, semi-discrete finite element method.

What type of weather does a gust front bring when it passes?

What type of weather does a gust front bring when it passes? Cold downdraft reachers the earth’s surface; it pushes outward in all directions. Resembles a cold front. Temperature drops sharply & the wind shifts & become strong & gusty.

What is an outflow boundary in weather?

Outflow Boundary A storm-scale or mesoscale boundary separating thunderstorm-cooled air (outflow) from the surrounding air; similar in effect to a cold front, with passage marked by a wind shift and usually a drop in temperature.

What are gusty outflow winds?

An outflow boundary, also known as a gust front or arc cloud, is the leading edge of gusty, cooler surface winds from thunderstorm downdrafts; sometimes associated with a shelf cloud or roll cloud. Outflow boundaries can persist for over 24 hours and travel hundreds of kilometers (miles) from their area of origin.

What is a gust front in a thunderstorm?

Thunderstorm with lead gust front near Brookhaven, New Mexico, United States, North America. The gust front is marked by a shelf cloud. An outflow boundary, also known as a gust front or arc cloud, is the leading edge of gusty, cooler surface winds from thunderstorm downdrafts; sometimes associated with a shelf cloud or roll cloud.

What is a gust front and what causes it?

A gust front is a line of dangerously gusty winds created by certain weather conditions. When a downdraft from a raining thunderstorm hits the ground, it spreads out in all directions. This spreading air can move very fast, and as it spreads, it can create a gust front.

How does a gust front form when it rains?

When that cloud begins to rain, cooler air descends to the surface. That cool air and rain create something called a downdraft. When that cool air descends and hits the ground, it spreads out in all directions, like when you pour a column of water on the floor. This air can be moving fast, so this spreading out can create a gust front.

What happens when a gust front hits another storm?

Occasionally, winds caused by the gust front are so high in velocity that they also show up on radar. This cool outdraft can then energize other storms which it hits by assisting in updrafts. Gust fronts colliding from two storms can even create new storms. Usually, however, no rain accompanies the shifting winds.