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<br />cloud. A deeper moist layer continued" to affect the region through 0900 on 28 <br />March, when measurements were terminated. <br /> <br />Discussion <br /> <br />The 26-29 March 1985 storm was one of 14 storm systems that developed in <br />strong westerly or southwesterly flow during the four field seasons. These <br />storm systems consistently produced sustained high precipitation rates and the <br />largest precipitation amounts in the Sierra Nevada. The storms all had long <br />(~45 hr or greater) durations. Thl~ synoptic scale evolution of these storms <br />was generally similar to that described for the 26-29 March case. A warm front <br />was typically observed at the leading region of the storms. Strong cold fronts <br />were present. In certain storms, the jet stream axis was near the position of <br />the surface front. In other cases, the jet stream axis led the surface cold <br />front and the subsidence region evident on Fig. 5 was displaced over, rather <br />than behind, the cold frontal position. An orographic cloud, usually with <br />embedded convection, remained after frontal passage. In some cases, such as <br />.26-29 March, secondary moisture re~lions advected into the area, enhancing pre- <br />cipitation rates. These regions' were associated with weak, secondary waves <br />developing within the storm. Weak convective instability generally was present <br />throughout the post-frontal period. <br /> <br />Because of the orientation of flow fields in. these storms, the majority of <br />these storms were characterized by high freezing levels in central California. <br />As a result, rain often fell at thE~ radiometer site. Radiometric data in these <br />cases were contaminated by the rainfall. Of the 14 storms in this synoptic <br />categorYt only three had complete radiometric data sets. Supercooled water was <br />present in distinct regions of these three storms. The primary region was with- <br /> <br />13 <br /> <br />_." __.1 <br />