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<br />Convective Scale Interaction is a term given to the process in <br />which a collapsing storm produces precipitation and downdrafts, <br />called an outflow boundary, or gust front. The downdraft air fans <br />out below the cloud base undercutting relatively warmer, and often, <br />more moist air. The moist air then is lifted above the gust front <br />into an often unstable atmosphere which causes new severe storms <br />which can grow rapidly to maturity, collapse and produce its own <br />outflows repeating the whole process. Single outflow boundaries have <br />been known to be strong enough to travel more than a hundred miles <br />from its parent storm. <br /> <br />Satellite views of clouds forming along' these moving gust <br />fronts often show the clouds align themselves into a semi-circular, <br />fan-shaped orientation called "arc-clouds" which can develop into <br />large, severe convective storm systems. Single storms, multiple <br />storms and supercells all have been identified as forming along <br />these gust fronts. Research in the southeastern part of the U.S.A., <br />several years ago, estimated 60%-75% of the storms existing in late <br />afternoon on a typical storm day were caused by scale interaction. <br />Two, or more, colliding gust fronts frequently create extremely <br />severe storms, but are often short-lived. Severe turbulence is <br />frequently found in gust front air between the parent storm and the <br />leading edge of the gust front. <br /> <br />Convective Scale interaction as described here frequently <br />occurs on the WKWMP and, when identified on radar or reported by <br />pilots,. its occurrence and direction of movement is monitored <br />carefully for subsequent new storm development above it. Also, it <br />has been observed that severe new storm growth often develops in <br />weak, old non-hail bearing precipitation areas, which are undercut <br />by gust fronts. Satellite imagery can also give advance. warning <br />about subsequent new storm development potential which can't be seen <br />immediat~ly on radar or visually by pilots. <br /> <br />Under some conditions rainfall augmentation over large areas <br />have been produced by seeding atop the leading edge of a gust front <br />as air is lifted over it causing weak cumuliform clouds to form. <br />Updrafts found above gust fronts have wide variability---from 100 - <br />200 feet per minute to a more normal 1000 - 1500 feet per minute, <br />or more. If this particular condition occurs at night with little <br />threat of hail developing from new storm growth and updrafts are <br />weak, seeding to increase rainfall has appeared to be highly <br />productive over large areas. In such cases the cloud's microphysical <br />characteristics are attempted to be altered by seeding. It's likely <br />under these conditions the dynamic effect is reduced, whereas, the <br />"static" seeding effect is bein'g achieved. It also appears likely, <br />if hygroscopic flares are used in such instances, the rain <br />stimulation effect might be even better as heavier rainfall falls <br />from the same clouds. <br /> <br />There is another form of cloud system which has important <br />seeding potential for producing precipitation in Kansas: the <br /> <br />10 <br />