Characteristics of Upper cold Low that produce Severe Local Storms in Cuba

Abstract

On many occasions the presence of Upper Cold Low is a factor that stimulate the deep convection and thus leads to the occurrence of Severe Local Storms in Cuba. In order to investigate the characteristics that have the Upper Cold Low which give rise to severe weather led to the realization to the description of temporary and seasonal behavior, age, vertical extent, trajectories and structural characteristics of the Upper Cold Low. Was found that the Upper Cold Low that leads to the occurrence of severe weather are somewhat stronger and cooler than the rest and the severity is most frequently in the quadrant III of the Upper Cold Low where dominated the southwest streams. On average, the cold core of Upper Cold Low was better defined in the levels of 300 hPa and 500 hPa, slightly shifted to the northeast in the higher levels. Furthermore, use the statistical parameter Z, which allowed to find differences between the Upper Cold Low those sprouts produce outbreaks of Severe Local Storms in the fields (300 hPa and 500 hPa) and geopotencial (200 hPa and 300 hPa). The period of study was 1980-2010.