Satellite-based equilibrium temperature estimations (contd)
How the equilibrium level changes.
1. Storms modify their environment.
One or more updrafts over some time can raise the equilibrium level higher as the anvil expands.The updrafts become insulated from the undisturbed environmental equilibrium level allowing them to retain positive buoyancy to higher (colder) levels.
This process occurs with a longer response time period than the effect theta-E has on the equilibrium level. This effect is most pronounced as a collection of updrafts combine into an MCS. As an MCS organizes, the anvil brightness temperatures cool with time. However, the troposphere undergoes net warming as the MCS develops into a warm core system.
See below for an example
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00 UTC Dodge City sounding
Here, the mass accumulation of anvil debris has modified the upper troposphere by increasing the equilibrium level thereby decreasing Teql. New updrafts remain positively buoyant to higher heights.
