mixing zone

FIGURE USED BY PERMISSION

Reference: Ziegler, C. L., and C. E. Hane, 1993: An observational Study of the dryline. Mon. Wea. Rev., 121, 1134-1151.

The figure from Ziegler and Hane (1993; Fig 14, p 1149) depicts a conceptual model of the dryline environment during the afternoon. The model was based on observations of a dryline that occurred in western Oklahoma on 24 May 1989. Solid red curves with arrows represent flow streamlines, while thin black arrows represent vertical motions inferred from the observations. Solid and dashed blue curves represent inversions and discontinuities, respectively. Green shading represents areas containing relatively high water vapor content.

The airmass in regions I, II, III, and IV represent the relatively hot, dry quasi-homogenous airmass west of the dryline, the mixing zone, the cooler, moist airmass east of the dryline, and the free atmosphere, respectively.