Capping Inversion (i.e. Mexican Plume) over Texas

[horselattitudesfarm]

Anyone out there know why Texas seems to be so susceptible to capping inversions and why they seem to be getting more prevalent in the spring?

[srainhoutx]

We can thank a persistent W/SW flow aloft for the capping issues. Those warm air/winds off the Sierra Madre Occidental down sloping into S TX and beyond are a frequent issue this time of year. When the easterlies kick in and the flow at most levels become S to SE, that inversion will become less of a problem.

[South Texas Storms]

I hate our stubborn cap that always seems to be keeping our rain away! Too bad Mexico isn't a rainforest so our cap wouldn't be so stubborn.

[Ptarmigan]

I think of all the dry and warm air as a bunch of cockroaches invading a house. The upper level low is like RAID that kills the cockroaches. Also, an easterly flow is like RAID that keeps the dry and warm air away from us.

[horselattitudesfarm]

We can thank a persistent W/SW flow aloft for the capping issues. Those warm air/winds off the Sierra Madre Occidental down slopping into S TX and beyond are a frequent issue this time of year. When the easterlies kick in and the flow at most levels become S to SE, that inversion will become less of a problem.

Thanks for the explanation

[horselattitudesfarm]

I hate our stubborn cap that always seems to be keeping our rain away! Too bad Mexico isn't a rainforest so our cap wouldn't be so stubborn.

I always wondered what our weather would be like if Mexico wasn't there blocking all the moisture.

[somethingfunny]

I hate our stubborn cap that always seems to be keeping our rain away! Too bad Mexico isn't a rainforest so our cap wouldn't be so stubborn.

I always wondered what our weather would be like if Mexico wasn't there blocking all the moisture.

It would be like Atlanta. No thank you!

[jasons2k]

It does seem to be more frequent in the last few years than it used to be. Even during the last El Nino we saw little to no relief. Is there any explanation for that?

Side note: what's wrong with the climate in Atlanta? It's generally not nearly as hot as DFW during the summer and they get more rain, which keeps things greener. That's not so bad...

[somethingfunny]

It does seem to be more frequent in the last few years than it used to be. Even during the last El Nino we saw little to no relief. Is there any explanation for that?

Side note: what's wrong with the climate in Atlanta? It's generally not nearly as hot as DFW during the summer and they get more rain, which keeps things greener. That's not so bad...

You live in Houston by choice, so you probably don't understand my issue with Atlanta's climate

TOO HUMID!!!!!!

[horselattitudesfarm]

I just found this article posted on the Accuweather website. ( I cut and pasted it here so apologies for lack of format):

Reducing Atmospheric CO2 will Lead to a Wetter World Mar 25, 2011; 12:49 PM ET


New research from Carnegie Global Ecology scientists Long Cao and Ken Caldeira shows that reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would give the Earth a wetter climate in the short term.

The research team used recent climate modeling to reach this conclusion.

Carbon dioxide traps heat in the middle of the atmosphere. This warm air higher in the atmosphere tends to prevent the rising air motions that create thunderstorms and rainfall. Therefore, an increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 tends to suppress precipitation. The opposite is also true.

[horselattitudesfarm]

I just found this article posted on the Accuweather website. ( I cut and pasted it here so apologies for lack of format):

Reducing Atmospheric CO2 will Lead to a Wetter World Mar 25, 2011; 12:49 PM ET


New research from Carnegie Global Ecology scientists Long Cao and Ken Caldeira shows that reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would give the Earth a wetter climate in the short term.

The research team used recent climate modeling to reach this conclusion.

Carbon dioxide traps heat in the middle of the atmosphere. This warm air higher in the atmosphere tends to prevent the rising air motions that create thunderstorms and rainfall. Therefore, an increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 tends to suppress precipitation. The opposite is also true.

Its interesting that the Mexican Plume resides in the middle layers of the atmosphere (700 MB -850 MB range or so). Maybe my perception is right and I am picking up on the stronger presence of this capping inversion, especially in the spring and especially since 1998 around here.

[South Texas Storms]

I just found this article posted on the Accuweather website. ( I cut and pasted it here so apologies for lack of format):

Reducing Atmospheric CO2 will Lead to a Wetter World Mar 25, 2011; 12:49 PM ET


New research from Carnegie Global Ecology scientists Long Cao and Ken Caldeira shows that reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would give the Earth a wetter climate in the short term.

The research team used recent climate modeling to reach this conclusion.

Carbon dioxide traps heat in the middle of the atmosphere. This warm air higher in the atmosphere tends to prevent the rising air motions that create thunderstorms and rainfall. Therefore, an increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 tends to suppress precipitation. The opposite is also true.

Is CO2 predicted to decrease in the future?

[horselattitudesfarm]

I just found this article posted on the Accuweather website. ( I cut and pasted it here so apologies for lack of format):

Reducing Atmospheric CO2 will Lead to a Wetter World Mar 25, 2011; 12:49 PM ET


New research from Carnegie Global Ecology scientists Long Cao and Ken Caldeira shows that reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would give the Earth a wetter climate in the short term.

The research team used recent climate modeling to reach this conclusion.

Carbon dioxide traps heat in the middle of the atmosphere. This warm air higher in the atmosphere tends to prevent the rising air motions that create thunderstorms and rainfall. Therefore, an increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 tends to suppress precipitation. The opposite is also true.

Is CO2 predicted to decrease in the future?

Not until we quit emitting so much into the atmosphere

[somethingfunny]

I'm sure that the cap was quite strong during the 1930s Dust Bowl and the monstrous drought of the 1950s too. That's not to take away from CO2 theory because it makes sense, but obviously there are other factors at play as well.

[horselattitudesfarm]

Here is the website for the CO2 article from Carnegie I mentioned earlier.

http://carnegiescience.edu/news/cutting ... ent_drying