Cold Pool

[David Poch]

I have heard this term quite a bit but I am confused about it.

Is the cold pool helpful or harmful?

In what ways is it helpful or harmful?

I tried a search first but didn't see anything. Hope it's not a repost!

 

[david diehl]

I obtained this from the NWS Glossary,

Cold Pool
A region of relatively cold air, represented on a weather map analysis as a relative minimum in temperature surrounded by closed isotherms. Cold pools aloft represent regions of relatively low stability, while surface-based cold pools are regions of relatively stable air.

now that being said here is a comment about the cold pool that I got from the comet modual application in Buf-kit,

However, the vertical wind shear is too strong relative to the cold pool circulation to promote sufficient lifting for new ordinary cell growth along the gust front.

not sure if that helps, or just makes more questions for you.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Interesting topic, something that I too would like to understand a little better as they play a pretty big role in nocturnal events here in NE. As I understand it, a cold pool is simply that, a cold pocket of rain cooled air that propagates with the convective system, as the cold pool moves it forces the unstable air up and over the cold pool, allowing the convective system to maintain itself without other major mechanisms; though by this time I am guessing while it could still be severe, most of the convection would be far from surface based. Those who know more correct me where I am wrong, and please add some more in depth discussion...

I obtained this from the NWS Glossary,


now that being said here is a comment about the cold pool that I got from the comet modual application in Buf-kit,

However, the vertical wind shear is too strong relative to the cold pool circulation to promote sufficient lifting for new ordinary cell growth along the gust front.

Again just guessing, but as I understand it, this would simply be because the upper levels are to strong, and while the unstable air still lifts as a result of the cold pool, the shear is to strong to allow the unstable air to remain over the cold pool, preventing the MCS from maintaining itself...