Severe Convective Windstorms in Europe: Climatology, Preconvective Environments, and Convective Mode

Abstract The frequency of European convective windstorms, environments in which they form, and their organizational modes remain largely unknown. A climatology is produced using 10 233 severe wind reports from the Severe Weather Database between 2009 2018. days have increased 50 yr −1 to 117 2018, because an increase reporting. highest occurred across central Europe, particularly Poland. Reporting was most frequent summer, when a windstorm every other day on average. preconvective environment assessed 361 proximity soundings 45 stations 2006 clustering technique used distinguish different nine variables. Two for storms occurred: Type 1, generally low-shear–high-CAPE (convective available potential energy; mostly warm season) 2, high-shear–low CAPE (mostly cold season). Because mode often relates type weather hazard, studied 185 windstorms that 2013 In Type-1 environments, cells, accounting 58.5% events, followed by linear (29%) nonlinear noncellular (12.5%). Type-2 (55%), cells (36%) (9%). Only 10% were associated with bow echoes, lower percentage than studies, suggesting forecasters should not necessarily wait see echo before issuing warning strong winds.