Föhn in the Rhine Valley during MAP: A review of its multiscale dynamics in complex valley geometry

Philippe Drobinski (1) , Reinhold Steinacker (2) , Hans Richner (3) , Kathrin Baumann-Stanzer (4) , Guillaume Beffrey (5) , Bruno Benech (5) , Heinz Berger (6) , Barbara Chimani (2) , Alain Dabas (5) , Manfred Dorninger (2) , Bruno Dürr (7) , Cyrille Flamant (1) , Max Frioud (8) , Markus Furger (9) , Inga Gröhn (2) , Stefan Gubser (3) , Thomas Gutermann (10) , Christian Häberli (2) , Esther Häller-Scharnhost (3) , Geneviève Jaubert (5) , Marie Lothon (6) , Valentin Mitev (8) , Ulrike Pechinger (4) , Martin Piringer (4) , Matthias Ratheiser (2) , Dominique Ruffieux (10) , Gabriela Seiz (11) , Manfred Spatzierer (2) , Simon Tschannett (2) , Siegfried Vogt (12) , Richard Werner , Günther Zängl (13)

1 SA - Service d'aéronomie
2 Department of Meteorology and Geophysics [Vienna]
3 IAC - Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science [Zürich]
4 ZAMG - Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics [Vienna]
5 CNRM - Centre national de recherches météorologiques
6 LAERO - Laboratoire d'aérologie
7 MeteoSwiss
8 OCN - Observatoire Cantonal de Neuchâtel
9 PSI - Paul Scherrer Institute
10 Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss
11 IGP - Institute of Geodesy and Photogrammetry [Zürich]
12 IMK - Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research
13 MIM - Meteorologisches Institut München

This paper summarizes the findings of seven years of research on föhn conducted within the project Föhn in the Rhine Valley during MAP (FORM) of the Mesoscale Alpine Programme (MAP). It starts with a brief historical review of föhn research in the Alps, reaching back to the middle of the 19th century. Afterwards, it provides an overview of the experimental and numerical challenges identified before the MAP field experiment and summarizes the key findings made during MAP in observation, simulation and theory. We specifically address the role of the upstream and cross-Alpine flow structure on föhn at a local scale and the processes driving föhn propagation in the Rhine Valley. The crucial importance of interactions between the föhn and cold-air pools frequently filling the lower Rhine Valley is highlighted. In addition, the dynamics of a low-level flow splitting occurring at a valley bifurcation between the Rhine Valley and the Seez Valley are examined. The advances in numerical modelling and forecasting of föhn events in the Rhine Valley are also underlined. Finally, we discuss the main differences between föhn dynamics in the Rhine Valley area and in the Wipp/Inn Valley region and point out some open research questions needing further investigation. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society

Domaines: Météorologie

Philippe Drobinski, Reinhold Steinacker, Hans Richner, Kathrin Baumann-Stanzer, Guillaume Beffrey, et al.. Föhn in the Rhine Valley during MAP: A review of its multiscale dynamics in complex valley geometry. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 2007, 133 (625), pp.897-916. ⟨10.1002/qj.70⟩. ⟨hal-00161560⟩