Current Techniques for Real-Time Evaluation of Conditional Symmetric Instability

Banded cloudiness and precipitation are sometimes observed in convectively stable environments. These observations are often attributed to conditional symmetric instability (CSI). High-resolution operational instruments in the wind-profiler network and the WSR-88D radar network are beginning to provide real-time data that can enhance the evaluation of CSI conditions. These systems, combined with operational mesoscale models and the advanced meteorological computer workstation, are providing the opportunity to efficiently assess CSI on the meso-β scale (20–200 km) in real time. CSI theory is reviewed and techniques to apply CSI theory utilizing the new operational instrumentation are discussed. A case study is presented to illustrate current CSI evaluation techniques.