title: Wind estimation around the shipwreck of Oriental Star based on field damage surveys and radar observations.
abstract: Based on observational analyses and on-site ground and aerial damage surveys, this work aims to reveal the weather phenomena-especially the wind situation-when Oriental Star capsized in the Yangtze River on June 1, 2015. Results demonstrate that the cruise ship capsized when it encountered strong winds at speeds of at least 31 m s-1near the apex of a bow echo embedded in a squall line. As suggested by the fallen trees within a 2-km radius around the wreck location, such strong winds were likely caused by microburst straight-line wind and/or embedded small vortices, rather than tornadoes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Climate and Ocean-Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Climate and Ocean-Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Climate and Ocean-Atmosphere Studies, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China.
authors.forename: Lanqiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: National Meteorological Center, Beijing, 100081 China.
authors.forename: Yongguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: National Meteorological Center, Beijing, 100081 China.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: National Meteorological Center, Beijing, 100081 China.
authors.forename: Fuyou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023 China.
authors.forename: Mingjun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Bow echo; Damage survey; Drone; Microburst; Squall line; Tornado