An Overview of the “Vento Norte” Experiment (VNorEx): Observations of Downslope Windstorms over Modest Terrain in Southern Brazil

In this study, we present an overview of the “Vento Norte” Experiment (VNorEx), a dedicated field campaign designed to investigate downslope windstorms occurring over modest terrain in the central portion of Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. The Vento Norte winds (VNOR) are a distinctive feature of the cold season in the region, characterized by strong northerly wind gusts, accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature and drop in relative humidity. The campaign took place between August and October 2025, yielding a rich dataset aimed at the multiscale characterization of the windstorm from micro- to mesoscale. During this period, four VNOR episodes were observed. Data were collected using a multiplatform observational system, enabling detailed measurements of the spatial and temporal characteristics of VNOR events. VNorEx provided a robust dataset for understanding the multiscale interactions within the atmospheric boundary layer associated with these events, with strong potential to advance knowledge of flow behavior over complex terrain. These observations will also be fundamental for evaluating and validating numerical atmospheric models, as well as for supporting new studies and insights into downslope windstorms over modest topographies.