Satellite and Radar Survey of Mesoscale Convective System Development

摘要

An investigation of several hundred mesoscale convective systems XMCSs) during the warm seasons (April-August) of 1996-98 is presented. Circular and elongated MCSs on both the large and small scales were classified and analyzed in this study using satellite and radar data. The satellite classification scheme used for this study includes two previously defined categories and two new categories: mesoscale convective complexes (MCCs), persistent elongated convective systems (PECSs), meso-β circular convective systems (MβCCSs), and meso-β elongated convective systems (MβECSs). Around two-thirds of the MCSs in the study fell into the larger satellite-defined categories (MCCs and PECSs). These larger systems produced more severe weather, generated much more precipitation, and reached a peak frequency earlier in the convective season than the smaller, meso-β systems. Overall, PECSs were found to be the dominant satellite-defined MCS, as they were the largest, most common, most severe, and most prolific precipitation-producing systems. In addition, 2-km national composite radar reflectivity data were used to analyze the development of each of the systems. A three-level radar classification scheme describing MCS development is introduced. The classification scheme is based on the following elements: presence of stratiform precipitation, arrangement of convective cells, and interaction of convective clusters. Considerable differences were found among the systems when categorized by these features. Grouping systems by the interaction of their convective clusters revealed that more than 70% of the MCSs evolved from the merger of multiple convective clusters, which resulted in larger systems than those that developed from a single cluster. The most significant difference occurred when classifying systems by their arrangement of convective cells. In particular, if the initial convection were linearly arranged, the mature MCSs were larger, longer-lived, more severe, and more effective at producing precipitation than MCSs that developed from areally arranged convection.