Contact: Courtney Schumacher, Adam Varble
This thematic research topic focuses on the spatio-temporal organization of mesoscale convective systems at mid-latitude and tropical locations. The life cycle of convection is important here, including links between vertical velocity and microphysics during the initiation and primary convection stage, transitions from the convective to stratiform precipitation stage, and the maintenance stage consisting of stratiform precipitation and non-precipitating anvil cloud. Key processes of interest for this group include vertical velocity, entrainment, precipitation formation, quantitative precipitation estimation at the surface, changes in cloud particle size distributions, latent heat processes, and others. A “Cold Pool” sub-group has also formed within the larger thematic area that is considering important questions concerning how cold pools help to organize and maintain mesoscale convective systems.
The MCO Database of Cases:
- MC3E: 25 April, 20 May, and 23 May 2011
- AMIE: November 2011 active MJO phase
- TWP-ICE: 19 and 23 January 2006