A MASCOTTE-based characterization of MCSs over Spain, 2000–2002

García‐Herrera, Ricardo; Hernández, E.; Paredes, Daniel; Barriopedro, David; Correoso, Juan Francisco; Prieto, Luís

doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2004.11.003

Cited by 24 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…This strong large-scale forcing also allows the identification of a set of large-scale patterns (or WRs) effectively linked to the occurrence/absence of precipitation. Nevertheless, these results cannot be extended to the rest of Iberia, because the important barrier effect imposed by the complex topography strongly mitigates the Atlantic influences toward the Mediterranean coast, where mesoscale convective systems play an important role (García-Herrera et al, 2005).…”

Section: Coupled Modesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric large‐scale dynamics during the 2004/2005 winter drought in portugal

Santos

Corte‐Real

Leite

2006

Intl Journal of Climatology

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Abstract:The unusually dry conditions during the 2004/2005 winter in Portugal led to the development of an extreme/severe drought episode throughout the country with major socioeconomic impacts. In fact, at some locations, this winter was the driest in at least the last 60 years. A K-means classification of days into a set of five weather regimes (WRs), relevant for winter precipitation in Portugal, reveals a large prevalence of the two driest weather regimes during the 2004/2005 winter. These two regimes are basically linked to either anticyclonic circulation or easterly winds over Portugal and their prevalence explains the significant precipitation deficit. Winter precipitation variability in Portugal is indeed skillfully represented by linear models where the predictors are the frequencies of occurrence (FO) of these weather regimes. The dominance of the 'dry phases' of the main coupled modes between winter precipitation in Portugal and the large-scale atmospheric circulation also supports the prevalence of the dry regimes and the corresponding lack of precipitation.The predominance of the dry regimes can be explained by a remarkably strong enhancement of the climate-mean North Atlantic ridge, manifested by dynamically coherent anomalies in the geopotential heights, vorticity and temperature fields over the North Atlantic. The persistence of a warm-core asymmetrical eddy over the North Atlantic, with a nearly barotropic equivalent structure, is a manifestation of this large-scale anomaly. The blocking of the westerlies and the consequent northward shift in the axis of maximum moisture transports over the North Atlantic was one of the most striking changes in the large-scale atmospheric flow. Consequently, the main track of the developing baroclinic disturbances was sufficiently distant from Portugal to hamper the development of rain-generating conditions. As these dynamical conditions are common to other reportedly dry winters, they effectively constitute a key factor for the occurrence of a precipitation deficit in Portugal.

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Section: Coupled Modesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric large‐scale dynamics during the 2004/2005 winter drought in portugal

Santos

Corte‐Real

Leite

2006

Intl Journal of Climatology

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“…Throughout most of Europe, the prevailing direction for MCS motion is east or northeast (Schiesser et al 1995;Hagen et al 1999;Morel and Senesi 2002;García-Herrera et al 2005;Rigo and Llasat 2007;Davini et al 2011;Goudenhoofdt and Delobbe 2012). Throughout most of Europe, the prevailing direction for MCS motion is east or northeast (Schiesser et al 1995;Hagen et al 1999;Morel and Senesi 2002;García-Herrera et al 2005;Rigo and Llasat 2007;Davini et al 2011;Goudenhoofdt and Delobbe 2012).…”

Section: B Large-scale Weather Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous recent investigations on European mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) have shown that organized deep moist convection is a frequent phenomenon over the whole continent (e.g., Morel and Senesi 2002;García-Herrera et al 2005;Lewis and Gray 2010). Occasionally, severe and devastating forms of MCSs, such as derechos, occur in Europe (Gatzen 2004;Punkka et al 2006;Gatzen et al 2011;Hamid 2012;Törmä et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesoscale Convective Systems and Their Synoptic-Scale Environment in Finland

Punkka

Bister

2015

Weather and Forecasting

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The environments within which high-latitude intense and nonintense mesoscale convective systems (iMCSs and niMCSs) and smaller thunderstorm clusters (sub-MCSs) develop were studied using proximity soundings. MCS statistics covering 8 years were created by analyzing composite radar imagery. One-third of all systems were intense in Finland and the frequency of MCSs was highest in July. On average, MCSs had a duration of 10.8 h and traveled toward the northeast. Many of the linear MCSs had a southwest-northeast line orientation. Interestingly, a few MCSs were observed to travel toward the west, which is a geographically specific feature of the MCS characteristics. The midlevel lapse rate failed to distinguish the environments of the different event types from each other. However, in MCSs, CAPE and the low-level mixing ratio were higher, the deep-layer-mean wind was stronger, and the lifting condensation level (LCL) was lower than in sub-MCSs. CAPE, low-level mixing ratio, and LCL height were the best discriminators between iMCSs and niMCSs. The mean wind over deep layers distinguished the severe wind-producing events from the nonsevere events better than did the vertical equivalent potential temperature difference or the wind shear in shallow layers. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that dry air at low-and midlevels would increase the likelihood of severe convective winds. Instead, abundant low-and midlevel moisture was present during both iMCS cases and significant wind events. These results emphasize the pronounced role of low-and midlevel moisture on the longevity and intensity of deep moist convection in low-CAPE environments.

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“…MCCs have been documented in many regions of the world, including parts of the United States (Maddox 1980;Augustine and Howard 1991;Anderson and Arritt 1998;Ashley et al 2003; among others), South America (Velasco and Fritsch 1987;Durkee and Mote 2009), Europe (Laing and Fritsch 1997;García-Herrera et al 2005), Asia (Laing and Fritsch 1993a;Miller and Fritsch 1991), Australia (James 1992), and Africa (Laing and Fritsch 1993b;Laing et al 1999). These systems are of great interest because they are not only associated with severe weather phenomena but also typically associated with intense rain rates over large contiguous rain areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Role of Mesoscale Convective Complexes in Southern Africa Summer Rainfall

Blamey

Reason

2013

Journal of Climate

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A combination of numerous factors, including geographic position, regional orography, and local sea surface temperatures, means that subtropical southern Africa experiences considerable spatial and temporal variability in rainfall and is prone to both frequent flooding and drought events. One system that may contribute to rainfall variability in the region is the mesoscale convective complex (MCC). In this study, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) data is used to document the precipitation produced by MCCs over southern Africa for the 1998-2006 period.Most of the rainfall associated with MCCs is found to occur over central Mozambique, extending southward to eastern South Africa. High precipitation totals associated with these systems also occur over the neighboring southwest Indian Ocean, particularly off the northeast coast of South Africa. MCCs are found to contribute up to 20% of the total summer rainfall (November-March) in parts of the eastern region of southern Africa. If the month of March is excluded from the analysis, then the contribution increases up to 24%. In general, the MCC summer rainfall contribution for most of the eastern region is approximately between 8% and 16%. Over the western interior and Botswana and Namibia, the MCC contribution is much less (,6%). It is also evident that there is considerable interannual variability associated with the contribution that these systems make to the total warm season rainfall.

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A MASCOTTE-based characterization of MCSs over Spain, 2000–2002

Cited by 24 publications

References 22 publications

Atmospheric large‐scale dynamics during the 2004/2005 winter drought in portugal

Atmospheric large‐scale dynamics during the 2004/2005 winter drought in portugal

Mesoscale Convective Systems and Their Synoptic-Scale Environment in Finland

The Role of Mesoscale Convective Complexes in Southern Africa Summer Rainfall

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