Satellite and Radar Survey of Mesoscale Convective System Development

Abstract

An investigation of several hundred mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) 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- circular convective systems (MCCSs), and meso- elongated convective systems (MECSs). Around two-thirds of the MCSs in the study fell into the larger satellitedefined 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- 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.