Characteristics of two mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over the Greater Jakarta: case of heavy rainfall period 15–18 January 2013

Abstract A heavy rainfall event induced by mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) occurred over the middle Korean Peninsula from 25 to 27 July 1996. This heavy rainfall caused a large loss of life and property damage as a result of flash floods and landslides. An observational study was conducted using Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) data from 0930 UTC 26 July to 0303 UTC 27 July 1996. Dominant synoptic features in this case had many similarities to those in previous studies, such as the presence of a quasi-stationary frontal system, a weak upper-level trough, sufficient moisture transportation by a low-level jet from a tropical storm landfall, strong potential and convective instability, and strong vertical wind shear. The thermodynamic characteristics and wind shear presented favorable conditions for a heavy rainfall occurrence. The early convective cells in the MCSs initiated over the coastal area, facilitated by the mesoscale boundaries of the land–sea contrast, rain–no rain regions, saturated–unsaturated soils, and steep horizontal pressure and thermal gradients. Two MCSs passed through the heavy rainfall regions during the investigation period. The first MCS initiated at 1000 UTC 26 July and had the characteristics of a supercell storm with small amounts of precipitation, the appearance of a mesocyclone with tilting storm, a rear-inflow jet at the midlevel of the storm, and fast forward propagation. The second MCS initiated over the upstream area of the first MCS at 1800 UTC 26 July and had the characteristics of a multicell storm, such as a broken areal-type squall line, slow or quasi-stationary backward propagation, heavy rainfall in a concentrated area due to the merging of the convective storms, and a stagnated cluster system. These systems merged and stagnated because their movement was blocked by the Taebaek Mountain Range, and they continued to develop because of the vertical wind shear resulting from a low-level easterly inflow.

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Mesoscale Convective Systems: A Case Scenario of the ‘Heavy Rainfall’ Event of 15–20 January 2013 over Southern Africa

Climate ◽

10.3390/cli7060073 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 73

Author(s):

Modise Wiston ◽

Kgakgamatso Marvel Mphale

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Ocean ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Heavy Rainfall ◽

Rainfall Event ◽

Mesoscale Convective Systems ◽

Heavy Rainfall Event ◽

Convergence Zone ◽

Convective Systems ◽

Mesoscale Convective ◽

Upper Level

Southern east Africa is prone to some extreme weather events and interannual variability of the hydrological cycle, including tropical cyclones and heavy rainfall events. Most of these events occur during austral summer and are linked to shifts in the intertropical convergence zone, changes in El Niño Southern Oscillation signatures, sea surface temperature and sea level pressure. A typical example include mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) that occur between October and March along the eastern part, adjacent to the warm waters of Mozambique Channel and Agulhas Current. In this study we discuss a heavy rainfall event over southern Africa, focusing particularly on the period 15–20 January 2013, the period during which MCSs were significant over the subcontinent. This event recorded one of the historic rainfalls due to extreme flooding and overflows, loss of lives and destruction of economic and social infrastructure. An active South Indian Convergence Zone was associated with the rainfall event sustained by a low-level trough linked to a Southern Hemisphere planetary wave pattern and an upper-level ridge over land. In addition, also noteworthy is a seemingly strong connection to the strength of the African Easterly Jet stream. Using rainfall data, satellite imagery and re-analysis (model processed data combined with observations) data, our analysis indicates that there was a substantial relation between rainfall totals recorded/observed and the presence of MCSs. The low-level trough and upper-level ridge contributed to moisture convergence, particularly from tropical South East Atlantic Ocean, which in turn contributed to the prolonged life span of the rainfall event. Positive temperature anomalies favored the substantial contribution of moisture fluxes from the Atlantic Ocean. This study provides a contextual assessment of rainfall processes and insight into the physical control mechanisms and feedback of large-scale convective interactions over tropical southern Africa.

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Formation and evolution of mesoscale convective systems that brought the heavy rainfall over Seoul on September 21, 2010

Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1007/s13143-013-0056-4 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 49 (5) ◽

pp. 635-647 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Woomi Jung ◽

Tae-Young Lee

Keyword(s):

Heavy Rainfall ◽

Mesoscale Convective Systems ◽

Convective Systems ◽

Mesoscale Convective ◽

Formation And Evolution

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Analysis and simulation of mesoscale convective systems accompanying heavy rainfall: The goyang case

Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences ◽

10.1007/s13143-011-0015-x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 265-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Hyun-Young Choi ◽

Ji-Hyun Ha ◽

Dong-Kyou Lee ◽

Ying-Hwa Kuo

Keyword(s):

Heavy Rainfall ◽

Mesoscale Convective Systems ◽

Convective Systems ◽

Mesoscale Convective

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Physical Processes Associated with Heavy Flooding Rainfall in Nashville, Tennessee, and Vicinity during 1–2 May 2010: The Role of an Atmospheric River and Mesoscale Convective Systems

Monthly Weather Review ◽

10.1175/mwr-d-11-00126.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 140 (2) ◽

pp. 358-378 ◽

Cited By ~ 131

Author(s):

Benjamin J. Moore ◽

Paul J. Neiman ◽

F. Martin Ralph ◽

Faye E. Barthold

Keyword(s):

Water Vapor ◽

Heavy Rainfall ◽

Convective Available Potential Energy ◽

Mesoscale Convective Systems ◽

Water Vapor Transport ◽

Mississippi Valley ◽

Physical Processes ◽

Convective Systems ◽

Atmospheric River ◽

Mesoscale Convective

A multiscale analysis is conducted in order to examine the physical processes that resulted in prolonged heavy rainfall and devastating flash flooding across western and central Tennessee and Kentucky on 1–2 May 2010, during which Nashville, Tennessee, received 344.7 mm of rainfall and incurred 11 flood-related fatalities. On the synoptic scale, heavy rainfall was supported by a persistent corridor of strong water vapor transport rooted in the tropics that was manifested as an atmospheric river (AR). This AR developed as water vapor was extracted from the eastern tropical Pacific and the Caribbean Sea and transported into the central Mississippi Valley by a strong southerly low-level jet (LLJ) positioned between a stationary lee trough along the eastern Mexico coast and a broad, stationary subtropical ridge positioned over the southeastern United States and the subtropical Atlantic. The AR, associated with substantial water vapor content and moderate convective available potential energy, supported the successive development of two quasi-stationary mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) on 1 and 2 May, respectively. These MCSs were both linearly organized and exhibited back-building and echo-training, processes that afforded the repeated movement of convective cells over the same area of western and central Tennessee and Kentucky, resulting in a narrow band of rainfall totals of 200–400 mm. Mesoscale analyses reveal that the MCSs developed on the warm side of a slow-moving cold front and that the interaction between the southerly LLJ and convectively generated outflow boundaries was fundamental for generating convection.

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