Mesoscale convective complexes over Southern Africa

Abstract

The maximum spatial correlation technique (MASCOTTE) is an objective and automated method developed to simultaneously determine both the structural properties and evolution (tracking) of cloud shields of convective systems. Originally designed to monitor systems over the Amazon region, this method has now been adapted for subtropical southern Africa. In this paper, a detailed climatology of 70 mesoscale convective complexes (MCCs) that occurred during the austral summer months over southern Africa during the 1998-2006 period are presented. Most MCCs are clustered along the eastern regions of southern Africa, adjacent to the warm waters of the Mozambique Channel and Agulhas Current. A few infrequent systems are found to be developing in Namibia and Botswana. The systems are found to predominantly occur during the months of November-February, with maximum activity occurring in November and December. The transition from a more midlatitude-dominated circulation to a tropical circulation over the region during the late summer leads to an uncharacteristic equatorward migration of the MCC distribution then. The analysis also suggests that there is variability in MCC frequency on monthly and seasonal time scales. Although fewer in number (about nine per season) compared to MCC populations in other regions, the systems do tend to follow the nocturnal life cycle as documented elsewhere. © 2012 American Meteorological Society.