Multiscale analysis of a mature mesoscale convective complex

Abstract

A hallmark of this storm was its "open-wave' precipitation pattern, in which two convective bands intersected so as to resemble a miniature developing frontal cyclone. This resemblance proves superficial, however, since 1) anticyclonic lower-tropospheric flow was observed in place of the expected cyclonic circulation near the convective apex, and 2) the accompanying wavelike lower-tropospheric temperature pattern was strongly influenced by moist processes intrinsic to the MCC (e.g., evaporative cooling), as opposed to horizontal advection about a developing vortex. The storm's intriguing organization is instead postulated to have resulted from the superposition of two preferred convective modes. -from Authors