The study of Life Cycles of Precipitating Weather Systems seeks to quantify the statistics and dynamics and cloud physical processes within precipitation systems such as convection cells and convection initiation, mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), hurricanes, orographic rainfall, precipitation episodes (sequences of MCSs) and episode regimes. Investigation of these phenonema requires consideration of a range of spatial and temporal scales ranging from minutes or hundreds of meters (e.g. convecion initiation), to many days and thousands of kilometers (e.g. episode regimes). Research includes observational studies of the structure and evolution of precipitation systems, emphasizing both high-resolution field data (radar, lidar, soundings, satellite, in-situ cloud physics measurements), and statistics of large ensembles of cases using operational data sets. In addition, simulations using a variety of models (MM5, WRF, EULAG) form an integal part of diagnostic studies, as well as assessments of predictability of various phenomena. The collection of various datasets also allows detailed evaluation of processes within models. Life Cycle work involves extensive collaborations with researchers in RAP and ATD, as well as numerous universities.
BAMEX (Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment)
David Ahijevych
George Bryan
Andrew Crook
Chris Davis
Andy Heymsfield
Charlie Knight
Arlene Laing
Kevin Manning
Richard
Rotunno
Stan Trier
John Tuttle
Morris Weisman
Research Highlights