Characterization of Initiation and Growth of Selected Severe Convective Storms over Central Europe with MSG-SEVIRI

The early development of severe convective storms over central Europe was investigated on the basis of nine cases from 2012. Using data from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) imaging radiometer aboard a geostationary Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite, dynamical and microphysical properties of developing storms were monitored and combined. Several satellite-based storm properties, for example, cloud-top temperature, cloud-top cooling rate, and cloud particle effective radius, were investigated following the storm tracks. A framework for quantification of uncertainties of along-track properties resulting from tracking errors was also introduced. The majority of studied storms show a distinct maximum in cloud-top cooling rate; the corresponding time was used for track synchronization. The cloud growth phase was divided into an initial updraft intensification period before the maximum cooling and a continued growth period afterward. The initial updraft intensification...