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An investigation into meso‐scale precipitation distributions in a warm sector depression
Author(s) -
Atkinson B. W.,
Smithson P. A.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
quarterly journal of the royal meteorological society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.744
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1477-870X
pISSN - 0035-9009
DOI - 10.1002/qj.49709841608
Subject(s) - mesoscale meteorology , precipitation , rain gauge , front (military) , climatology , cold front , warm front , environmental science , meteorology , geology , geography
After reviewing previous work on the subject, a case study is presented to illustrate and to explain the different spatial scales of rainfall distribution associated with a warm sector depression. Autographic rain gauge records for England and Wales are used to determine short period (13 min) rainfall patterns throughout the passage of the depression. From these data, large meso‐ (200 km) and small mesoscale (50 km) rain areas are distinguished in the warm front and warm sector. In the warm front, the small mesoscale rain areas are an expression of similar‐sized precipitation systems, which, as they move parallel to the surface front, trace out the large mesoscale rain areas. Mesoscale rainfall pulses are found in the warm sector, but their origin remains obscure.