Rainbands, Precipitation Cores and Generating Cells in a Cyclonic Storm

Abstract

The mesoscale organization and structure of precipitation in a cyclonic storm have been studied using satellite, radar, airborne and ground measurements. The large mesoscale regions, which were mainly in the form of rainbands, contained within them smaller mesoscale regions (preciptation cores) which were characterized by higher rainfall rates. It is shown that the precipitation cores in warm frontal bands originated in generating cells aloft which provided “seed” ice crystals which grew by collection as they fell through lower cloud layers. The generating cells were probably produced by the lifting of shallow layers of potentially unstable air which were situated above warm fronts. There is also some evidence that the precipitation cores within cold frontal bands originated within layers of potentially unstable air.