Tropical Island Convection in the Absence of Significant Topography. Part I: Life Cycle of Diurnally Forced Convection

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Abstract
Diurnally forced convection was observed over the Tiwi Islands, north of the Australian continent, as part of the Maritime Continent Thunderstorm Experiment. Immature peninsula-scale (5–15 km) sea breezes were observed to initiate moist convection early each day, principally through convergence that results from the confluence or collision of peninsula breeze fronts. Convection initiated by peninsula-scale breezes usually fails to organize beyond a small cluster of cells and dissipates as a local event. Mature island-scale (∼100 km) breezes develop by late morning and subsequently play a pivotal role in the forcing and evolution of organized convection. The initiation of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) is observed to be a direct consequence of breeze front collisions for only ∼20% of the days on which organized convection develops. This is referred to as “type A” forcing and it occurs when normal convective development is delayed or otherwise suppressed. Type A forcing is nature’s backup mech... Abstract Diurnally forced convection was observed over the Tiwi Islands, north of the Australian continent, as part of the Maritime Continent Thunderstorm Experiment. Immature peninsula-scale (5–15 km) sea breezes were observed to initiate moist convection early each day, principally through convergence that results from the confluence or collision of peninsula breeze fronts. Convection initiated by peninsula-scale breezes usually fails to organize beyond a small cluster of cells and dissipates as a local event. Mature island-scale (∼100 km) breezes develop by late morning and subsequently play a pivotal role in the forcing and evolution of organized convection. The initiation of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) is observed to be a direct consequence of breeze front collisions for only ∼20% of the days on which organized convection develops. This is referred to as “type A” forcing and it occurs when normal convective development is delayed or otherwise suppressed. Type A forcing is nature’s backup mech...

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