Propagation of Mesoscale Convective Systems over India in the Boreal Summer Monsoon Season

Abstract:

 

With an automated cloud tracking algorithm, we have analysed the propagation of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over Indian region in the boreal summer monsoon season (June-September). We used half hourly infrared images of a geostationary satellite KALPANA-I for the study. The data covers four monsoon seasons (2010,12,13,and 14). 

Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over the Indian land show a prominent westward propagation, which is opposite to the lower tropospheric monsoonal westerlies. The mechanism associated with these propagations seems robust, i.e. it appears in all the events. The propagation seems to be a result of internal dynamics of MCS, and not forced by any external agent. The mechanism is prevalent through out the monsoon season, but absent in pre- and post-monsoon season. The zonal convective streaks associated with the large MCSs have a spatial and temporal scales of 1000 km and 1 day respectively, with a westward speed of 18 m/s. These streaks resemble the westward propagating inertial-gravity (WIG) type of wave propagation. Thus, we speculate that, the MCSs over India in the summer monsoon season trigger WIG waves. And the subsequent propagation of MCS is coupled to this wave signal. Most of the large MCSs are associated with the synoptic scale monsoon depressions. 

Mean propagation of MCSs over Bay of Bengal (BoB) is of more complex nature. There seems to be more than one propagation mechanism which are active over BoB in the summer monsoon season. The selection of propagation mechanism by the BoB MCSs might depend on the phase of diurnal cycle or intra-seasonal oscillation, MCS size, and its location over the bay. 

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