WW2010
University of Illinois

WW2010
 
  welcome
 
> online guides
 
  archives
 
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  current weather
 
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  index

Online Guides
 
  introduction
 
> meteorology
 
  remote sensing
 
  reading maps
 
  projects, activities

Meteorology
 
  introduction
 
  air masses, fronts
 
  clouds, precipitation
 
  el nino
 
  forces, winds
 
  hurricanes
 
  hydrologic cycle
 
  light, optics
 
  midlatitude cyclones
 
> severe storms
 
  weather forecasting

Severe Storms
 
  introduction
 
  dangers of t-storms
 
> types of t-storms
 
  tstorm components
 
  tornadoes
 
  modeling

Types of T-storms
 
  storm spectrum
 
  single cell storms
 
  multicell clusters
 
> multicell lines
 
  supercells

Multicell Lines
 
  introduction
 
  components
 
> on satellite images
 
  along leading edge
 
  retreating lines
 
  linear radar echoes
 
  bow echoes
 
  more bow echoes

User Interface
 
  graphics
> text

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On Satellite Images
squall lines and mesoscale convective systems

This infrared satellite view of an eastward moving squall line, extending from the Ohio River Valley southwestward into Louisiana, shows the extreme lengths that thunderstorm lines can achieve. The lower, warmer anvils on the north end of the line and the colder, higher cloud tops at the south end reveal the tendency for older, weakening storms to be shed on the north side of the line with newer and stronger development near the south end.

[Image: Infrared Satellite View of a Squall Line (69K)]

The second satellite photo shows a huge anvil cloud arising from a large cluster of storms. This is called a mesoscale convective system or "MCS". An entire MCS cannot be viewed from the ground and in some cases not even by a single radar, so we use the satellite perspective. It is a group of multicell storms, often dominated by a vigorous squall line on the downwind (east) side and a number of weaker multicell cluster storms in the interior.

[Image: Infrared Satellite View of a Mesoscale Convective System (73K)]

An MCS often will bring severe weather and heavy rain with the squall line, and additional heavy rainfall with the interior storms. A number of major flash floods have resulted from MCS passage, making this large storm complex an extremely important grouping of multicell thunderstorms to recognize.



components
Terms for using data resources. CD-ROM available.
Credits and Acknowledgments for WW2010.
Department of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS) at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

along leading edge