A Characterization of the Initiation of the Summer Diurnal Evolution Convection in the Catalan Pyrenees: an 11-year (2010-2020) Radar-Data Based Analysis

• F. Vilar-Bonet ^[1] ; T. Rigo ^[1]
  1. [1] Universitat de Barcelona

     Universitat de Barcelona

     Barcelona, España

     
• Localización: Tethys : revista meteorología y climatología mediterránea, ISSN 1139-3394, Nº. 19, 2022, págs. 1-13
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The Radar Network of the Meteorological Service of Catalonia provides volumetric coverage of the entire region of Catalonia. With respect to the Pyrenees, this network allows us to identify the complete life cycle of thunderstorms accurately, despite low level beam-blockage caused by topography. This research paper focuses on convection initiation, and considers that only those cases of diurnal evolution selected, and the first daily thunderstorm. The spatial distribution of the first daily convective echoed in the Western and Eastern Catalan Pyrenees reveals obvious differences, with a predominance of the second sector. Furthermore, as the reflectivity threshold used increases, the differences between both areas also rise. The selected discriminating reflectivity values used in the analysis were 15, 35 and 45 dBZ, and correspond to weak, moderate, and heavy precipitation. However, this difference arises from the influence of the county of El Ripolles, where over 30% of the initial convection for all three reflectivity thresholds ` occurs. Finally, a high spatial resolution analysis has allowed us to detect how the northern part of the abovementioned county is the most relevant hotspot in terms of initial convection in the Catalan Pyrenees.