An Observational Study of Convergence and Rainfall over South Florida

Abstract

Relationships between convergence and rainfall at subsynoptic scales of motion are studied observationally. Data are based on special surface wind and rainfall observations in the South Florida peninsula during the period 11?13 July 1971. It is shown that larger scale convergence produces smaller scale convergence which, in turn, induces rainfall. The convective rainfall lags behind the large (peninsular) scale convergence by approximately 2 hr. In addition, the smaller scale divergence associated with rainfall produces larger scale divergence. The importance of the results in relation to parameterization and short-range forecasting of convective rainfall is discussed.