Currently, it's difficult to spot and track mesoscale convective vortices from upper wind observations alone, due to their small size. However, a technique developed by NCAR's John Tuttle calculates winds using cloud movements observed by satellite in order to spot MCVs and other features. This promising technique, along with better observations and models, could make it practical for forecasters to use MCVs as a guide to predict locations of heavy rain. Davis and Trier's work is supported by NASA and the U.S. Weather Research Program, which is examining forecast tools for heavy precipitation. NCAR is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a consortium of more than 60 universities offering Ph.D.s in atmospheric and related sciences.
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