Thus, we are able to analyze their structure and behavior for much of their lives. Our analyses reveal features never before seen and suggest that we still have much to learn about tornado formation and hail production. Our analysis methods and their limitations will be discussed. A case study investigation of tropical plumes over the northeastern Pacific reveals the importance of scale interactions. A tropical plume is a winter season, synoptic scale system associated with a subtropical jet stream.
Plumes often transport significant amounts of moisture from the tropics into middle latitudes.
The imagery suggests the presence of mesoscale circulations and areas of enhanced convection within the larger cloud band. This embedded mesoscale structure is the focus of the study. Prior knowledge of tropical plumes has been limited mostly to the synoptic scale, has been based mostly on observations, and has emphasized climatology. This study examines mesoscale mechanisms that are important for the initiation, intensification, and decay of an entire tropical plume system. Several tropical plume cases from 1996 and 1997 are simulated.