Microscale Banding.

[Chris L]

Ok, we know what mesocale banding is; but has there been any microscale banding in Nor'easters (obviously in LES). What are the factors in determine (and differences) of mesoscale and microscale?

[isohume]

Ok, we know what mesocale banding is; but has there been any microscale banding in Nor'easters (obviously in LES). What are the factors in determine (and differences) of mesoscale and microscale?

Microscale meteorology involves normally short lived processes such as heat fluxes, gas exchanges, chemical processes, radiation transfers, phase changes. etc. They are usually thought of on a spatial scale much smaller than the mesoscale, but not always. These types of interactions and processes are often parameterized in numerical modeling, which of course gives a less accurate depiction of the real atmosphere.

There is really no phenomenon in a wx forecasting sense referred to as "microscale banding". There are wave features to the variables I listed of course since the natural world is defined in waves to a high degree by humans...but these waves are waves of energy...not the more physical waves as seen in mesoscale banding, such as in trowals and deformation zones, etc. They are different animals.

[meteorologist]

http://moe.met.fsu.edu/banding/

[meteorologist]

http://moe.met.fsu.edu/banding/

disregard- out of date. Sorry!

[meteorologist]

http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/WAF907.1

[isohume]

http://journals.amet...0.1175/WAF907.1

That's a good article, but it's about mesoscale banding.

[turtlehurricane]

Microscale meteorology involves normally short lived processes such as heat fluxes, gas exchanges, chemical processes, radiation transfers, phase changes. etc. They are usually thought of on a spatial scale much smaller than the mesoscale, but not always. These types of interactions and processes are often parameterized in numerical modeling, which of course gives a less accurate depiction of the real atmosphere.

There is really no phenomenon in a wx forecasting sense referred to as "microscale banding". There are wave features to the variables I listed of course since the natural world is defined in waves to a high degree by humans...but these waves are waves of energy...not the more physical waves as seen in mesoscale banding, such as in trowals and deformation zones, etc. They are different animals.

Yeah, the smallest observed features that can be considered bands are at least on the meso-gamma scale.