Mesoscale meteorology

Mesoscale meteorology occurs in the range of horizontal scales between larger, synoptic-scale and smaller boundary-layer scales. The mesoscale includes many of the weather systems with the highest societal impact, including cumulonimbus storms, intense cyclones and locally generated winds. Weather systems on the mesoscale also control many transport processes in the global atmosphere, causing rapid movement of air from the boundary layer to the upper troposphere. This article reviews the physical processes which control weather systems on the mesoscale, and their mathematical representation, then makes a broad survey of some important mesoscale phenomena.