Abstract Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) can lead to severe disasters in Northeast China but are insufficiently studied in this region with complex terrain and complicated interactions between the mesoscale and synoptic‐scale processes. This study compares the MCSs from satellite products, state‐of‐the‐art global reanalysis (ERA5), and kilometer‐scale simulations in Northeast China, based on cloud top brightness temperature and precipitation data. Results show that ERA5 severely underestimates the number of MCSs due to inadequacies in characterizing moist deep convection. Despite kilometer‐scale simulations indicating much larger MCS areas compared to satellite products, through further comparison with hourly gauge observations, it is found that the kilometer‐scale simulation employing nudging can outperform satellite products in terms of MCS‐associated metrics including mean precipitation, precipitation intensity distribution, and diurnal cycle of precipitation. This study shows that kilometer‐scale simulations are promising tools for studying MCSs, rivaling satellite products.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: August 18, 2025 04:13 PM
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425.4 ppm
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