Mesoscale Meteorology: Cloud and Precipitation Bands

Synopsis: The term 'precipitation band' describes an area of precipitation that originates from updrafts that are either nonconvective or weakly convective, and is sufficiently elongated that an orientation can be assigned. Precipitation bands are common within extratropical and tropical cyclones, and also develop along topographical and geographical features, such as mountains, islands, coastlines, and lake shores. The taxonomy used to classify precipitation bands derives from radar studies of precipitation structures in various areas of the world. Precipitation bands commonly form as the result of frontogenesis, deformation flow, moist symmetric instability, boundary-layer convergence, gravity waves, topographic effects, and seeder-feeder processes.