Chauvin et al. (2026) Mesoscale Convective Systems in a Global Kilometer-Scale Model: Evaluation and Contribution to Precipitation and Cloudiness Climatologies

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Climate
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-06-29
• Authors: Emma Chauvin, Dominique Bouniol, Romain Roehrig, Catherine Rio, Ludovic Auger
• DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0641.1

Research Groups

• Laboratoire d'Aérologie (CNRS, Université de Toulouse)
• Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (CNRM)

Short Summary

This study evaluates the performance of a global kilometer-scale model in simulating mesoscale convective systems and their contribution to precipitation and cloudiness climatologies. The results show that the model captures the main characteristics of MCSs, including their occurrence, morphology, and life cycle.

Objective

• Investigate the ability of a global kilometer-scale model to simulate mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in the tropics.
• Evaluate the contribution of MCSs to precipitation and cloudiness climatologies.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global scale with a horizontal resolution of 1 km.
• Temporal Scale: Simulations are run for a period of 30 days, covering the entire year.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: AROME-Global model is used to simulate MCSs at a global kilometer-scale.
• Data sources: Satellite data from geostationary satellites (e.g., MSG, Himawari) are used for validation and comparison with model results.

Main Results

• The study shows that the AROME-Global model captures the main characteristics of MCSs, including their occurrence, morphology, and life cycle.
• The model simulates the correct spatial distribution of precipitation and cloudiness associated with MCSs.
• The study also evaluates the contribution of MCSs to precipitation and cloudiness climatologies and finds that they play a significant role in these processes.

Contributions

• This study contributes to our understanding of the performance of global kilometer-scale models in simulating MCSs and their impact on climate variables.
• The results provide insights into the ability of such models to capture the complex dynamics of MCSs, which is essential for improving weather forecasting and climate prediction.

Funding

• This research was funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) under the project "MCS-AROME".
• Additional funding was provided by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program through the project "CLIM4C"

Citation

@article{Chauvin2026Mesoscale,
  author = {Chauvin, Emma and Bouniol, Dominique and Roehrig, Romain and Rio, Catherine and Auger, Ludovic},
  title = {Mesoscale Convective Systems in a Global Kilometer-Scale Model: Evaluation and Contribution to Precipitation and Cloudiness Climatologies},
  journal = {Journal of Climate},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1175/jcli-d-25-0641.1},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-25-0641.1}
}