U.S. MCS Tracking Database Analysis

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This repository contains analysis codes and Jupyter Notebooks for the MCS tracking database over the United States. The dataset is available at Feng (2019), a free-to-register account is required at ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility, operated by the U.S. Department of Energy).

Post-processing Scripts

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The /src directory contains post-processing scripts.

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Remove Tropical Cyclones

These scripts remove MCS tracks near Tropical Cyclones (TCs) using the IBTrACS database (Knapp et al. 2018). This post-processing has already been applied to the V3 MCS database.

The ${} are command line inputs, examples:

${config}: 'config_gridrad_conus.yml'

${dates}: '20040101.0000_20050101.0000'

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• Pre-process IBTrACS data:

python preprocess_tc_ibtracs.py

• Find MCS track numbers near TCs:

python find_mcs_tracks_in_tc.py ${dates} ${config}

• Remove MCS tracks near TCs:

python filter_mcs_tracks_ar_tc.py ${dates} ${config}

• Run find MCS track numbers near TCs for each year:

bash loop_find_mcs_tracks_tc.sh

• Run Remove MCS tracks near TCs for each year:

bash loop_filter_mcs_tracks_ar_tc.sh

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Calculate MCS Monthly Statistics

These scripts calculate monthly-mean MCS statistics on the native grid:

The ${} are command line inputs, examples:

${config}: 'config_gridrad_conus.yml'

${year}: '2004'

${month}: '6'

${start_date}: '2004-01-01'

${end_date}: '2005-01-01'

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• Calculate monthly MCS precipitation:

python calc_tbpf_mcs_monthly_rainmap_gridrad.py ${config} ${year} ${month}

• Calculate monthly MCS track statistics:

python calc_tbpf_mcs_monthly_statsmap_gridrad.py ${config} ${year} ${month}

• Make slurm tasks for all months:

python make_mcs_monthly_joblib.py ${start_date} ${end_date}

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Analysis Notebooks

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The /Notebooks directory contains Jupyter Notebooks for plotting MCS statistics.

• Plot seasonal & monthly mean MCS precipitation maps:

• Plot warm season mean MCS precipitation maps:

• Compare MCS track statistics between V3 and V2:

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References

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Feng, Z. (2019). Mesoscale convective system (MCS) database over United States. [Dataset]. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.5439/1571643

Knapp, K. R., Diamond, H. J., Kossin, J. P., Kruk, M. C., & Schreck, C. J. I. (2018). International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) Project, Version 4. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.25921/82ty-9e16