The Convective Storm Initiation Project (CSIP)

People: Alan Blyth, Doug Parker, Alan Gadian, Stephen Mobbs, Lindsay Bennett, Barbara Brooks, Ian Brooks, John Marsham and Felicity Perry

Funded by: NERC

Start Date Nov 2004 
End Date Jun 2007

Abstract

The goal of the Convective Storm Initiation Project (CSIP) is to understand the mechanisms responsible for the initiation of precipitating convection in southern England . The flooding event at Boscastle in August 2004 highlights the damage that can be caused by heavy convective precipitation in the UK . The very-high-resolution mesoscale model under continuing development in the Met Office has had some success in predicting the location and intensity of thunderstorms a few hours ahead, although this remains a difficult challenge. One of the largest uncertainties is in modelling the initiation of the convection. The Convective Storm Initiation Project (CSIP), a joint project between UK universities, the Met Office and the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe is designed with this problem in mind: to understand where and how convective clouds form and develop into showers. A major aim of CSIP is to compare the results of the Met Office model with detailed observations of the early stages of convective clouds and to use newly gained understanding to improve the predictions of the model.

Funded by NERC

Start Date: Nov 2004
End Date: June 2007

Links
BADC CSIP pages