Surface Mesohighs and Mesolows

Abstract

Abstract Through detailed and remarkably insightful analyses of surface data, Tetsuya Theodore Fujita pioneered modern mesoanalysis, unraveling many of the mysteries of severe storms. In this paper Fujita's contributions to the analysis and description of surface pressure features accompanying tornadic storms and squall lines are reviewed. On the scale of individual thunderstorm cells Fujita identified pressure couplets: a mesolow associated with the tornado cyclone and a mesohigh in the adjacent heavy precipitation area to the north. On larger scales, he found that squall lines contain mesohighs associated with the convective line and wake depressions (now generally called wake lows) to the rear of storms. Fujita documented the structure and life cycles of these phenomena using time–to–space conversion of barograph data. Subsequent investigations have borne out many of Fujita's findings of nearly 50 years ago. His analyses of the surface pressure field accompanying tornadic supercells have been validated...