Institute of Atmospheric Physics;
Chinese Academy of Sciences;
Beijing 100029;
Meteorological College;
PLA University of Science and Technology;
Nanjing 211101;
Department of Atmospheric Sciences;
Nanjing University;
Nanjing 210093;
Department of Atmospheric Sciences;
Nanjing University;
Nanjing 210093esoscale research conducted by Chinese meteorologists during the past four years is reviewed. Advances in theoretical studies include (a) mesoscale quasi-balanced and semi-balanced dynamics;
derived through scale analysis and the perturbation method which are suitable for describing mesoscale vortices;
(b) subcritical instability and vortex-sheet instability;
(c) frontal adjustment mechanism and the effect of topography on frontgenesis;
and (d) slantwise vorticity development theories;
the slantwise vortex equation;
and moist potential vorticity (MPV) anomalies with precipitation-related heat and mass sinks and MPV impermeability theorem. Prom the MPV conservation viewpoint;
the transformation mechanism between different scale weather systems is analyzed. Based on the data analysis;
a new dew-point front near the periphery of the West Pacific subtropical high is identified. In the light of MPV theory and Q-vector theory;
some events associated with torrential rain systems and severe storms are analyzed and diagnosed. Progress in mesoscale numerical simulation has been made in the development of meso-α;
meso-βvortices;
meso-γ-scale downbursts and precipitation produced by deep convective systems with MM5 and other mesoscale models.;