mesoscale
Between local, synoptic
Mesoscale refers to atmospheric phenomena intermediate between large weather systems and local conditions—roughly 10 to 1,000 kilometers.
Thunderstorm complexes, sea breezes, and lake-effect snow operate at the mesoscale.
The term appears in meteorology and oceanography: mesoscale convective systems, mesoscale eddies.
More broadly, mesoscale describes any middle-range spatial scale between micro and macro.
Heat transfer via motion
- mesocycloneRotating updraft in supercells
- supercellRotating severe thunderstorm
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
- squallBrief, violent windstorm
derecho · microburst · downburst · downdraft · updraft · vortex · shear · instability
Circular counter-current
- upwellingDeep water rising surfaceward
- downwellingFluid sinking from surface
- thermoclineRapid temperature-change layer
- gyreCircular or spiral motion
currents · fronts · salinity · turbidity · phytoplankton · zooplankton · chlorophyll · nutrient
Natural geographic features
- watershedsRegions draining to outlets
- valleysLow areas between hills
- basinsConcave water containers
- plateausElevated flat terrain
escarpments · terrain · topography · ecoregions · geomorphology · hydrology · drainage · catchment
convection
Heat transfer via motion
- mesocycloneRotating updraft in supercells
- supercellRotating severe thunderstorm
- thunderstormViolent weather with lightning
squall · derecho · microburst · downburst · downdraft · updraft · vortex · shear · instability · outflow
eddy
Circular counter-current
- upwellingDeep water rising surfaceward
- downwellingFluid sinking from surface
- thermoclineRapid temperature-change layer
gyre · currents · fronts · salinity · turbidity · phytoplankton · zooplankton · chlorophyll · nutrient · biomass
landforms
Natural geographic features
- watershedsRegions draining to outlets
- valleysLow areas between hills
- basinsConcave water containers
plateaus · escarpments · terrain · topography · ecoregions · geomorphology · hydrology · drainage · catchment · ridgelines
mesoscalemicroscale
At micrometer dimensions
macroscale · nanoscale · microscopic · global · synoptic
scale, scales, upscale, scaling, scaled, microscopic, downscale, macrocosm, scalable