A review of research on the dry season mesoscale meteorology of northern Australia

Abstract

Research on the structure and dynamics of a range of dry-season meteorological phenomena that occur around the Gulf of Carpenteria and parts of the arid interior of Australia is reviewed. These include: undular bores; sea breeze circulations; continental cold fronts in the tropics and subtropics; dry lines; and heat lows or heat troughs. The research was initiated by an expedition mounted in 1979 to gather data on the “Morning Glory”, a spectacular cloud formation that occurs in the Gulf of Carpentaria region. The Morning Glory was found to have the structure of an undular bore. Studies of the other phenomena were stimulated by attempts to understand the origin of southerly Morning Glories. Some outstanding problems that have emerged from the research are discussed.