Preliminary investigations on convective storm initiation and evolution in the Alpine region

The complex orography of the Alpine area exerts a significant influence on the convective process. However, many aspects, particularly those related to the initiation and evolution of convection, are still poorly understood, especially in the context of climate change, where the projections seem to be directed at sustaining a future amplification of storms at the local scale.  

This PhD research project aims to analyse the thunderstorms in the Alps, with a particular focus on the Trentino-South Tyrol region, looking at changes registered in the last few decades. One of the main tasks is to develop a robust climatology of convective triggering using data from the C-band meteorological radar located on Mount Macaion, supplemented with data from ground meteorological stations and satellite observations. To reinforce the analysis the MASHA technique developed by Laviola et al. (2025, in submission) will also be used. MASHA is a hybrid advanced satellite technique capable of detecting the hail-bearing convection developing in the Mediterranean basin every 5 min at very high spatial resolution (3-5 km). 

This research is part of the broader TIM (Thunderstorm Intensification from Mountains to Plains) project promoted by ESSL, intending to improve the understanding of convective phenomena in mountain environments and their implications for impact prediction and mitigation.