Simulation of convection over the ocean in the region of the intertropical convergence zone

A parameterization scheme for the simulation of midlatitude convective structure is incorporated into a three-dimensional hydrostatic mesoscale model using data from GATE 1974. The scheme gives realistic space extension and evolution time scales of tropical cloud clusters. The rainfall computed in the model agrees with the magnitude of the radar rainfall. According to the treatment of the microphysics, considerable differences in the microphysical and dynamical evolution of the clouds, but no considerable changes in the final mean vertical profiles after precipitation are found.