<p>MFC can be employed to detect frontal structures and possible storms, which can be related with high values of MFC, which means convection of winds with high quantity of moisture...</p>

<p>In a field map, you will be able to identify fronts as structures with high values of MFC. Try to plot along with pressure field for better understanding if you are able to.</p>

<p>Find more info here:
<strong><a href="http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/banacos/mfc-sls.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/banacos/mfc-sls.pdf</a></strong> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-14T20:39:36.407Z
Please elaborate your answer a bit more
arkaia
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-01T17:55:20.927Z
@JaimeHernandes, this is a good remark. In the publication you cited, the authors, at some point, show that MFC is an approximation for precipitation. But what do you do with the negative values of MFC (divergence)? How can you deal with the negative rain?
ouranos
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-14T16:23:07.610Z
2017-02-15T08:27:50.550Z
2017-02-15T08:27:50.550Z
Jaime Hernandez
<p>The meteorological application of vertically integrated moisture flux convergence (MFC) is very well explained by Banacos and Schultz (2004), so I will not repeat their words.</p>

<p>But in general words, MFC (only the divergence term, times -1) may be used to estimate precipitation, assuming that local variations of moisture are mainly due to advection and evaporation is nearly null in regions of substantial precipitation and/or saturated air.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-28T14:03:47.547Z
2017-06-28T14:03:47.547Z
ouranos
<p>I have a time series of moisture flux convergence. The values show positive and negative. What are these positive and negative values say? Can somebody help me how to interpret it? How it is related to precipitation? </p>

<p>Whether positive values shows week precipitation and negative values shows strong precipitation?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-14T10:34:49.590Z
Could you add a bit more context?  I would suppose that one sign means convergence whereas the other means divergence.
gerrit
<atmosphere><atmosphere-modelling><precipitation><moisture-flux>
How to interpret the values of moisture flux convergence?
Kay
# How to interpret the values of moisture flux convergence?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-14)

I have a time series of moisture flux convergence. The values show positive and negative. What are these positive and negative values say? Can somebody help me how to interpret it? How it is related to precipitation?

Whether positive values shows week precipitation and negative values shows strong precipitation?

**Tags:** atmosphere, atmosphere-modelling, precipitation, moisture-flux

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Could you add a bit more context?  I would suppose that one sign means convergence whereas the other means divergence.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-02-14. Score: 2

MFC can be employed to detect frontal structures and possible storms, which can be related with high values of MFC, which means convection of winds with high quantity of moisture...

In a field map, you will be able to identify fronts as structures with high values of MFC. Try to plot along with pressure field for better understanding if you are able to.

Find more info here:
**<http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/banacos/mfc-sls.pdf>**

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Please elaborate your answer a bit more  
> **username_4**: @JaimeHernandes, this is a good remark. In the publication you cited, the authors, at some point, show that MFC is an approximation for precipitation. But what do you do with the negative values of MFC (divergence)? How can you deal with the negative rain?  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-06-28. Score: 0

The meteorological application of vertically integrated moisture flux convergence (MFC) is very well explained by Banacos and Schultz (2004), so I will not repeat their words.

But in general words, MFC (only the divergence term, times -1) may be used to estimate precipitation, assuming that local variations of moisture are mainly due to advection and evaporation is nearly null in regions of substantial precipitation and/or saturated air.


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