Atmospheric convection in which the phase changes of water play an appreciable role. All cumuliform clouds are manifestations of moist convection. The enthalpy exchange between condensing water vapor
or freezing liquid water and air (see latent heat) is a major contributor to the positive buoyancy of updrafts, while the reverse exchange between air and evaporating water or melting ice contributes strongly to the negative buoyancy of downdrafts.
The development of an area in the boundary layer (e.g., often observed on surface or 850-mb charts) where moisture values become higher than in the surrounding region. Moisture pooling typically occur
s in an area of low-level convergence during the warm (growing) season, and can have a significant effect on convection initiation and evolution.
Molasse refers to the sandstones, shales and conglomerates formed as terrestrial or shallow marine deposits in front of rising mountain chains deposited in a foreland basin, especially on top of flysc
h, for example that left from the rising Alps, or erosion in the Himalaya. These deposits are typically the non-marine alluvial and fluvial sediments of lowlands, as compared to deep-water flysch sediments. Sedimentation stops once the orogeny stops, or once the mountains have eroded flat. [Wikipedia]