Universal evolution mechanisms and energy conversion characteristics of long‐lived mesoscale vortices over the Sichuan Basin

The mesoscale southwest vortices (SWVs) over the Sichuan Basin during the summer of 2000–2013 were detected and tracked based on a high‐resolution reanalysis data and station observations. Four types of SWV were classified according to dynamical and thermodynamical standards, and their main features were compared. This study presents the first analysis of the universal evolution mechanisms and energy conversion characteristics of long‐lived SWVs by using the vorticity and kinetic energy budgets, as well as a new composite method under a normalized polar coordinate. Also, this study is the first work to reveal the three‐dimensional shape of SWVs.