Search Results (75)

The Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) aboard the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission provides valuable three-dimensional precipitation structure data on a global scale and has been widely used in hydrometeorological research. However, due to its spatial resolution limitations and inherent algorithmic assumptions, the accuracy of GPM precipitation estimates can exhibit systematic biases, especially under complex terrain conditions or in the presence of variable precipitation structures, such as light stratiform rain or intense convective storms. In this study, we evaluated the near-surface precipitation rate estimates from the GPM-DPR Level 2A product using over 1440 min of disdrometer observations collected across China from 2021 to 2023. Based on three years of stable stratiform precipitation data from the Jinghe station, we developed a least squares linear correction model for radar reflectivity. Independent validation using national disdrometer data from 2023 demonstrated that the corrected reflectivity significantly improved rainfall estimates under light precipitation conditions, although improvements were limited for convective events or in complex terrain. To further enhance retrieval accuracy, we introduced a regionally adaptive R–Z relationship scheme stratified by precipitation type and terrain category. Applying these localized relationships to the corrected reflectivity yielded more consistent rainfall estimates across diverse conditions, highlighting the importance of incorporating regional microphysical characteristics into satellite retrieval algorithms. The results indicate that the accuracy of GPM precipitation retrievals is more significantly influenced by precipitation type than by terrain complexity. Under stratiform precipitation conditions, the GPM-estimated precipitation data demonstrate the highest reliability. The correction framework proposed in this study is grounded on ground-based observations and integrates regional precipitation types with terrain characteristics. It effectively enhances the applicability of GPM-DPR products across diverse environmental conditions in China and offers a methodological reference for correcting satellite precipitation biases in other regions. Full article

In this study, the relationship between radar reflectivity and rain rate (Z–R) was investigated. The analysis was conducted using data collected by the OTT Parsivel¹ disdrometer during the periods 2012–2014 and 2019–2025 in Warsaw, Poland. As a first step, the parameters a and b of the power-law Z–R relationship were estimated separately for three precipitation types: rain, sleet (rain with snow), and snow. Subsequently, observational data from all 12 months of the annual cycle were used to derive Z–R relationships for 118 individual precipitation events. To date, only a few studies of this kind have been conducted in Poland. In the analysis limited to rain events, the estimated parameters (a = 265, b = 1.48) showed relatively minor deviations from the classical Z–R function for convective rainfall, Z = 300R^1.4. However, the parameter a deviated more noticeably from the Z = 200R^1.6 relationship proposed by Marshall and Palmer, which is commonly used to convert radar reflectivity into rainfall estimates, including in the Polish POLRAD radar system. The dataset used in this study included rainfall events of varying types, both stratiform and convective, which contributed to the averaging of Z–R parameters. The values for the parameter a in the Z–R relationship estimated for the other two categories of precipitation types, sleet and snow, were significantly higher than those determined for rain events alone. The a values calculated for individual events demonstrated considerable variability, ranging from 80 to 751, while the b values presented a more predictable range, from 1.10 to 1.77. The highest parameter a values were observed during the summer months: June, July, and August. The variability in the Z–R relationship for individual events assessed in this study indicates the need for further research under diverse meteorological conditions, particularly for stratiform and convective precipitation. Full article

Precipitation events have been occurring more frequently in the hyper-arid region of the Taklamakan Desert (TD) under recent climate change. However, in this water-limited environment, the microphysical characteristics of precipitation, as well as their link to rainfall intensity, remain unclear. To address this, this study utilizes dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) data of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite from 2014 to 2023 to analyze the microphysical characteristics of different precipitation types (stratiform and convective) in the TD during the summer. The results show that liquid water path (LWP) is a key factor influencing precipitation type: when LWP is insufficient, stratiform precipitation is more likely to occur (84.1%), while convective precipitation is difficult to occur (15.9%). Microphysical process analysis indicates that in convective precipitation, abundant low-level moisture leads to the growth of liquid particles primarily through the collision–coalescence process (59.7%), resulting in larger raindrop diameters (1.7 mm) and lower concentrations (31.9 mm⁻¹ m⁻³). In contrast, stratiform precipitation, with limited LWP, primarily involves the melting and breaking-up of high-level ice-phase particles, leading to smaller raindrop diameters (1.2 mm) and higher concentrations (34.3 mm⁻¹ m⁻³). The warm rain process plays a significant role in raindrop formation in both types of precipitation. The greater (lesser) the amount of LWP, the larger (smaller) the contribution of collision–coalescence (break-up) processes, and the larger (smaller) the raindrop diameter and precipitation intensity. Full article

Raindrop size distribution (DSD) has an essential effect on rainfall kinetic energy estimation (RKEE) and dual-polarization radar quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE); DSD is a key factor for establishing a dual-polarization radar QPE scheme and RKEE scheme, particularly in mountainous areas. To improve the understanding of seasonal DSD-based RKEE, dual-polarization radar QPE, and the impact of rainfall types and classification methods, we investigated RKEE schemes and dual-polarimetric radar QPE algorithms across seasons and rainfall types based on two classic classification methods (BR09 and BR03) and DSD data from a disdrometer in the Tianshan Mountains during 2020–2022. Two RKEE schemes were established: the rainfall kinetic energy flux–rain rate (KE_time–R) and the rainfall kinetic energy content–mass-weighted mean diameter (KE_mm–D_m). Both showed seasonal variation, whether it was stratiform rainfall or convective rainfall, under BR03 and BR09. Both schemes had excellent performance, especially the KE_mm–D_m relationship across seasons and rainfall types. In addition, four QPE schemes for dual-polarimetric radar—R(K_dp), R(Z_h), R(K_dp,Z_dr), and R(Z_h,Z_dr)—were established, and exhibited characteristics that varied with season and rainfall type. Overall, the performance of the single-parameter algorithms was inferior to that of the double-parameter algorithms, and the performance of the R(Z_h) algorithm was inferior to that of the R(K_dp) algorithm. The results of this study show that it is necessary to consider different rainfall types and seasons, as well as classification methods of rainfall types, when applying RKEE and dual-polarization radar QPE. In this process, choosing a suitable estimator—KE_time(R), KE_mm(D_m), R(K_dp), R(Z_h), R(K_dp,Z_dr), or R(Z_h,Z_dr)—is key to improving the accuracy of estimating the rainfall KE and R. Full article

The bright band (BB) is an important symbol of the ice–water transition zone in stratiform precipitation, and the presence or absence of BB will lead to different microphysical processes. In this paper, the characteristics of BB and precipitation characteristics with and without BB in summer at Tibetan Plateau (TP) as well as Central-eastern China (CEC) are analyzed by using Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) and the fifth generation ECMWF atmospheric reanalysis of the global climates (ERA5) datasets. The results show the freezing level height and BB height in TP are 0.5 km higher than those in CEC. With the increase in rain rate, the BB height decreases in TP but increases in CEC. The BB width becomes wider with the increase in maximum radar reflectivity. Secondly, the maximum reflectivity factor and particle diameter of stratiform precipitation with BB appear at 5 km, while the maximum reflectivity factor of stratiform precipitation without BB and convective precipitation appear near the ground. The particle diameter first decreases and then increases from the cloud top to the ground. Thirdly, the land surface temperature of convective precipitation is about 2.5 °C higher than stratiform precipitation with BB, indicating higher land surface temperatures are more likely to trigger convection. Lastly, BB can lead to a decrease in brightness temperature and an increase in polarized difference at 89 GHZ and 166 GHZ in CEC, likely due to the increasing ice particles in stratiform precipitation with BB. Full article

This study investigates the characteristics of the raindrop size distribution (DSD) for five typhoons that made landfall or passed by Zhejiang on the eastern coast of China, from 2019 to 2022. Additionally, it examines the raindrop shape–slope (µ-Λ) relationship, as well as the local Z-R relationship for these typhoons. The DSD datasets were collected by the DSG1 disdrometer located in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Based on rainfall rate (R), the DSD can be categorized into convective and stratiform rainfall types. Some rainfall parameters can also be derived from the DSDs to further analyze the specific characteristics of rainfall. The histograms of the generalized intercept parameter (log₁₀N_w) exhibit negative skewness in both convective and stratiform rainfall, whereas the histograms of the mass-weighted mean diameter (D_m) of raindrops display positive skewness. During typhoon periods on the eastern coast of China, the DSD characteristic was composed of a lower number concentration of small and midsize raindrops (3.42 for log₁₀N_w, 1.43 mm for D_m in the whole dataset) as compared to Jiangsu in eastern China, Tokyo, in Japan, Miryang, in South Korea, and Thiruvananthapuram in south India, respectively. At the same time, the scatter plots of D_m and log₁₀N_w indicate that the convective rain during typhoon periods exhibits characteristics that are intermediate between “maritime-like” and “continental-like” clusters. Additionally, the raindrop spectra of convective rainfall and midsize raindrops in stratiform rainfall are well-represented by a three-parameter gamma distribution. The µ-Λ relation in this region is similar to Taiwan and Fujian, located along the southeastern coast of China. The Z-R relationship for eastern coastal China during typhoons based on filtered disdrometer data is Z = 175.04R^1.53. These results could offer deeper insights into the microphysical characteristics of different rainfall types along the eastern coast of China and potentially improve the accuracy of precipitation estimates from weather radar observations. Full article

The Tibetan Plateau vortex (TPV), as an α-scale mesoscale weather system, often brings severe weather conditions like torrential rain and severe convective storms. Based on the detections from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory’s Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and the FY-4A satellite’s Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager (AGRI), combined with ERA5 reanalysis data, the precipitation characteristics of a TPV moving eastward during 8–13 July 2021 at different developmental stages are explored in this study. It was clear that the near-surface precipitation rate of the TPV during the initial stage at the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) was below 1 mm·h⁻¹, implying overall weak precipitation dominated by stratiform clouds. After moving out of the TP, the radar reflectivity factor (Ze), precipitation rate, and normalized intercept parameter (dBNw) significantly increased, while the proportion of convective clouds gradually rose. Following the TPV movement, the distribution range and vertical thickness of Ze, mass-weighted mean diameter (Dm), and dBNw tended to increase. The high-frequency region of Ze appeared at 15–20 dBZ, while Dm and dBNw occurred at around 1 mm and 33 mm⁻¹·m⁻³, respectively. Near the melting layer, Ze was characterized by a significant increase due to the aggregation and melting of ice crystals. The precipitation rate of convective clouds was generally greater than that of stratiform clouds, whilst both of them increased during the movement of the TPV. Particularly, at 01:00 on 12 July, there was a significant increase in the precipitation rate and Dm of convective clouds, while dBNw noticeably decreased. These findings could provide valuable insights into the three-dimensional structure and microphysical characteristics of the precipitation during the movement of the TPV, contributing to a better understanding of cloud precipitation mechanisms. Full article

Employing different bands of radar to detect precipitation information in identical regions enables the acquisition of a more comprehensive precipitation cloud structure, thereby refining the continuity and completeness of precipitation measurements. This study first compared the coincident data from CloudSat W-band cloud profiling radar (CPR) and Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) Ka-band precipitation radar (KaPR) from 2014 to 2017, and then a synthesis of the radar reflectivity from CPR and KaPR was attempted to obtain a complete cloud and precipitation structure. The findings of the reflectivity comparisons indicated that the echo-top height identified by CPR is on average 3.6 to 4.2 km higher than that from KaPR, due to the higher sensitivity. Because of strong attenuation of CPR by liquid-phase particles, the reflectivity below the height of the melting layer usually shows an opposite gradient to KaPR with decreasing altitude. The difference in the near-surface rain rates of CPR and KaPR was found to be related to reflectivity gradients in the vertical direction, and the larger the reflectivity gradients, the greater the differences in near-surface rain rates. For better representing the complete vertical structure of precipitation clouds and improving the consistency of the reflectivity and precipitation rate, the radar reflectivity was weighted, synthesized from CPR and KaPR based on the gradient difference of the reflectivity from the two radars. We presented the synthesis results for a stratiform cloud and a deep convective case, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (r_s) between the GPM combined radiometer precipitation rate and the radar reflectivity was utilized to analyze the performance of the synthesis. The consistency between synthesized reflectivity and precipitation rate in the non-liquid phase was improved compared with KaPR, and the r_s of the ice and mixed phases was increased by about 12% and 10%, respectively. Full article

Based on the high-resolution data from April to October (the warm season) during the 2010 to 2020 timeframe provided by the FY-2F geostationary meteorological satellite, the classification and application evaluation of the eastward-moving southwest vortex cloud system affecting Zhejiang Province was conducted using cloud classification (CLC) and black body temperature (TBB) products. The results show that: (1) when the intensity of the eastward-moving southwest vortex is strong, the formed precipitation is predominantly regional convective precipitation. The cloud system in the center and southeast quadrant of the southwest vortex is dominated by cumulonimbus and dense cirrus clouds with convective precipitation, while the other quadrants are mainly composed of stratiform clouds, resulting in stable precipitation; (2) The original text is modified as follows: By using the TBB threshold method to identify stratiform and mixed cloud rainfall, we observed a deviation of one order of magnitude. This deviation is advantageous for moderate rain. However, the precipitation results from mixed clouds identified by the TBB threshold method are being overestimated; By means of the application of stratiform and mixed cloud rainfall identified by the TBB threshold method, an order of magnitude deviation was identified (3) The TBB can be consulted to estimate the precipitation, above which there is a large error. Moreover, the dispersion of precipitation produced by deep convective clouds is the largest, while the dispersion of precipitation produced by stratiform clouds is the smallest and has better predictability. Compared to CLC products, cloud type results based on TBB identification are better for convective cloud precipitation application. Full article

This study selected three heavy-rainfall events of different types in Taiwan’s Mei-yu season for high-resolution simulations at a grid size of 1 km and assessed the model’s capability to reproduce their morphology and characteristics. The three cases include a pre-frontal squall line, a mesoscale convective system (MCS) embedded in southwesterly flow, and a local convection near the front in southern Taiwan during the South-West Monsoon Experiment (SoWMEX) in 2008, chosen mainly because of the availability of the S-band polarimetric (S-Pol) radar observations, and especially the particle identification results. The simulations using the Cloud-Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS) could reproduce all three corresponding rainfall systems at roughly the correct time and location, including their kinematic structures such as system-relative flows with minor differences, although the cells appeared to be coarser and wider than the S-Pol observations. The double-moment cold-rain microphysics scheme of the model could also capture the general distributions of hydrometeors, such as heavy rainfall below the updraft core with lighter rainfall farther away below the melting level, and graupel and mixed-phase particles in the upper part of the updraft with snow and ice crystals in stratiform areas between updrafts above the melting level. Near the melting level, the coexistence of rain and snow corresponds to wet snow in the observations. Differences in cloud characteristics in the events are also reflected in the model results to some extent. Overall, the model’s performance in the simulation of hydrometeors exhibits good agreement with the observation and appears reasonable. Full article

Understanding the characteristics of the raindrop size distribution (DSD) is crucial to improve our knowledge of the microphysical processes of precipitation and to improve the accuracy of radar quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). In this study, the spatial variability of DSD in different regions of Beijing and its influence on radar QPE are analyzed using 11 disdrometers. The DSD data are categorized into three regions: Urban, suburban, and mountainous according to their locations. The DSD exhibits evidently different characteristics in the urban, suburban, and mountain regions of Beijing. The average raindrop diameter is smaller in the urban region compared to the suburban region. The average rain rate and raindrop number concentration are lower in the mountainous region compared to both urban and suburban regions. The difference in DSD between urban and suburban regions is due to the difference in DSD for the same precipitation types, while the difference in DSD between mountain and plains (i.e., urban and suburban regions) is the combined effect of the convection/stratiform ratio and the difference of DSD for the same precipitation types. Three DSD-based polarimetric radar QPE estimators were retrieved and estimated. Among these three QPE estimators, R(Z_H), R(K_dp), and R(K_dp, Z_DR), R(K_dp, Z_DR) performs best, followed by R(K_dp), and R(Z_H) performs worst. R(K_dp) is more sensitive to the representative parameters, while R(Z_H) and R(K_dp, Z_DR) are more sensitive to observational error and systematic bias (i.e., calibration). Full article

The northeastern China cold vortex (NCCV) is the main weather system affecting Northeast China. Based on the precipitation products from the dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) onboard the Global Precipitation Measurement core observatory (GPM) satellite, the precipitation structures and microphysical properties for different rain types in 6432 NCCVs from 2014 to 2019 were studied using dynamic composite analysis. Our results show that the precipitation in NCCVs is dominated by stratiform precipitation. Regions with high stratiform and convective precipitation frequency have a comma shape. The growth mechanism of precipitation particles changes at ~4 km in altitude, the lower particles grow through collision (more pronounced in convective precipitation), and the upper hydrometeors grow through the Bergeron process. Additionally, the precipitation structures and microphysical properties exhibit great regional variations in NCCVs. The rainfall for all rain types is the strongest in the southeast region within an NCCV, mainly characterized by higher near-surface droplet concentration, while precipitation events occur more frequently in the southeast region for all rain types. There are active rimming growth processes above the melting layer for convective precipitation in the western region of an NCCV. In the southeast region of an NCCV, the collision growth of droplets in both types of precipitation is the most obvious. Full article

This study analyzes the different impacts of autoconversion of cloud droplets to raindrops (ACR) in a Meiyu front rainfall event by comparing two simulations using different parameterizations (KK00 and LD04) in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The Meiyu frontal clouds are further classified into stratiform and deep-convective cloud categories, and the precipitation and microphysical characteristics of the two simulations are compared with a budget analysis of raindrops. The simulated precipitation, radar composite reflectivity distribution, and rain rate evolution are overall consistent with observations while precipitation is overestimated, especially in the rainfall centers. The intensity and vertical structure of the ACR process between the two simulations are significantly different. The ACR rate in LD04 is larger than that in KK00 and there are two peak heights in LD04 but only one in KK00. Accretion of droplets by raindrops (CLcr), melting of ice-phase particles (ML), evaporation of raindrops (VDrv), and accretion of raindrops by ice-phase particles (CLri) are the dominant pathways to raindrop production. Limited distributional differences can be found in both the deep-convective and stratiform clouds between the two simulations during the growth stage of the Meiyu event. Stronger ACR in LD04 results in less cloud droplet content (Lc), more raindrop content (Lr), and larger raindrop number concentration (Nr) and the effect of ACR on Nr is greater than that on Lr. The ACR process also impacts other microphysical processes indirectly, and the influences vary in the two cloud categories. Less CLcr (especially), ML, and VDrv content, caused by stronger ACR, lead to less raindrop production in the LD04 deep-convective clouds, which is different from stratiform clouds, and finally correct the overestimated rainfall center to better match the observations. Full article

In this study, we investigated the changing characteristics of climatic scale (monthly) tropical extreme precipitation in warming climates using the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM). The results are from Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP)-type simulations driven by (a) a control experiment with the present-day sea surface temperature (SST) and CO₂ concentration, (b) P4K, the same as in (a) but with a uniform increase of 4K in the SST globally, and (c) the same as in (a), but with an imposed SST and CO₂ concentration from the outputs of the coupled E3SM forced by a 4xCO₂ concentration. We found that as the surface warmed under P4K and 4xCO₂, both convective and stratiform rain increased. Importantly, there was an increasing fractional contribution of stratiform rain as a function of the precipitation intensity, with the most extreme but rare events occurring preferentially over land more than the ocean, and more so under 4xCO₂ than P4K. Extreme precipitation was facilitated by increased precipitation efficiency, reflecting accelerated rates of recycling of precipitation cloud water (both liquid and ice phases) in regions with colder anvil cloud tops. Changes in the vertical profiles of clouds, condensation heating, and vertical motions indicate increasing precipitation–cloud–circulation organization from the control and P4K to 4xCO₂. The results suggest that large-scale ocean warming, that is, P4K, was the primary cause contributing to an organization structure resembling the well-known mesoscale convective system (MCS), with increased extreme precipitation on shorter (hourly to daily) time scales. Additional 4xCO₂ atmospheric radiative heating and dynamically consistent anomalous SST further amplified the MCS organization under P4K. Analyses of the surface moist static energy distribution show that increases in the surface moisture (temperature) under P4K and 4xCO₂ was the key driver leading to enhanced convective instability over tropical ocean (land). However, a fast and large increase in the land surface temperature and lack of available local moisture resulted in a strong reduction in the land surface relative humidity, reflecting severe drying and enhanced convective inhibition (CIN). It is argued that very extreme and rare “record-breaking” precipitation events found over land under P4K, and more so under 4xCO₂, are likely due to the delayed onset of deep convection, that is, the longer the suppression of deep convection by CIN, the more severe the extreme precipitation when it eventually occurs, due to the release of a large amount of stored surplus convective available potential energy in the lower troposphere during prolonged CIN. Full article

Recent upgrades to China’s radar network now allow for polarimetric measurements of convective systems in central China, providing an effective data set with which to evaluate the microphysics schemes employed in local squall line simulations. We compared polarimetric radar variables derived by Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and radar forward models and the corresponding hydrometeor species with radar observations and retrievals for a severe squall line observed over central China on 16 March 2022. Two microphysics schemes were tested and were able to accurately depict the contrast between convective and stratiform regions in terms of the drop size distribution (DSD) and reproduce the classical polarimetric signatures of the observed differential reflectivity (Z_DR) and specific differential phase (K_DP) columns. However, for the convective region, the simulated DSDs in both schemes exhibited lower proportions of large drops and lower liquid water content; by contrast, for the stratiform region, the proportion of large drops was found to be too high in the Morrison (MORR) scheme. The underprediction of ice-phase processes in the convective region, particularly the riming processes associated with graupel and hail, was likely responsible for the bias toward large raindrops at low levels. In the stratiform region, raindrop evaporation in the WRF Double-Moment 6-Class (WDM6) scheme, which partially offsets the overestimation of ice-phase processes, produced ground DSDs that more closely matched the observational data, and did not exhibit the overly strong warm-rain collisional growth processes of MORR. Full article