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Abstract. To probe the potential value of a radar-driven field campaign to constrain simulation of isolated convection subject to a strong aerosol perturbation, convective cells observed by the operational KHGX weather radar in the vicinity of Houston, Texas, are examined individually and statistically. Cells observed in a single case study of onshore flow conditions during July 2013 are first examined and compared with cells in a regional model simulation. Observed and simulated cells are objectively identified and tracked from observed or calculated positive specific differential phase (KDP) above the melting level, which is related to the presence of supercooled liquid water. Several observed and simulated cells are subjectively selected for further examination. Below the melting level, we compare sequential cross sections of retrieved and simulated raindrop size distribution parameters. Above the melting level, we examine time series of KDP and radar differential reflectivity (ZDR) statistics from observations and calculated from simulated supercooled rain properties, alongside simulated vertical wind and supercooled rain mixing ratio statistics. Results indicate that the operational weather radar measurements offer multiple constraints on the properties of simulated convective cells, with substantial value added from derived KDP and retrieved rain properties. The value of collocated three-dimensional lightning mapping array measurements, which are relatively rare in the continental US, supports the choice of Houston as a suitable location for future field studies to improve the simulation and understanding of convective updraft physics. However, rapid evolution of cells between routine volume scans motivates consideration of adaptive scan strategies or radar imaging technologies to amend operational weather radar capabilities. A 3-year climatology of isolated cell tracks, prepared using a more efficient algorithm, yields additional relevant information. Isolated cells are found within the KHGX domain on roughly 40 % of days year-round, with greatest concentration in the northwest quadrant, but roughly 5-fold more cells occur during June through September. During this enhanced occurrence period, the cells initiate following a strong diurnal cycle that peaks in the early afternoon, typically follow a south-to-north flow, and dissipate within 1 h, consistent with the case study examples. Statistics indicate that ∼ 150 isolated cells initiate and dissipate within 70 km of the KHGX radar during the enhanced occurrence period annually, and roughly 10 times as many within 200 km, suitable for multi-instrument Lagrangian observation strategies. In addition to ancillary meteorological and aerosol measurements, robust vertical wind speed retrievals would add substantial value to a radar-driven field campaign.

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Hypotheses have been proposed for decades about the effect of activated cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) on delaying the warm rain process, invigorating deep convective cloud vertical development, and enhancing mixed-phase processes. Observational support has been only qualitative with mixed results due to the lack of regional measurements of CCN concentration (N CCN ), while simulations have not produced a robust consensus. Quantitative assessments of these relationships became possible with the advent of N CCN retrievals from satellites; when combined with measurements by polarimetric radar and Lightning Mapping Array (LMA), tracking convective cells observed on radar and examining precipitation properties throughout the cells' life cycle has permitted the study of the impact of N CCN on cloud and precipitation characteristics. We composited more than 2,800 well-tracked cells in the Houston region and stratified them by N CCN , convective available potential energy (CAPE), and urban/rural locations. The results show that increased N CCN invigorates the convection until saturation near N CCN = 1,000 cm 3 ; increasing N CCN from~400 to an optimum of~1,000 cm 3 increases lightning activity by an order of magnitude. A further increase in CCN decreases lightning rates. Adding CAPE enhances lightning only under low N CCN (e.g., less than 500 cm 3 ). The presence of the urban area enhances lightning for similar N CCN concentrations, although this applies mainly under low N CCN conditions. The urban heat island as manifested by cloud base height cannot explain this observation. It is suspected that the urban ultrafine aerosols contribute to the storm electrification.Plain Language Summary Deep convective clouds are propelled by rising air currents and are composed of cloud droplets that nucleate on CCN aerosols. Isolating the effects of CAPE and N CCN on cloud properties has been an unresolved challenge. Tracking the time-height evolution of a large number of individual summer convective storm cells in the Houston area under various CAPE and N CCN shows their relations to the storm's dynamics, precipitation, and electrification processes. The results show that increased N CCN invigorates the convection, produces larger hydrometeors, and enhances lightning. Variability in N CCN was found to be more important than variability in CAPE, cloud base height, and wind shear in explaining the variability of the vigor and electrification of deep convective clouds in the study area.