Vertical motions of the tropical convective cloud spectrum over Darwin, Australia

Abstract

However, stratiform rain regions associated with larger near-surface reflectivities (and thus rain rates) have stronger mesoscale up-and downdraughts than weaker stratiform rain regions. Anvil cloud with little or no rain near the surface also exhibits mesoscale up-and downdraughts, but the vertical velocity profile is shifted up in height by at least 2 km. In addition, anvil updraughts were only 20-50% of the magnitudes in the stratiform rain region. Overall, the vertical motion statistics were similar across the pre-, active and suppressed monsoon periods. The vertical velocity distributions for each cloud type were also generally consistent with the reflectivity distributions (i.e. the strongest updraughts were often linked to the largest reflectivities), allowing for some linkages between the dynamical and microphysical cloud properties. For example, strong updraughts above the 0 • C level in deep convection are associated with strongly sloping reflectivity profiles supporting the importance of cold rain growth processes, and stronger vertical motions are associated with stratiform rain that has a robust bright band.

Convective cloud vertical velocity and mass‐flux characteristics from radar wind profiler observations during GoAmazon2014/5

“…As from Figure , we find that mass flux profiles for these congestus (dashed lines) are roughly half the values found for deeper clouds (solid lines) at the heights where both sets of clouds are available. One interpretation is that mean congestus updrafts are not substantially weaker at these altitudes, perhaps in contrast to findings from Schumacher et al []. However, it is likely that simple ETH threshold methods may also be partially influenced by catching only the peripheries (chording) of deeper clouds, or not effective at isolating congestus from growing deep cumulus cloud behaviors.…”

“…Although aircraft studies provide reliable measurements, the cost and practical hazards for flight operations in deeper convective cells limit the availability of these data sets. Recently, radar wind profilers (RWP) have emerged as a less expensive and safer alternative to aircraft studies [e.g., Battan and Theiss , ; May and Rajopadhyaya , ; Williams , ; Giangrande et al , ; Schumacher et al , ; Kumjian et al , ]. Recent profiler upgrades have enabled the collection of vertical velocity measurements at sufficient temporal and vertical resolution for convective core studies.…”

The Green Ocean: Precipitation Insights from the GoAmazon2014/5 Experiment

“…Since BR was developed using a Darwin monsoonal dataset, we anticipate that study included modest convective diversity into congestus clouds, maritime continental and deeper convective 25 properties (those supporting additional graupel growth). Darwin may exhibit even more intense 'Break' (e.g., more continental characteristics) convective cell periods and associated DSD changes interspersed with maritime tropical 'Active' monsoonal conditions than observed from Amazon convection (e.g., May and Ballinger, 2007;Dolan et al, 2013;Schumacher et al, 2015;Giangrande et al, 2014aGiangrande et al, , 2016b. However, it appears use of BR would minimize the contributions from congestus or shallower organized convective precipitation found under Amazon conditions.…”

Characteristics of vertical air motion in isolated convective clouds

“…Remote sensing by means of, for example, wind profiling radars is another technique that has often been used in recent years for studying the vertical velocity in convective clouds (e.g., Kollias and Albrecht, 2010;Hogan et al, 2009;Giangrande et al, 2013;Schumacher et al, 2015). Using profiler data, May and Rajopadhyaya (1999) analyzed the vertical velocity in deep convections near Darwin, Australia.…”