Vertical Structures of Typical Meiyu Precipitation Events Retrieved From GPM‐DPR

Abstract

This work for the first time analyzed the vertical structures of the different stages of Meiyu precipitation systems over the Yangtze-Huai River Valley in central China using measurements and retrievals from the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (GPM-DPR) and Feng Yun satellites. GPM-DPR-retrieved near-surface rain and drop size distributions were first validated against the surface disdrometer measurements and showed good agreement. Then we analyzed three cases from the Integrative Monsoon Frontal Rainfall Experiment to demonstrate the different characteristics of convective precipitation and stratiform precipitation (SP) in the developing, mature, and dissipating stages of the Meiyu precipitation systems, respectively. For statistical analysis, all Meiyu cases during the period 2016-2018 detected by GPM-DPR were collected and classified into different types and stages.In the stratiform regions of Meiyu precipitation systems, coalescence slightly overwhelms breakup and/or evaporation processes, but it was dominant in the convective regions when raindrops fall. There were large numbers of large ice particles during the developing stage due to strong updrafts and abundant moisture, whereas there were both large ice and liquid particles in the mature stage. The vertical structures of the SP examined in this study were similar to those over the ocean regions due to high relative humidity but different to the mountainous west regions of the USA. The findings of the stage-dependent SP vertical structures provide better understanding of the evolution of monsoon frontal precipitation, as well as the associated microphysical properties, and provide insights to improve microphysical parameterization in future models.

A Heavy Precipitation Event in the Yangtze River Basin Led by an Eastward Moving Tibetan Plateau Cloud System in the Summer of 2016

“…By combining satellite observations, soundings, and reanalysis data, we have investigated the meteorological triggers and cloud microphysics of a heavy rainfall event over the Yangtze River Basin in 2016. In contrast to previous studies of this heavy rainfall event, which were from the perspective of climate (C. Zhou et al, 2018), flood prevention (Cheng et al, 2018), high-resolution simulations (P. Li et al, 2019), and life stage of Meiyu precipitation (Sun et al, 2020), we have focused on observations of the precipitation vertical structure and droplet size distributions before and after the system moving out of the Tibetan Plateau, which are essential for the realistic simulation of such events (D. Zhang et al, 1994). The main conclusions of this work are as follows.…”

“…Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres by the southwesterly airflow, which brought more particles, and the light particles were lifted higher by the upward movement. The shape of dBN w profile in Case 2 is similar to those of stratiform precipitation over the eastern China (A. and central China (Sun et al, 2020), while dBN w profile in Case 1 shows many differences with them.…”

“…Recently, Sun et al (2020) analyzed near-surface rain, drop size distributions, and vertical structures of Meiyu precipitation systems by classifying them into developing, mature, and dissipating stages, but the effect of the Tibetan Plateau on these parameters is still unknown. This paper focuses on the meteorological triggers and cloud microphysics of this heavy rainfall event in the first stage (the evolution of the heavy rainfall).…”

Identification and characteristics analysis of Meiyu in Anhui Province based on the National Standard of Meiyu monitoring indices

“…It is also the basis of drought disaster risk analysis. Characteristic analysis of precipitation is very important for flood control (Sun et al 2020) and drought relief work.…”

Cloud and Precipitation Properties of MCSs Along the Meiyu Frontal Zone in Central and Southern China and Their Associated Large‐Scale Environments

“…Though characteristics of Meiyu precipitation have been extensively studied using observational data from various perspectives (Cui et al, 2016; Sun et al, 2019; Wang, Dong, Deng, et al, 2019; Xu et al, 2009; Yin et al, 2009; Yu et al, 2007; Zhou et al, 2008), few studies have focused on the impact of precipitation produced specifically by MCSs due to a lack of reliable high‐resolution rainfall data and techniques required to distinguish MCSs from other precipitating systems. While several studies (Ai et al, 2016; He et al, 2016, 2017; Meng et al, 2013; Yang et al, 2015, 2019; Zheng et al, 2013) have been carried out to investigate the MCSs' properties over central and eastern China, none of these studies have separated Meiyu MCSs from non‐Meiyu MCSs.…”