A microphysical investigation of different convective cells during the precipitation event with sustained high-resolution observations

The growth and breakup processes of raindrops within a cloud influence the rain intensity and the sizes of raindrops on the surface.The Doppler velocity spectrum acquired by a vertically pointing radar(VPR)contains information on atmospheric turbulence and the size classification of falling hydrometeors.In this study,the four types of Convective Cells(CC)during precipitation events with more than 700 mm of precipitation in southern China are described.The characteristics of four types of CCs correspond to the isolated convection,the early stage,the mature stage,and the decline stage of organizational convection,in that order.Microphysical analysis using retrieval of vertical air motion(Vair)and raindrop evolution in clouds from Doppler velocity spectra collected by C-band VPR revealed the growth and breakup of falling raindrops with dynamic impact.Larger raindrops appear in the early stages and are accompanied by ice particles,which are impacted by the falling path᾽s downdraft.Raindrop aggregation,which is primarily related to the alternation of updraft and downdraft,accounts for the mature stage᾽s high efficiency of surface rainfall.The CCs in the decline stage originate from the shallow uplift in the weak and broad downdraft under conditions of enough water vapor.The updraft dominates the stage of isolated convection.Observations of convective cells could be more accurately represented in model evaluations.

Simulation of Quasi-Linear Mesoscale Convective Systems in Northern China：Lightning Activities and Storm Structure

Two intense quasi-linear mesoscale convective systems（QLMCSs） in northern China were simulated using the WRF（Weather Research and Forecasting） model and the 3D-Var（three-dimensional variational） analysis system of the ARPS（Advanced Regional Prediction System） model.A new method in which the lightning density is calculated using both the precipitation and non-precipitation ice mass was developed to reveal the relationship between the lightning activities and QLMCS structures.Results indicate that,compared with calculating the results using two previous methods,the lightning density calculated using the new method presented in this study is in better accordance with observations.Based on the calculated lightning densities using the new method,it was found that most lightning activity was initiated on the right side and at the front of the QLMCSs,where the surface wind field converged intensely.The CAPE was much stronger ahead of the southeastward progressing QLMCS than to the back it,and their lightning events mainly occurred in regions with a large gradient of CAPE.Comparisons between lightning and non-lightning regions indicated that lightning regions featured more intense ascending motion than non-lightning regions;the vertical ranges of maximum reflectivity between lightning and non-lightning regions were very different;and the ice mixing ratio featured no significant differences between the lightning and non-lightning regions.

Evaluating the Algorithm for Correction of the Bright Band Effects in QPEs with S-, C-and X-Band Dual-Polarized Radars

The bright band, a layer of enhanced radar reflectivity associated with melting ice particles, is a major source of signifi- cant overestimation in quantitative precipitation estimation （QPE） based on the Z-R （reflectivity factor-rain rate） relationship. The effects of the bright band on radar-based QPE can be eliminated by vertical profile of reflectivity （VPR） correction. In this study, we applied bright-band correction algorithms to evaluate three different bands （S-, C- and X-band） of dual-polarized radars and to reduce overestimation errors in Z-R relationship-based QPEs. After the reflectivity was corrected by the algo- rithms using average VPR （AVPR） alone and a combination of average VPR and the vertical profile of the copolar correlation coefficient （AVPR＋CC）, the QPEs were derived. The bright-band correction and resulting QPEs were evaluated in eight precipitation events by comparing to the uncorrected reflectivity and rain-gange observations, separately. The overestimation of Z-R relationship-based QPEs associated with the bright band was reduced after correction by the two schemes for which hourly rainfall was less than 5 mm. For the verification metrics of RMSE （root-mean-square error）, RMAE （relative mean absolute error） and RMB （relative mean bias） of QPEs, averaged over all eight cases, the AVPR method improved from 2.28, 0.94 and 0.78 to 1.55, 0.60 and 0.40, respectively, while the AVPR＋CC method improved to 1.44, 0.55 and 0.30, respectively. The QPEs after AVPR＋CC correction had less overestimation than those after AVPR correction, and similar conclusions were drawn for all three different bands of dual-polarized radars.

Understanding the dynamical-microphysical-electrical processes associated with severe thunderstorms over the Beijing metropolitan region

The Dynamical-microphysical-electrical Processes in Severe Thunderstorms and Lightning Hazards(STORM973)project conducted coordinated comprehensive field observations of thunderstorms in the Beijing metropolitan region(BMR)during the warm season from 2014 to 2018.The aim of the project was to understand how dynamical,microphysical and electrical processes interact in severe thunderstorms in the BMR,and how to assimilate lightning data in numerical weather prediction models to improve severe thunderstorm forecasts.The platforms used in the field campaign included the Beijing Lightning Network(BLNET,consisting of 16 stations),2 X-band dual linear polarimetric Doppler radars,and 4 laser raindrop spectrometers.The collaboration also made use of the China Meteorological Administration’s mesoscale meteorological observation network in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.Although diverse thunderstorm types were documented,it was found that squall lines and multicell storms were the two major categories of severe thunderstorms with frequent lightning activity and extreme rainfall or unexpected local short-duration heavy rainfall resulting in inundations in the central urban area,influenced by the terrain and environmental conditions.The flash density maximums were found in eastern Changping District,central and eastern Shunyi District,and the central urban area of Beijing,suggesting that the urban heat island effect has a crucial role in the intensification of thunderstorms over Beijing.In addition,the flash rate associated with super thunderstorms can reach hundreds of flashes per minute in the central city regions.The super(5%of the total),strong(35%),and weak(60%)thunderstorms contributed about 37%,56%,and 7%to the total flashes in the BMR,respectively.Owing to the close connection between lightning activity and the thermodynamic and microphysical characteristics of the thunderstorms,the lightning flash rate can be used as an indicator of severe weather events,such as hail and short-duration heavy rainfall.Lightning data can also be assimilated into numerical weather prediction models to help improve the forecasting of severe convection and precipitation at the cloud-resolved scale,through adjusting or correcting the thermodynamic and microphysical parameters of the model.