A three-dimensional numerical sensitivity study of convection over the Florida peninsula

The Florida peninsula has the highest annual number of days with thunderstorms in the United States, partly due to sea breeze convergence. A three-dimensional mesoscale planetary boundary layer (PBL) model with the E- turbulence closure is used to investigate the relationship between sea breeze convergence and convection over the peninsula for two ambient wind cases during typical summer days.It is found that the spatial and temporal variation of the sea breeze convergence zones and the associated convective activities depend to a large extent on the direction and magnitude of the ambient wind. For the case of southeasterly ambient winds, a strong convergence zone and hence significant rainfall occur primarily along the west coast of the peninsula. The convergence zone and the associated rainfall shift towards the east coast for the case of southwesterly ambient winds. These are in agreement with the observations. In contrast to the southeasterly and southwesterly ambient winds, an intense convergence zone and rainfall occur near both coastlines of the peninsula under light ambient winds.It is also found that lake Okeechobee has a substantial influence on south Florida's mesoscale weather. A cloudless region is always present over the lake at least until late afternoon due to its own lake breeze circulation. Finally, increased roughness of the land surface appears to influence the temporal and spatial variation of the convection by determining the intensity of the vertical turbulent transport of heat and momentum.     

Numerical Simulations of a Florida Sea Breeze and Its Interactions with Associated Convection: Effects of Geophysical Representation and Model Resolution

The Florida peninsula in the USA has a frequent occurrence of sea breeze(SB)thunderstorms.In this study,the numerical simulation of a Florida SB and its associated convective initiation(CI)is simulated using the mesoscale community Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF)model in one-way nested domains at different horizontal resolutions.Results are compared with observations to examine the accuracy of model-simulated SB convection and factors that influence SB CI within the simulation.It is found that the WRF model can realistically reproduce the observed SB CI.Differences are found in the timing,location,and intensity of the convective cells at different domains with various spatial resolutions.With increasing spatial resolution,the simulation improvements are manifested mainly in the timing of CI and the orientation of the convection after the sea breeze front(SBF)merger into the squall line over the peninsula.Diagnoses indicate that accurate representation of geophysical variables(e.g.,coastline and bay shape,small lakes measuring 10-30 km2),better resolved by the high resolution,play a significant role in improving the simulations.The geophysical variables,together with the high resolution,impact the location and timing of SB CI due to changes in low-level atmospheric convergence and surface sensible heating.More importantly,they enable Florida lakes(30 km2 and larger)to produce noticeable lake breezes(LBs)that collide with the SBFs to produce CI.Furthermore,they also help the model reproduce a stronger convective squall line caused by merging SBs,leading to more accurate locations of postfrontal convective systems.     

On the Nature of the Transition Between Roll and Cellular Organization in the Convective Boundary Layer

Both observational and numerical studies of the convective boundary layer (CBL) have demonstrated that when surface heat fluxes are small and mean wind shear is strong, convective updrafts tend to organize into horizontal rolls aligned within 10–20\(^\circ \) of the geostrophic wind direction. However, under large surface heat fluxes and weak to negligible shear, convection tends to organize into open cells, similar to turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection. Using a suite of 14 large-eddy simulations (LES) spanning a range of \(-z_i/L\) between zero (neutral) and 1041 (highly convective), where \(z_i\) is the CBL depth and L is the Obukhov length, the transition between roll- and cellular-type convection is investigated systematically for the first time using LES. Mean vertical profiles including velocity variances and turbulent transport efficiencies, as well the “roll factor,” which characterizes the rotational symmetry of the vertical velocity field, indicate the transition occurs gradually over a range of \(-z_i/L\); however, the most significant changes in vertical profiles and CBL organization occur from near-neutral conditions up to about \(-z_i/L \approx \) 15–20. Turbulent transport efficiencies and quadrant analysis are used to characterize the turbulent transport of momentum and heat with increasing \(-z_i/L\). It is found that turbulence transports heat efficiently from weakly to highly convective conditions; however, turbulent momentum transport becomes increasingly inefficient as \(-z_i/L\) increases.     

A study of a fair weather boundary layer in TOGA-COARE: Parameterization of surface fluxes in large scale and regional models for light wind conditions

The study focuses on a way to parameterize the effect of subgrid scale convective motions on surface fluxes in large scale and regional models for the case of light surface winds. As previously proposed, these subgrid effects are assumed to scale with the convection intensity through the relationship: where is the mean velocity of the wind, U₀ the velocity of the mean wind, w_* the free convection velocity, and an empirical coefficient to be determined. Both observations and numerical simulation are presently used to determine the free convection coefficient .Large eddy simulation of a fair weather convective boundary layer case observed during TOGA-COARE is performed. Comparisons between observations and the simulation of surface properties and vertical profiles in the planetary boundary layer are presented. The simulated vertical turbulent fluxes of heat, moisture and buoyancy range well within estimates from aircraft measurements.The most important result is that the true free convection coefficient , directly estimated from simulation, leads to a value of 0.65, smaller than the ones estimated from temporal and spatial variances. Using observations and simulation, estimates of from temporal and spatial variances are obtained with similar values 0.8. From both theoretical derivations and numerical computations, it is shown that estimates of the true from variances are possible but only after applying a correction factor equal to 0.8. If this correction is not used, is overestimated by about 25%. The time and space sampling problem is also addressed in using numerical simulations.     

An Optimal Inverse Method Using Doppler Lidar Measurements to Estimate the Surface Sensible Heat Flux

Inverse methods are widely used in various fields of atmospheric science. However, such methods are not commonly used within the boundary-layer community, where robust observations of surface fluxes are a particular concern. We present a new technique for deriving surface sensible heat fluxes from boundary-layer turbulence observations using an inverse method. Doppler lidar observations of vertical velocity variance are combined with two well-known mixed-layer scaling forward models for a convective boundary layer (CBL). The inverse method is validated using large-eddy simulations of a CBL with increasing wind speed. The majority of the estimated heat fluxes agree within error with the proscribed heat flux, across all wind speeds tested. The method is then applied to Doppler lidar data from the Chilbolton Observatory, UK. Heat fluxes are compared with those from a mast-mounted sonic anemometer. Errors in estimated heat fluxes are on average 18 %, an improvement on previous techniques. However, a significant negative bias is observed (on average $-63\,\%$ ) that is more pronounced in the morning. Results are improved for the fully-developed CBL later in the day, which suggests that the bias is largely related to the choice of forward model, which is kept deliberately simple for this study. Overall, the inverse method provided reasonable flux estimates for the simple case of a CBL. Results shown here demonstrate that this method has promise in utilizing ground-based remote sensing to derive surface fluxes. Extension of the method is relatively straight-forward, and could include more complex forward models, or other measurements.     

2018年北京“7.16”暖区特大暴雨特征及形成机制研究

利用京津冀区域加密自动气象站、SA多普勒天气雷达、L波段风廓线雷达、NCEP 0.25° 再分析资料及0.03° 高分辨率地形资料研究了北京2018年7月15—16日暖区特大暴雨特征和形成机制。结果表明:（1）这次暖区特大暴雨发生在副热带高压边缘的暖气团（θ_se高能区）中,无明显冷空气强迫,斜压性弱,有丰沛的水汽,850 hPa以下出现强水汽辐合。（2）暴雨的中尺度对流系统发展有3个过程:带状对流建立和局地强雨团影响、北京北部“列车效应”南部雷暴冷池出流造成对流加强和移动、平原地区线状对流重建。（3）暴雨发生前,低层西南风出现风速脉动,低空急流建立。首先在2500—3500 m高度形成低空急流,2 h后2500 m以下风速显著增大,5 h后急流厚度由边界层伸展到700 hPa。急流出口区降压,低层出现气旋性风场或切变,有利于垂直上升运动发展,触发和加强对流。（4）西南低空急流暖湿输送导致高温、高湿、高能的对流不稳定层结反复重建,这是对流发展加强的重要原因。（5）地面辐合线是对流触发并逐渐组织成带状对流系统的关键影响因素。地面辐合线方向、低空急流轴、回波移动方向三者几乎重叠是造成对流后向传播和“列车效应”的有利条件。（6）太行山和燕山地形对对流触发和暴雨增幅有重要影响。北京最大雨强≥40 mm/h站点中的77.4%位于西南部和东北部200—600 m海拔高度处。偏东风在华北西部太行山局地迎风坡触发对流,西南低空急流在北京北部迎风坡和喇叭口地形处辐合和抬升更为显著,造成局地特大暴雨。      

基于OLR资料的青藏高原地区对流活动研究

本文利用1980～2019年美国NOAA系列卫星观测的向外长波辐射(OLR)月平均资料和欧洲中心ERA5月平均地表热通量资料,研究青藏高原(以下简称高原)地区OLR与对流活动的时空分布及其演变特征,以及地表热通量与高原夏季对流活动之间的关系.结果表明:高原地区平均OLR强度由高原周边地区向中部递减,高原东部OLR低于西...     

Laboratory Experiments on Convective Entrainment Using a Saline Water Tank

Entrainment fluxes in a shear-free convective boundary layer have been measured with a saline water tank set-up. The experiments were targeted towards measuring the entrainment behaviour for medium to high Richardson numbers and use a two-layer design, i.e. two stacked non-stratified (neutral) layers with different densities. With laser induced fluorescence (LIF), the entrainment flux of a fluorescent dye is measured for bulk Richardson numbers in the range 30–260. It is proposed that a carefully chosen combination of top-down and bottom-up processes improves the accuracy of LIF-based entrainment observations. The observed entrainment fluxes are about an order of magnitude lower than reported for thermal water tanks: the derived buoyancy entrainment ratio, $A$ , is found to be $A \approx 0.02$ , which is to be compared with $A\approx 0.25$ for a thermal convection tank (Deardorff et al., J Fluid Mech 100:41–64, 1980). An extensive discussion is devoted to the influence of the Reynolds and Prandtl numbers in laboratory experiments on entrainment.     

Numerical simulation of the diurnal cycle of rainfall in SW Amazon basin during the 1999 rainy season: the role of convective trigger function

In continental areas, the maximum rainfall simulated with the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (BRAMS) occurs around 4?h earlier than the one observed with rain gauges. This work presents the successful implementation of a new convective trigger function (CTF) in the convective parameterization scheme used in BRAMS that corrects this misfit between model and observations. The importance of the CTF formulation on the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the Amazon Basin is reflected by the following numbers: Over Rondonia (SW Amazonia), the original version of BRAMS simulates the maximum rainfall at 1400 UTC (1000 LST), with the new CTF maximum shifting to 1800?UTC (1400?LST), while the S-band radar rainfall maximum is at 1900?UTC (1500?LST). This is attributed to two factors: (1) the new CTF is now coupled to the sensible and latent heat fluxes at surface; (2) during the early morning, the convective available potential energy is reduced.     

Intraseasonal variability in the equatorial Atlantic-West Africa during March–June

Intraseasonal (30–80 days) variability in the equatorial Atlantic-West African sector during March–June is investigated using various recently-archived satellite measurements and the NCEP/DOE AMIP-II reanalysis daily data. The global connections of regional intraseasonal signals are first examined for the period of 1979–2006 through lag-regression analyses of convection (OLR) and other dynamic components against a regional intraseasonal convective (OLR) index. The eastward-propagating features of convection can readily be seen, accompanied by coherent circulation anomalies, similar to those for the global tropical intraseasonal mode, i.e., the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). The regressed TRMM rainfall (3B42) anomalies during the TRMM period (1998–2006) manifest similar propagating features as for the regressed OLR anomalies during 1979–2006. These coherent features hence tend to suggest that the regional intraseasonal convective signals might be mostly a regional response to, or closely associated with the MJO, and probably contribute to the MJO’s global propagation. Atmospheric and surface intraseasonal variability during March–June of 1998–2006 are further examined using the high-quality TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) sea surface temperature (SST), columnar water vapor, and cloud liquid water, and the QuikSCAT oceanic winds (2000–2006). Enhanced (suppressed) convection or positive (negative) rainfall anomalies approximately cover the entire basin (0°–10°N, 30°W–10°E) during the passage of intraseasonal convective signals, accompanied by anomalous surface westerly (easterly) flow. Furthermore, a unique propagating feature seems to exist within the tropical Atlantic basin. Rainfall anomalies always appear first in the northwestern basin right off the coast of South America, and gradually extend eastward to cover the entire basin. A dipolar structure of rainfall anomalies with cross-equatorial surface wind anomalies can thus be observed during this evolution, similar to the anomaly patterns on the interannual time scale discovered in past studies. Coherent intraseasonal variations and patterns can also be found in other physical components.

Convective and Stratiform Cloud Rainfall Estimation from Geostationary Satellite Data

The Bayes Decision (BD) method was used to distinguish the corrective and stratiform components of cloud sys-tems from GMS-4 satellite data. A technique originally developed by Adler and Negri (1988, hereafter abbreviated AN) was improved for estimating the convective and stratiform cloud precipitation areas and rates of cloud systems from GMS satellite imagery. It has been applied to a tropical cyclonic cloud cluster observed over east coast area of China on September 23, 1992, which brought about flood disaster in that region. Overlaid 6-hour surface rainfall ob-servations show that the rainfall areas and amounts match with results from improved AN technique. The successful application of the Adler and Negri’s technique to convective and stratiform clouds provides encouragement for the use of this method over large region of mid-latitude China where radar data are not fully covered.     

A non-hydrostatic modeling study of surface moisture effects on mesoscale convection induced by sea breeze circulation

Summary Convection and subsequent precipitation induced by the sea breeze circulations are often observed in the Florida peninsula during summer. In this study, the mechanisms of initiation and maintenance of the convective clouds and precipitation are investigated. A fully-compressible fine resolution non-hydrostatic mesoscale numerical model is used in this study. Surface energy and moisture budget were included in this model to simulate the diurnal cycle of ground surface temperature and wetness. The model also has a sophisticated boundary layer and explicit cloud physics. A sounding obtained from Orlando, Florida at 1110 UTC 17 July 1991 as part of the Convection and Precipitation Electrification (CaPE) experiment is used for initialization. The initial data for the model is kept in geostrophic and thermal wind balance. Several sensitivity tests were conducted to investigate the effects of different treatments of ground surface moisture and temperature on the model forecast of the convection and precipitation induced by the sea breeze circulations. The simulations agree reasonably well with the observations when both surface energy and moisture budget were included in the model to predict ground surface temperature and wetness. The surface moisture has a significant impact on the formation, strength, sustenance, and the location of convection and precipitation induced by the sea breezes.With 17 Figures     

Daily rainfall domains in Mallorca

Summary A Pearson Product Moment Correlation matrix for four years of daily rainfall from 96 sites on the island of Mallorca has been used to derive and map correlation fields and construct composite correlation fields for different parts of the island based on previously defined daily rainfall affinity areas. Significant variations in rainfall organisation over the island are revealed. These reflect the dominance of uplift and exposure by upland areas in the generation of rainfall, evidenced in strongly anisotropic correlation fields. Further anisotropy along lowland coasts normal to the relief trend indicate the role of local rainfall generation along sea-breeze fronts. Near isotropic fields for central island locations highlight the importance of local convection and local convergence between opposing sea breeze systems and inland convection. Linear correlation distance-decay trends are determined for the island and for the predetermined rainfall affinity areas, including estimates of distance-decay rates along field axes. A suite of exponential cone functions is derived to model the empirically observed fields, representing their typical bidimensional structure. Use of the fitted cones to model a typical rainfall day, where the rainfall distribution mimics quite closely the longer term average, yields quite good results and suggests that their use may be more appropriate than applying more conventional general interpolation techniques in the mapping of spatial rainfall distributions.With 14 Figures     

两次暴雨过程模拟对陆面参数化方案的敏感性研究

选取发生在江西和福建境内的两次暴雨个例,利用NCEP再分析资料在对暴雨发生前、后的环境场和物理量场进行诊断和对比分析的基础上,采用中尺度模式WRF V3.3,通过数值模拟探讨了陆面过程对两次暴雨过程的可能影响及其相关的物理过程。结果表明,2012年5月12日江西大暴雨主要受大尺度环流和中尺度天气系统影响,具有范围大、持续时间长等特点,属于大尺度降水为主的暴雨;而2011年8月23日福建暴雨发生在副热带高压控制下的午后,局地下垫面强烈的感热和潜热通量使低层大气不稳定性增强,触发了此次对流性降水为主的暴雨。通过资料诊断分析,可以判断陆面过程对福建暴雨个例的影响程度明显强于江西暴雨个例。通过关闭地表通量试验发现,陆面过程对暴雨模拟十分重要,尤其是对于该个例中对流性降水的发生起到关键性的作用。通过陆面参数化方案的敏感性试验发现,两次暴雨过程对陆面参数化方案均较为敏感。江西暴雨对陆面过程的敏感性主要体现在对流降水的模拟上,而福建暴雨则体现在大尺度降水的模拟方面,即福建暴雨对陆面参数化方案的敏感性强于江西暴雨。敏感性产生机制与降水类型关系紧密,大尺度降水对陆面过程的敏感性主要来源于不同参数化模拟的中高空对流系统的差异,而对流降水的敏感性则与不同参数化模拟的地表通量的差异有关。通过陆面参数的扰动试验进一步发现,相比于地表粗糙度和最小叶孔阻抗,土壤孔隙度和地表反照率则是影响对流降水对陆面过程敏感的关键因子,这在本质上与地表通量是否受到扰动有关。地表通量较风场而言,受扰动引起变化的空间范围广、时间响应快,变化具有明显规律性。所得结果可为深入理解陆面过程影响暴雨等天气过程和改进数值模式对暴雨的模拟能力提供一定的参考。     

Quantitative Analysis of Meso-β-scale Convective Cells and Anvil Clouds over North China

This paper proposes several quantitative characteristics to study convective systems using observations from Doppler weather radars and geostationary satellites. Specifically, in order to measure the convective intensity of each system, a new index, named the ``Convective Intensity Ratio' (CIR), is defined as the ratio between the area of strong radar echoes at the upper level and the size of the convective cell itself. Based on these quantitative characteristics, the evolution of convective cells, surface rainfall intensity, rainfall area and convectively generated anvil clouds can be studied, and the relationships between them can also be analyzed. After testing nine meso-β-scale convective systems over North China during 2006--2007, the results were as follows: (1) the CIR was highly correlated with surface rainfall intensity, and the correlation reached a maximum when the CIR led rainfall intensity by 6--30 mins. The maximum CIR could be at most ～30 mins before the maximum rainfall intensity. (2) Convective systems with larger maximum CIRs usually had colder cloud-tops. (3) The maximum area of anvil cloud appeared 0.5--1.5 h after rainfall intensity began to weaken. The maximum area of anvil cloud and the time lag between maximum rainfall intensity and the maximum area of anvil cloud both increased with the CIR.     

引发舟曲特大泥石流灾害强降雨过程成因

利用自动气象站观测资料、MTSAT卫星红外亮温资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、AIRS卫星大气温湿资料、MODIS卫星气溶胶光学厚度资料和ECMWF模式预报的地面风、压、温、湿资料,对2010年8月7—8日甘肃省甘南州舟曲县引发特大泥石流灾害的强降雨天气过程的成因进行了天气动力学诊断分析,结果表明:由于地表强烈增温与高空槽后冷空气平流作用,8月7日午后舟曲及其上游 (西北方向) 地区大气不稳定性极强,区域平均对流有效位能 (CAPE) 值为4393 J·kg-1、对流零浮力层 (LNB) 高度达16.54 km;南北气流交汇与局地复杂小地形使得近地面形成多个中小尺度辐合线和辐合中心,于8月7日14:00(北京时) 左右触发了对流的产生;强盛的西北太平洋副热带高压与台风电母之间的偏南气流在23°~30°N纬度带转向西输送水汽直达青藏高原东缘,在高原地形作用下转为向北传输到达舟曲附近区域,为该区域对流发展提供水汽条件;对流云团形成后,在高空西北气流的引导下向东南方向移动,于8月7日夜间到达舟曲地区造成该地区强降雨,引发特大泥石流灾害。     

两次华北冷涡降水成因及预报偏差对比分析

利用多种常规及非常规观测资料、美国国家环境预报中心全球模式业务系统分析资料(NCEP/FNL)以及三家全球确定性模式产品对2017年两次华北冷涡降水过程成因及模式预报偏差进行了对比分析。结果表明;个例1(6月22日)降水回波为层-积混合型,对流发展高度低,小时雨强小,先后经历了持续的稳定降水和弱对流降水两个阶段;个例2(7月6日)降水以积云状对流回波为主,对流发展高度高,短历时强降水特点明显。二者对应的环境场差异较大,前者冷涡处在成熟期,副热带高压位置偏南,前期暖区对流冷池降温明显,对流能量及水汽条件一般;后者冷涡为发展期,副热带高压位置偏北,中低纬相互作用明显,水汽与能量充沛。两次过程北京均出现了暴雨及以上量级降水,对应的中尺度对流系统(MCS)特征、对流触发机制以及对流不稳定能量重建过程存在明显差异。前者为层状云中发展的γ中尺度MCS,边界层偏东风增强为MCS提供了触发机制,中低层偏东风暖湿输送以及对流层高层干冷平流有利于对流不稳定能量重建;后者为组织化的β中尺度MCS,列车效应明显,偏南低空急流及其气旋式切变配合地形为MCS发展提供了抬升条件,对流不稳定能量建立与中低层偏南低空急流强暖湿输送有关。各家数值模式对不同类型冷涡降水的预报偏差特征一致,即对冷涡成熟期的降水,因对动力条件预报过强导致空报降水;而对冷涡发展期的降水,由于对槽前暖区辐合及其对流性降水预报不足导致强降水出现漏报。     

“5.7”广州局地突发特大暴雨中尺度特征及成因分析

2017年5月7日广州局地突发特大暴雨,降水集中爆发于广州北部复杂地形区,单点小时雨量大、强降雨持续时间长。然而降水发生于副热带高压边缘、无明显的低空急流等天气系统配合,为弱强迫背景下的华南前汛期暴雨,加之珠三角地形复杂,其触发和组织维持机制等问题引起了气象科研和预报工作者的广泛关注。针对其降水特点,采用5 min自动气象站观测、分钟雨量、风廓线雷达、葵花8号气象卫星红外等高时空分辨率观测数据探讨中尺度对流系统的触发和组织维持过程,发现:中纬度入海高压南侧偏东风和低层切变系统为珠三角边界层南风风速辐合提供了有利的天气背景,喇叭口地形增强了风速辐合。小尺度地形辐射降温配合城市热岛在山前形成高温度梯度区,山风与南风对峙使地面辐合线在山前移速变慢有助于热带云团的生成。地形阻挡抬升和高温度梯度加强上升运动,南风风速脉动使云团迅速向山前移动,最终对流爆发。以暖云降水为主的对流系统产生弱冷池驱动对流系统连续传播,使强降水回波面积增大并在小尺度地形影响下稳定位于增城附近,产生极端小时雨强;中尺度对流系统的单体移动方向和传播方向近乎相反导致系统移动非常缓慢,后向传播明显,最终导致长时间强降水。      

南海季风区冰相相变潜热对中尺度对流云和降水影响作用的数值模拟研究

利用可分辨云模式及中国南海北部试验区加密探空的平均水平风场、位温场和水汽场模拟分析了1998年5月15日至6月11日中国南海北部地区中尺度对流系统(Mesoscal Convective System,简称MCS)中冰相相变潜热对云和降水、辐射传输以及大尺度环境场的影响作用。研究表明,冰相相变潜热总体上不会引起明显的大气辐射通量的变化,但会引起较明显的下垫面热通量的变化。凝华潜热释放显著地增加了大气稳定度,造成对流和下垫面热通量的减弱,从而导致地面降水减小10.11%。碰冻潜热释放也使得大气稳定度增加,不利于中尺度对流系统对流的发展,区域累积降水量减小2.2%。融化潜热的冷却效应,使得融化层以下的大气降温,从而增加了低层大气的不稳定性,有利于海面热通量的输送,导致MCS降水增加4.1%。因此,冰相相变潜热对降水的影响主要是通过影响大气环境稳定,进而影响洋面感热通量和潜热通量的垂直输送和对流的发展,导致区域降水改变。     

Impact of 4DVAR assimilation of rainfall data on the simulation of mesoscale precipitation systems in a mei-yu heavy rainfall event

The multi-scale weather systems associated with a mei-yu front and the corresponding heavy precipitation during a particular heavy rainfall event that occurred on 4 5 July 2003 in east China were successfully simulated through rainfall assimilation using the PSU/NCAR non-hydrostatic, mesoscale, numerical model （MM5） and its four-dimensional, variational, data assimilation （4DVAR） system. For this case, the improvement of the process via the 4DVAR rainfall assimilation into the simulation of mesoscale precipitation systems is investigated. With the rainfall assimilation, the convection is triggered at the right location and time, and the evolution and spatial distribution of the mesoscale convective systems （MCSs） are also more correctly simulated. Through the interactions between MCSs and the weather systems at different scales, including the low-level jet and mei-yu front, the simulation of the entire mei-yu weather system is significantly improved, both during the data assimilation window and the subsequent 12-h period. The results suggest that the rainfall assimilation first provides positive impact at the convective scale and the influences are then propagated upscale to the meso- and sub-synoptic scales.
Through a set of sensitive experiments designed to evaluate the impact of different initial variables on the simulation of mei-yu heavy rainfall, it was found that the moisture field and meridional wind had the strongest effect during the convection initialization stage, however, after the convection was fully triggered, all of the variables at the initial condition seemed to have comparable importance.