Tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall asymmetry is often influenced by vertical wind shear and storm motion. This study examined the effects of environmental vertical wind shear (200-850 hPa) and storm motion on TC rainfall asymmetry over the North Indian Ocean (NIO): the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS). Four TC groups were used in this study: Cyclonic Storm (CS), Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS), Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) and Extreme Severe Cyclonic Storm (ESCS). The Fourier coefficients for wave number-1 was used to analyze the structure of TC rainfall asymmetry. Results show that the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry was predominantly in the downshear left quadrant in the BoB, while it placed to downshear right quadrant in the AS, likely due to the different primary circulation strength of the TC vortex. For the most intense cyclone (ESCS), the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry was in the upshear left quadrant in the BoB, whereas it was downshear right quadrant in the AS. It is evident for both basins that the magnitude of TC rainfall asymmetry declined (increased) with TC intensity (shear strength). This study also examined the collective effects of vertical wind shear and storm motion on TC rainfall asymmetry. Here, the analysis in case of the strong shear environment (>7 m s-1) omitted for the AS because the maximum value for this basin was about 7 m s-1. The result showed that the downshear left quadrant was dominant in the BoB for the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry. In a weak shear environment (<5 m s-1), on the other hand, downshear right quadrant is evident for the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry in the BoB, while it placed dominantly downshear left quadrant in the AS. In the case of motion-relative wavenumber-1, the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry was dominantly downshear for both basins. 相似文献
In this study, the micro- and macro-physical properties, thermal structure and precipitation characteristics of cyclone eye walls and their surrounding spiral clouds were analysed with CloudSat and TRMM data for five tropical cyclones (TCs) in 2013. The results show that the ice-phase clouds of a mature TC are mainly above 5 km. With increasing altitude, the cloud droplet effective radius decreases, and the particle number concentration increases. Ice water content first increases and then decreases with increasing height. In the eye area, in addition to the well-known warm-core area, another warm core is also apparent around the eye at a height of 8 to 15 km. The horizontal distribution of precipitation is characterized by large-scale stratiform precipitation mixed with independent convective precipitation. The height of precipitation is mostly below 7.5 km, and the heavy rain is mainly below 5 km. When the peripheral convective clouds are strong enough, ice particles would be generated, thus providing conditions that are favourable for the formation of precipitation below. 相似文献
Previous studies have recognized reflectivity maxima above the freezing level(RMAF) within stratiform precipitation over mountain slopes, however, quantitative studies are limited due to the lack of adequate identification criteria. Here, we establish an identification method for RMAF precipitation and apply it to the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM) Precipitation Radar(PR) observations. Using the TRMM 2A25 product from 1998 to 2013, we show that the RMAF structure in reflectivity profiles can be effectively identified. RMAF exists not only in stratiform precipitation but also in convective precipitation. RMAF frequency is positively correlated with elevation, which is thought to be caused by enhanced updrafts in the middle layers of stratiform precipitation, or in the low to middle layers of convective precipitation over mountains. The average RMAF heights in stratiform and convective precipitation were 1.35 and 2.01 km above the freezing level, respectively, which is lower than previous results. In addition, our results indicate that the RMAF structure increased the echo top height and enhanced precipitation processes above the RMAF height, but it suppressed the downward propagation of ice particles and the near-surface rain rate. Future studies of orographic precipitation should take into account the impact of the RMAF structure and its relevant dynamic triggers. 相似文献