On the rainfall asymmetry and distribution in tropical cyclones over Bay of Bengal using TMPA and GPM rainfall products

In the present study, we have used TRMM multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) 3B42 and global precipitation mission (GPM): IMERG “precipitation Cal” products to identify and quantify the asymmetry and distribution of rainfall in tropical cyclones formed over Bay of Bengal (BoB). For the period 2010–2013, TMPA products have been made use of and for the period 2014–2017, GPM–IMERG products are used to study the aforementioned features. Overall, 17 cyclones covering 75 events/days ranging from depression to very severe cyclonic stage of the system have been analysed. Our analysis revealed some interesting features on asymmetry, direction of maximum rain-receiving zones, relation of T-number with maximum and total rainfall in rain-receiving areas. The study reveals the direction of rainfall zone is mostly towards west and southwest directions of the storm centre in BoB. This point gains importance in the context of earlier reports, where it is mentioned that the direction of maximum rainfall is in east. The study also infers that the maximum rainfall and total rainfall need not be dependent on the intensity (indicated by T-number). We also attempted to classify the rain-receiving zones, based on both the rainfall-rate window and area covered in each window of rainfall, and a criterion has been proposed. The distribution of rainfall is classified, as sharply falling, slowly falling and nearly constant.