Tcrain – A Database of Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Products for North Indian Ocean

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Analysis of tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall characteristics helps in understanding and improving quantitative precipitation forecasts of TCs. Based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) rainfall data for the period of 2000-2010, a TC rainfall database -Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Analysis for North Indian Ocean (TCRAIN) is developed to study the precipitation characteristics during various stages of life cycle of TCs of the North Indian Ocean (NIO). Three rainfall products, viz., frequency distribution of rain rate, azimuthally averaged radial profile of rain rate and quadrant mean rain rate with respect to the TC centre and the direction of motion of the TC are generated in a Lagrangian frame of coordinate system for 5 intensity stages of life cycle of each cyclone over NIO. Using this TCRAIN database, composites of frequency distribution of rain rates as well as quadrant mean rain rate for TCs of NIO are generated to bring out probable rain rates and asymmetric structure in rainfall distribution. Rainfall profiles for individual cases are likely to deviate from the climatological profiles under different environmental and oceanic conditions. TCRAIN database would serve as a useful tool for carrying out intensity based analytical studies on structure of rainfall associated with cyclones of NIO through ready depiction of TC rainfall profiles. Keywords: tropical cyclone, rainfall, radial profile, quadrant mean, TCRAIN