Rainstorm structure of a supercell cloud occurred in Chongqing in May 2018 measured by GPM DPR and GMI

Abstract

The knowledge of the echo structure of precipitation generated by supercell cloud is still limited. In this study by using measurements of the GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) DPR (Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar) and GMI (GPM Microwave Imager), combined with observations by the thermal infrared channel of FY-4 (Fengyun-4), a stationary satellite, and temperature/humidity/wind observations by atmospheric sounding, as well as reanalysis data issued by the European Weather Forecast Centre, the vertical cross-section and two-dimensional probability density distribution of radar echoes for a supercell cloud occurred near Chongqing in May 2018 were analyzed. The results show that the supercell cloud system is caused by the convergence of a cold airmass moving from northwest to southeast and a warm-humid airmass. There are subscale systems of convective precipitation and layered precipitation in supercell cloud, which induced strong precipitation located at the junction of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and Sichuan Basin to the southwest of the basin. There are many ice phase particles in the supercell cloud. The echo top height of convective precipitation is more than 12 km, and the maximum echo intensity is mostly located 4~5 km above the ground. Convective precipitation has higher precipitation particle concentration than stratiform precipitation, and its particle size is smaller than the latter. The particle size of convective precipitation increases obviously with the decrease of the height, which reflects the obvious collision and growth process of these particles.

Keywords

• supercell cloud
• gpm dpr
• echo structure of precipitation
• particle spectrum
• particle size