Dependence of mesoscale patterns of Trade-wind clouds on environmental conditions: an investigation using satellite and in-situ observations

Abstract

<p>Trade-wind clouds exhibit a large diversity of spatial organizations at the mesoscale. Over the tropical western Atlantic, a recent study has visually identified four prominent mesoscale patterns of shallow convection, referred to as Flowers, Fish, Gravel and Sugar. By using 19 years of satellite and meteorological data, we show that these four patterns can be identified objectively from satellite observations, and that on daily and interannual timescales, the near-surface wind speed and the strength of the lower-tropospheric stability discriminate the occurrence of the different organization patterns. Moreover, we point out a tight relationship between cloud patterns, low-level cloud amount and cloud-radiative effects. The EUREC4A field study taking place upwind of Barbados in Jan-Feb 2020 offers an opportunity to investigate these relationships from an in-situ and process-oriented perspective. Preliminary results will be discussed.</p>