Macrophysical and Microphysical Characteristics of Convective Rain Cells Observed During SOS‐CHUVA

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we present a methodology to study the properties of convective precipitation in a holistic way. We apply a tracking algorithm to X‐band radar retrievals to store Lagrangian properties of convective rain cells. The height of maximum reflectivity (HZmax) is combined with the vertically integrated water (VIW) to provide a useful parameter space to constrain the microphysical study of the cells. This parameter determines most of the shape of the vertical structure of rain cells, where VIW acts as a modulating factor. Decreases in HZmax are likely associated to enhanced collection processes, which favor growth of reflectivity (Z), differential reflectivity (Zdr), differential attenuation (Kdp), and droplet mean volume diameter (D0). This growth is further favored under higher VIW conditions. By discriminating the microphysical analysis by HZmax and VIW, droplet growth can be analyzed in different types of rain cells and stages of life cycle. Overall, the results presented here can help understand the constraints of the vertical structure of rain cells and microphysical properties from the combination of HZmax and VIW. Contrary to the microphysical retrievals themselves, computations of HZmax and VIW do not depend on dual polarization.