Abstract
Complex terrain features—in particular, environmental conditions, high population density and potential socio-economic damage—make the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) of particular interest regarding the study of deep convection and related severe weather. In this research, 10 years of Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud observations are combined with Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) rainfall data to characterize the spatio-temporal distribution of deep convective clouds (DCCs) and their relationship to extreme precipitation. From monthly distributions, wet and dry phases are identified for cloud fraction, deep convective cloud frequency and convective precipitation. For both DCC and extreme precipitation events, the highest frequencies align just over the higher elevations of the TMVB. A clear relationship between DCCs and terrain features, indicating the important role of orography in the development of convective systems, is noticed. For three sub-regions, the observed distributions of deep convective cloud and extreme precipitation events are assessed in more detail. Each sub-region exhibits different local conditions, including terrain features, and are known to be influenced differently by emerging moisture fluxes from the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. The observed distinct spatio-temporal variabilities provide the first insights into the physical processes that control the convective development in the study area. A signal of the midsummer drought in Mexico (i.e., “canícula”) is recognized using MODIS monthly mean cloud observations.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilClouds play a key role in global climate regulation
The cloud fraction (CF) distribution represents the average of 10 years by grid point, where 1 means a zone completely covered by clouds and 0 represents a cloud-free region
The primary purpose is to establish the first impression on the cloudy situation in the region and relate these spatio-temporal distributions of clouds to dry and wet seasons
Summary
Clouds play a key role in global climate regulation Their interaction with large-scale atmospheric circulations primarily results from three processes: phase changes, radiative transfer and the turbulent transport of air parcels [1]. The study of these cloud feedbacks is essential to gain a better understanding of the association between atmospheric circulations and the cloudiness that characterizes the weather regimes [2]. Within the extensive diversity of clouds, those associated with strong vertical growth (i.e., towering cumulus/cumulonimbus) are of particular interest In addition to their impact on atmospheric dynamic and thermodynamic processes, even towards climate scales (e.g., [6]), they may affect their local environment in a socio-economic way. These kinds of deep convective clouds (DCCs) can develop into severe storms with associated severe weather patterns such as lightning, large hail, heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding, iations
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