Study of Relative Humidity Vertical Distribution Characteristics before Precipitation by Microwave Radiometer Data over Southeast China

Abstract

We investigated the relative humidity (RH) vertical distribution characteristics before precipitation using microwave radiometer measurements over southeast China in 2021. The superposed epoch method is used to analyze the profile and vertical statistical characteristics and evolution of RH during precipitation events. There is a shallow, high-humidity area on the ground, with a thickness of about 0.1–0.2 Km, from 12 to 8 h before precipitation. An obvious dry layer appears in the lower layer near the ground 8–0 h before precipitation, with a thickness of about 1 km and humidity of less than 80%, which continues until the appearance of precipitation. The water vapor content in the air begins to accumulate and the humidity increases before the occurrence of LRs, MRs, and HRs, classified by total rainfall. The SDPs, MDPs, and LDPs, which are classified by precipitation duration, showed more obvious and significant characteristics of humidity increase. The statistical analysis of the 44 precipitation cases shows that the relative humidity on the ground and in the air increases significantly before precipitation, and the vertical distribution of the relative humidity and the increase in the water vapor content in the air have a more direct and obvious impact on the precipitation duration. The deep and high-humidity area of 2–4 km is conducive to maintaining the precipitation process for a long time.