Vertical structures and microphysical characteristics of summer precipitation in North China detected by GPM-DPR

Abstract

The vertical structure and microphysical characteristics of stratiform precipitation (SP) and convective precipitation (CP) in North China are revealed based on the GPM-DPR product during boreal summer of 2014–2021 in this study. Additionally, the differences in precipitation features between the mountain and the plain are investigated. Under the combined influence of climatic factors and local topography, the precipitation amount is larger in the plain than in the mountain while precipitation frequency exhibits an opposite pattern. The proportions of the two precipitation types are similar in the mountain and the plain, with CP contributing to approximately a quarter of total precipitation frequency. In terms of mean intensity, both SP and CP are roughly 20 % more intense in the plain than in the mountain. The greater number of light SPs is a major contributor to higher precipitation frequency in the mountain, while more intense CPs result in larger precipitation amount in the plain. Compared to the mountain, the precipitation system is deeper in the plain, where higher storm top altitudes (STAs) and larger freezing level heights contribute to more intense CPs. Besides, it is observed that for the STA, more intense CPs occur in the plain compared to the mountain. In both the mountain and the plain, the coalescence process is dominant in the low-level layers for heavy (8–20 mm/h) to storm-level (>20 mm/h) CPs. Compared to the mountain, the low-level growth of hydrometeor size and radar reflectivity is more significant in the plain. These findings are important to quantitative precipitation estimation and precipitation prediction in the mountainous region, and can help understand the influence of local topography on precipitation.