Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones

Abstract Persistent strong winds are a common feature within the near‐surface layer of tropical cyclones, which can induce pronounced horizontal motion as raindrops descend. However, current state‐of‐art microphysics schemes typically only consider the vertical motion of raindrops, ultimately failin...

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Main Authors: Lin Deng, Xuwei Bao, Istvan Geresdi, Lulin Xue, Wei Huang, Yang Zhao, Wanchen Wu, Tiantian Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115535
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author Lin Deng
Xuwei Bao
Istvan Geresdi
Lulin Xue
Wei Huang
Yang Zhao
Wanchen Wu
Tiantian Li
author_facet Lin Deng
Xuwei Bao
Istvan Geresdi
Lulin Xue
Wei Huang
Yang Zhao
Wanchen Wu
Tiantian Li
author_sort Lin Deng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Persistent strong winds are a common feature within the near‐surface layer of tropical cyclones, which can induce pronounced horizontal motion as raindrops descend. However, current state‐of‐art microphysics schemes typically only consider the vertical motion of raindrops, ultimately failing to accurately simulate the collisional outcomes of raindrops and the associated raindrop size distributions (RSDs) under strong winds. For instance, the original bin microphysics scheme was unable to successfully reproduced the evolution of RSDs with decreasing height, as measured from the multi‐layer observations during the landfall of Typhoon Pakhar (2017). Thus, this study introduces a modified bin microphysics scheme that incorporates the influence of horizontal wind speeds, vertical wind shear and smaller‐scale turbulence on the total movement velocity (including horizontal and vertical components) of raindrops, and consequently on their collisional outcomes. This modification demonstrates a remarkable improvement in the representation of the intrinsic variation in RSDs with decreasing height under strong‐wind conditions.
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institution Kabale University
issn 0094-8276
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language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-6820a89e37c54e1db430c66f93cbae062025-08-20T03:59:22ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-04-01528n/an/a10.1029/2025GL115535Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical CyclonesLin Deng0Xuwei Bao1Istvan Geresdi2Lulin Xue3Wei Huang4Yang Zhao5Wanchen Wu6Tiantian Li7Shanghai Typhoon Institute, and Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Tropical Cyclone of the China Meteorological Administration Shanghai ChinaShanghai Typhoon Institute, and Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Tropical Cyclone of the China Meteorological Administration Shanghai ChinaFaculty of Sciences University of Pecs Pécs HungaryNational Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USAShanghai Typhoon Institute, and Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Tropical Cyclone of the China Meteorological Administration Shanghai ChinaFrontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System‐Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography, and College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Ocean University of China Qingdao ChinaShanghai Typhoon Institute, and Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Tropical Cyclone of the China Meteorological Administration Shanghai ChinaShanghai Typhoon Institute, and Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Tropical Cyclone of the China Meteorological Administration Shanghai ChinaAbstract Persistent strong winds are a common feature within the near‐surface layer of tropical cyclones, which can induce pronounced horizontal motion as raindrops descend. However, current state‐of‐art microphysics schemes typically only consider the vertical motion of raindrops, ultimately failing to accurately simulate the collisional outcomes of raindrops and the associated raindrop size distributions (RSDs) under strong winds. For instance, the original bin microphysics scheme was unable to successfully reproduced the evolution of RSDs with decreasing height, as measured from the multi‐layer observations during the landfall of Typhoon Pakhar (2017). Thus, this study introduces a modified bin microphysics scheme that incorporates the influence of horizontal wind speeds, vertical wind shear and smaller‐scale turbulence on the total movement velocity (including horizontal and vertical components) of raindrops, and consequently on their collisional outcomes. This modification demonstrates a remarkable improvement in the representation of the intrinsic variation in RSDs with decreasing height under strong‐wind conditions.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115535collisional breakupstrong horizontal windstropical cycloneshigh‐tower observationmicrophysics scheme
spellingShingle Lin Deng
Xuwei Bao
Istvan Geresdi
Lulin Xue
Wei Huang
Yang Zhao
Wanchen Wu
Tiantian Li
Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones
Geophysical Research Letters
collisional breakup
strong horizontal winds
tropical cyclones
high‐tower observation
microphysics scheme
title Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones
title_full Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones
title_fullStr Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones
title_full_unstemmed Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones
title_short Previously Neglected Effects of Strong Horizontal Winds on Raindrop Collisions in Tropical Cyclones
title_sort previously neglected effects of strong horizontal winds on raindrop collisions in tropical cyclones
topic collisional breakup
strong horizontal winds
tropical cyclones
high‐tower observation
microphysics scheme
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL115535
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AT xuweibao previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones
AT istvangeresdi previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones
AT lulinxue previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones
AT weihuang previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones
AT yangzhao previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones
AT wanchenwu previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones
AT tiantianli previouslyneglectedeffectsofstronghorizontalwindsonraindropcollisionsintropicalcyclones