A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall
Abstract The weak linkage between heavy rainfall and strong convection hampers predictability of extreme precipitation and hinders efforts to address challenges related to global warming, especially given unclear microphysical differences between convective clouds generating disparate rain rates. Us...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02473-0 |
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| author | Ruizi Shi Chunsong Lu Weixin Xu Yali Luo |
| author_facet | Ruizi Shi Chunsong Lu Weixin Xu Yali Luo |
| author_sort | Ruizi Shi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The weak linkage between heavy rainfall and strong convection hampers predictability of extreme precipitation and hinders efforts to address challenges related to global warming, especially given unclear microphysical differences between convective clouds generating disparate rain rates. Using multi-year records from spaceborne precipitation radars and cloud-permitting ensemble simulations, here we reveal microphysical distinctions between “heavier” and “lighter” rainfall in convective precipitation events worldwide, as well as their differences in environmental conditions. Results suggest that the near-surface rain rates are dictated mainly by liquid-phase processes, but the more extreme rainfall is mostly produced by vigorous mixed-phase processes combined with a rough balance between breakup and coalescence of liquid drops. With comparable convective intensity, “heavier” rainfall-producing events possess substantially higher raindrop concentration with enhanced coalescence, supported by increased environmental moisture and thicker warm-cloud layers due to enhanced water vapor channels from oceans. The “heavier” rainfall-producing weak convection is formed in the most humid environment, which compensates for the lack of vigorous mixed-phase processes leading to a maritime-like characteristic. These novel insights, along with future projections of larger-scale circulation changes by the state-of-the-art climate models, highlight the increased risk of more frequent and extreme rainfall in southern Asia and the maritime continent islands. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-84e88a0c0d904400b61a84523b3b18a3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-84e88a0c0d904400b61a84523b3b18a32025-08-20T03:04:17ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-07-016111010.1038/s43247-025-02473-0A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfallRuizi Shi0Chunsong Lu1Weixin Xu2Yali Luo3State Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management/Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters/School of Atmospheric Sciences/China Meteorological Administration Aerosol-Cloud and Precipitation Key Laboratory, Nanjing University of Information Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management/Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters/School of Atmospheric Sciences/China Meteorological Administration Aerosol-Cloud and Precipitation Key Laboratory, Nanjing University of Information Science and TechnologySchool of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen UniversityState Key Laboratory of Climate System Prediction and Risk Management/Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters/School of Atmospheric Sciences/China Meteorological Administration Aerosol-Cloud and Precipitation Key Laboratory, Nanjing University of Information Science and TechnologyAbstract The weak linkage between heavy rainfall and strong convection hampers predictability of extreme precipitation and hinders efforts to address challenges related to global warming, especially given unclear microphysical differences between convective clouds generating disparate rain rates. Using multi-year records from spaceborne precipitation radars and cloud-permitting ensemble simulations, here we reveal microphysical distinctions between “heavier” and “lighter” rainfall in convective precipitation events worldwide, as well as their differences in environmental conditions. Results suggest that the near-surface rain rates are dictated mainly by liquid-phase processes, but the more extreme rainfall is mostly produced by vigorous mixed-phase processes combined with a rough balance between breakup and coalescence of liquid drops. With comparable convective intensity, “heavier” rainfall-producing events possess substantially higher raindrop concentration with enhanced coalescence, supported by increased environmental moisture and thicker warm-cloud layers due to enhanced water vapor channels from oceans. The “heavier” rainfall-producing weak convection is formed in the most humid environment, which compensates for the lack of vigorous mixed-phase processes leading to a maritime-like characteristic. These novel insights, along with future projections of larger-scale circulation changes by the state-of-the-art climate models, highlight the increased risk of more frequent and extreme rainfall in southern Asia and the maritime continent islands.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02473-0 |
| spellingShingle | Ruizi Shi Chunsong Lu Weixin Xu Yali Luo A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall |
| title_full | A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall |
| title_fullStr | A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall |
| title_full_unstemmed | A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall |
| title_short | A global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall |
| title_sort | global view on microphysical discriminations between heavier and lighter convective rainfall |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02473-0 |
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