Mesoscale convective systems and other precipitation features over the tropical Americas and surrounding seas as seen byTRMM

Abstract

We classified and characterized precipitation features (PFs) at annual and diurnal timescales during 1998–2011 over the tropical Americas and adjoining oceans using data from two instruments on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). Our scope included geographic distribution, frequency, area, rainfall rate, and polarization‐corrected temperatures (PCTs) of PFs in an effort to contrast different regions over Colombia, the Amazon River Basin, and the adjoining oceanic regions (Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea). Our results showed that mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over the Caribbean Sea exhibited colder minimum PCTs than Pacific Ocean MCSs. Pacific Ocean MCSs had higher rainfall rates, however, than Caribbean Sea MCSs. Despite the fact that MCSs represented <1% of the total precipitation systems found, the MCSs contributed more rainfall over the study regions. Over the Pacific Ocean, for example, MCSs contributed approximately 57% of the total rainfall contributed by all precipitation systems identified over that region. Additionally, MCSs over the Pacific coast have their maximum frequency during the morning hours (0000–0600 Local Time) offshore and centred over the Pacific Ocean at 77.5°W. The annual cycle of PFs showed a marked bimodal annual cycle over Colombia, whereas over the Amazon Basin, Pacific Ocean, and Caribbean Sea, PFs were characterized by a unimodal annual cycle.

Mesoscale Convective Systems in the Asian Monsoon Region From Advanced Himawari Imager: Algorithms and Preliminary Results

“…In the Asian monsoon region, the detailed survey with regard to spatial distributions and lifecycles of MCSs was mainly conducted by Fengyun‐2 geostationary meteorological satellite (e.g., Ai et al, ; J. Li et al, ; X. Yang et al, ). Besides, the polar‐orbiting satellites (e.g., Yuan & Houze, ), the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (e.g., Choudhury et al, ; Jaramillo et al, ), and the active remote sensing satellites such as Cloudsat (e.g., Yuan et al, ) also provide extra sources to examine the MCSs. Among ground‐based observations, considerable collocated ground‐based weather radar measurements have been used to verify the MCSs as identified and tracked by the satellites (e.g., Kolios & Feidas, ; Morel & Senesi, , ; Xia et al, ).…”

“…Yang et al, 2015). Besides, the polar-orbiting satellites (e.g., Yuan & Houze, 2010), the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (e.g., Choudhury et al, 2016;Jaramillo et al, 2017), and the active remote sensing satellites such as Cloudsat (e.g., Yuan et al, 2011) also provide extra sources to examine the MCSs. Among ground-based observations, considerable collocated ground-based weather radar measurements have been used to verify the MCSs as identified and tracked by the satellites (e.g., Kolios & Feidas, 2010;Morel & Senesi, 2002a, 2002bXia et al, 2018).…”

Tracking the moisture transport from the Pacific towards Central and northern South America since the late 19th century

“…As a calibration series, we selected the NCEP-NCAR monthly zonal wind at 925 hPa averaged over the area 5-7.5 • N, 90-80 • W (Kalnay et al, 1996) as this database allows performing the calibration since 1948. Although the original Chocó jet index was defined exclusively at 80 • W (Poveda and Mesa, 2000), we chose an extended region from 90 to 80 • W to calibrate our index series to take into account the presence of westerlies as far west as 90 • W in episodes of enhanced Chocó jet (See Fig.…”

Statistical scaling, Shannon entropy, and Generalized space-timeq-entropy of rainfall fields in tropical South America

“…For each of the seven study regions, the largest MCSs of each year were selected out of 280 events during 2003-2011, which were classified by Jaramillo et al 22 using criteria of maximum area (km 2 ) and maximum intensity (mm/h).…”

“…In particular, tropical South America provides an interesting geographical setting to advance such an understanding owing to (i) the presence of the Andes that induces strong topographic and orographic effects to control and focus shallow and deep convection; 21,51 (ii) the strong influence of the diurnal cycle; 38,51 (iii) the size, location, and the tropical rainforest of the Amazon River basin exert a strong control over the hydro-climatology of most of South America; 36,39,53 (iv) the latitudinal migration of the intertropical convergence zone, 52 and (v) the strong activity of MCS over Amazonia and the far eastern Pacific. 22,48,75,83,84 …”