Seasonal changes in diurnal rainfall cycle over and around the Indochina Peninsula observed by TRMM-PR

Abstract

This study used TRMM-PR data to examine seasonal changes in rainfall characteristics over the Indochina Peninsula, with a focus on the diurnal rainfall cycle. No distinct seasonal changes in the phases of diurnal variations of rainfall were found, even though low-level wind fields changed largely with the seasonal march. Regions with an afternoon maximum received large amounts of rainfall during the pre-monsoon season, whereas regions with a nocturnal or morning rainfall maximum received little rainfall during the pre-monsoon season. This result suggests that the difference in diurnal rainfall variations may be associated with the regional differences in seasonal march of monsoon rainfall over and around the Indochina Peninsula, through the different mechanism between evening and morning rainfalls.