Assessing Convective-Stratiform Precipitation Regimes in the Tropics and Extratropics With the GPM Satellite Radar

Abstract

An 8-year climatology of raintype observations from the Global Precipitation Measurement dual-frequency precipitation radar highlights two stratiform rain producing storm regimes differentiated by the relative importance of convection. The more convectively active regime occurs in the tropics and over warm-season midlatitude land, where warm- and cold-topped convection accounts for 55% (40%) of the rain (rain area). The less convectively active regime dominates over midlatitude ocean and cold-season midlatitude land, where convective rain only accounts for 15% (8%) of the rain (rain area). The ratio between cold-topped convective and stratiform rain area is highly distinct between the two regimes (22% vs. 5.5%), with different precipitation amounts (and thus heating) for similar stratiform rain areas. A third tropics-only warm-topped convection regime exists, but is not associated with major stratiform rain production.