Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region
This paper introduces the X-band weather radar dual-polarization parameters of isolated convective cell precipitation and meso/microscale snowfall on Mount Everest and presents the first precipitation observations based on dual-polarization weather radar in this area. Compared with the Chengdu Plain...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/12/1671 |
| _version_ | 1797506695830700032 |
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| author | Lei Wang Yueqing Li Xiangde Xu Fang Li |
| author_facet | Lei Wang Yueqing Li Xiangde Xu Fang Li |
| author_sort | Lei Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper introduces the X-band weather radar dual-polarization parameters of isolated convective cell precipitation and meso/microscale snowfall on Mount Everest and presents the first precipitation observations based on dual-polarization weather radar in this area. Compared with the Chengdu Plain, Mount Everest experienced convective precipitation on smaller horizontal and vertical scales with a narrower <i>Z<sub>dr</sub></i> probability density spectrum (uniformly distributed around approximately 0). The <i>Z<sub>h</sub></i> profile on Mount Everest displayed two peaks, unlike that over the plains, and the precipitation at the strong convective core was denser. Furthermore, during winter snowfall on the northern slope of Mount Everest, when the boundary layer exhibited sufficient water vapor and dynamic uplift, due to the low boundary layer temperature (<0 °C), water vapor produced stratiform clouds in the middle and lower layers (approximately 1.5 km above ground level (AGL)). Water vapor condensation at 1.5–2.5 km AGL led to latent heat release, which increased the temperature of regional stratiform clouds with increasing height. Consequently, the temperature at the stratiform cloud top height (2.5 km AGL) unexpectedly exceeded 0 °C. Additionally, the −20 °C isotherm was at approximately 4 km AGL, indicating that the middle- and upper-layer atmospheric temperatures remained low. Therefore, thermal instability occurred between the stratiform cloud top height and the middle/upper atmosphere, forming convective motion. These findings confirm the occurrence of elevated winter snowfall convection above Mount Everest and may have certain reference value for retrieving raindrop size distributions, quantitatively estimating precipitation, and parameterizing cloud microphysical processes in numerical prediction models for the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:36:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed37299c05b8474b924282157faa7b8f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:36:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed37299c05b8474b924282157faa7b8f2023-11-23T03:47:10ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332021-12-011212167110.3390/atmos12121671Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest RegionLei Wang0Yueqing Li1Xiangde Xu2Fang Li3Institute of Plateau Meteorology, CMA, Chengdu/Heavy Rain and Drought-Flood Disaster in Plateau and Basin Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610072, ChinaInstitute of Plateau Meteorology, CMA, Chengdu/Heavy Rain and Drought-Flood Disaster in Plateau and Basin Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610072, ChinaChinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaJining Meteorological Bureau, Jining 272000, ChinaThis paper introduces the X-band weather radar dual-polarization parameters of isolated convective cell precipitation and meso/microscale snowfall on Mount Everest and presents the first precipitation observations based on dual-polarization weather radar in this area. Compared with the Chengdu Plain, Mount Everest experienced convective precipitation on smaller horizontal and vertical scales with a narrower <i>Z<sub>dr</sub></i> probability density spectrum (uniformly distributed around approximately 0). The <i>Z<sub>h</sub></i> profile on Mount Everest displayed two peaks, unlike that over the plains, and the precipitation at the strong convective core was denser. Furthermore, during winter snowfall on the northern slope of Mount Everest, when the boundary layer exhibited sufficient water vapor and dynamic uplift, due to the low boundary layer temperature (<0 °C), water vapor produced stratiform clouds in the middle and lower layers (approximately 1.5 km above ground level (AGL)). Water vapor condensation at 1.5–2.5 km AGL led to latent heat release, which increased the temperature of regional stratiform clouds with increasing height. Consequently, the temperature at the stratiform cloud top height (2.5 km AGL) unexpectedly exceeded 0 °C. Additionally, the −20 °C isotherm was at approximately 4 km AGL, indicating that the middle- and upper-layer atmospheric temperatures remained low. Therefore, thermal instability occurred between the stratiform cloud top height and the middle/upper atmosphere, forming convective motion. These findings confirm the occurrence of elevated winter snowfall convection above Mount Everest and may have certain reference value for retrieving raindrop size distributions, quantitatively estimating precipitation, and parameterizing cloud microphysical processes in numerical prediction models for the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/12/1671X-band dual-polarization weather radarconvective precipitationriming growthRayleigh scatteringelevated convection |
| spellingShingle | Lei Wang Yueqing Li Xiangde Xu Fang Li Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region Atmosphere X-band dual-polarization weather radar convective precipitation riming growth Rayleigh scattering elevated convection |
| title | Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region |
| title_full | Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region |
| title_fullStr | Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region |
| title_short | Characteristic Analysis of Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Echoes of Convective Precipitation and Snowfall in the Mount Everest Region |
| title_sort | characteristic analysis of dual polarization weather radar echoes of convective precipitation and snowfall in the mount everest region |
| topic | X-band dual-polarization weather radar convective precipitation riming growth Rayleigh scattering elevated convection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/12/1671 |
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