The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China
An hourly rainfall of 201.9 mm fell in Zhengzhou on 20 July 2021, breaking the hourly rainfall record of mainland China and causing severe urban flooding and human casualties. This observation-based study investigates the associated convective-scale and mesoscale dynamics and microphysical processes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/18/4511 |
| _version_ | 1797577276258254848 |
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| author | Kun Zhao Xin Xu Ming Xue Zhe-Min Tan Hao Huang Ang Zhou Xueqi Fan Qiqing Liu Chenli Wang Juan Fang Wen-Chau Lee Qinghong Zhang Fan Zhang Gang Chen Ji Yang |
| author_facet | Kun Zhao Xin Xu Ming Xue Zhe-Min Tan Hao Huang Ang Zhou Xueqi Fan Qiqing Liu Chenli Wang Juan Fang Wen-Chau Lee Qinghong Zhang Fan Zhang Gang Chen Ji Yang |
| author_sort | Kun Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An hourly rainfall of 201.9 mm fell in Zhengzhou on 20 July 2021, breaking the hourly rainfall record of mainland China and causing severe urban flooding and human casualties. This observation-based study investigates the associated convective-scale and mesoscale dynamics and microphysical processes using disdrometer and polarimetric radar observations aided by retrievals from the Variational Doppler Radar Analysis System. The synoptic flow forcing brought abundant moisture from the oceans and converged at Zhengzhou; then, the extreme rainfall was produced by a slow-moving convective storm that persisted throughout the hour over Zhengzhou. Unusually high concentrations of raindrops of all sizes (showing combined properties of maritime and continental convection) are revealed by the disdrometer data, whereas the polarimetric radar data suggest that both ice-based and warm rain processes were important contributors to the total rainfall. High precipitation efficiency was achieved with an erect updraft at the low levels, whereas enhanced easterly inflows kept the storm moving slowly. The interaction between convective-scale and mesoscale dynamics and microphysical processes within the favorable synoptic conditions led to this extremely heavy rainfall. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:05:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed415bf7e2cd4283a985be251bd4f75c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:05:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed415bf7e2cd4283a985be251bd4f75c2023-11-19T12:48:44ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922023-09-011518451110.3390/rs15184511The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, ChinaKun Zhao0Xin Xu1Ming Xue2Zhe-Min Tan3Hao Huang4Ang Zhou5Xueqi Fan6Qiqing Liu7Chenli Wang8Juan Fang9Wen-Chau Lee10Qinghong Zhang11Fan Zhang12Gang Chen13Ji Yang14Key Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mesoscale Severe Weather/Ministry of Education, and School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaEarth Observing Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80301, USADepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, ChinaNanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing 210009, ChinaNanjing Joint Institute for Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing 210009, ChinaAn hourly rainfall of 201.9 mm fell in Zhengzhou on 20 July 2021, breaking the hourly rainfall record of mainland China and causing severe urban flooding and human casualties. This observation-based study investigates the associated convective-scale and mesoscale dynamics and microphysical processes using disdrometer and polarimetric radar observations aided by retrievals from the Variational Doppler Radar Analysis System. The synoptic flow forcing brought abundant moisture from the oceans and converged at Zhengzhou; then, the extreme rainfall was produced by a slow-moving convective storm that persisted throughout the hour over Zhengzhou. Unusually high concentrations of raindrops of all sizes (showing combined properties of maritime and continental convection) are revealed by the disdrometer data, whereas the polarimetric radar data suggest that both ice-based and warm rain processes were important contributors to the total rainfall. High precipitation efficiency was achieved with an erect updraft at the low levels, whereas enhanced easterly inflows kept the storm moving slowly. The interaction between convective-scale and mesoscale dynamics and microphysical processes within the favorable synoptic conditions led to this extremely heavy rainfall.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/18/4511extreme rainfalldynamics and microphysicsslow-moving convection |
| spellingShingle | Kun Zhao Xin Xu Ming Xue Zhe-Min Tan Hao Huang Ang Zhou Xueqi Fan Qiqing Liu Chenli Wang Juan Fang Wen-Chau Lee Qinghong Zhang Fan Zhang Gang Chen Ji Yang The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China Remote Sensing extreme rainfall dynamics and microphysics slow-moving convection |
| title | The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China |
| title_full | The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China |
| title_fullStr | The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China |
| title_short | The Dynamics and Microphysical Characteristics of the Convection Producing the Record-Breaking Hourly Precipitation on 20 July 2021 in Zhengzhou, China |
| title_sort | dynamics and microphysical characteristics of the convection producing the record breaking hourly precipitation on 20 july 2021 in zhengzhou china |
| topic | extreme rainfall dynamics and microphysics slow-moving convection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/18/4511 |
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