Structures of atmospheric precipitation systems: A global survey

A survey of atmospheric precipitation systems, ranging from mid-latitude cyclones and thunderstorms to tropical cloud clusters, hurricanes, and monsoons, shows that all these systems are well described in terms of the rather traditional concepts of stratiform and convective precipitation. In stratiform precipitation, ice particles grow as they drift downward from high levels and pass through a well-defined melting layer. In convective precipitation, particles begin growing at low levels and are carried upward by strong updrafts and fall out in intense vertically oriented showers. Modern observations show that all the major types of precipitation observed over the globe can be and often are combinations of these two basic types of precipitation. Extratropical cyclonic precipitation is basically stratiform. However, it is typically intensified in regions called rainbands. Some rainbands are highly convective features which move through the basic stratiform precipitation. In other rainbands, shallow convective cells occur aloft and help to enhance the basic stratiform precipitation. Mid-latitude thunderstorms and tropical precipitation systems are basically convective. However, stratiform precipitation can develop in the middle to late stages of development. This type of stratiform precipitation, which can become quite extensive in both tropical and mid-latitude systems, apparently arises as groups or successions of active convective cells leave ice particles aloft to settle downward gradually after the cells' updrafts die out.

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