Hydrometeor vertical characterization of precipitating clouds over the Mexico Basin

A climatological study of the precipitation events for a 6-year period over the Mexico Basin with satellite Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) datasets is presented. Atmospheric parameters retrieved from TRMM products are compared with those observed with radiosonde and synoptic data for annual and seasonal periods. The results of the comparison among hydrometeor vertical profiles, atmospheric soundings and North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) datasets indicate that there is good agreement for cloud-base and 0°C-isotherm height levels. Also, it is confirmed that the geographical location of the study area, along with its typical meteorological characteristics, allows for the development of convective clouds with warm bases and cold cloud tops, particularly during the rainy (summer and autumn) season. Another interesting result of this hydrometeor vertical profile climatology is an explanation for the small number of ice precipitation events from storms over the Mexico Basin, despite its high altitude and geographical characteristics.

[1]  David D. Parrish,et al.  NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL REANALYSIS , 2006 .

[2]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Classification of precipitation type from space borne precipitation radar data and 2D wavelet analysis , 2004, IGARSS 2004. 2004 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[3]  S. Michaelides,et al.  Variation of weather radar sensitivity at ground level and from space: case studies and possible causes , 2006 .

[4]  T. N. Krishnamurti,et al.  The status of the tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) after two years in orbit , 2000 .

[5]  Toshio Iguchi,et al.  Rain Type Classification Algorithm , 2007 .

[6]  Robert Meneghini,et al.  Simultaneous Ocean Cross Section and Rainfall Measurements from Space with a Nadir-Looking Radar , 1986 .

[7]  W. Tao,et al.  Cloud systems, hurricanes, and the tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) : a tribute to Dr.Joanne Simpson , 2003 .

[8]  Sandra E. Yuter,et al.  TRMM Common Microphysics Products: A Tool for Evaluating Spaceborne Precipitation Retrieval Algorithms , 2004 .

[9]  K. Okamoto,et al.  TRMM PRECIPITATION RADAR VERSION 6 ALGORITHMS , 2004 .

[10]  Robert A. Houze,et al.  The TRMM Precipitation Radar's View of Shallow, Isolated Rain , 2003 .

[11]  Dong-Bin Shin,et al.  The Evolution of the Goddard Profiling Algorithm (GPROF) for Rainfall Estimation from Passive Microwave Sensors , 2001 .

[12]  Emmanouil N. Anagnostou,et al.  Regional Differences in Overland Rainfall Estimation from PR-Calibrated TMI Algorithm , 2005 .

[13]  C. Prabhakara,et al.  TRMM Precipitation Radar and Microwave Imager Observations of Convective and Stratiform Rain Over Land and Their Theoretical Implications , 2013 .

[14]  Christian Kummerow,et al.  A simplified scheme for obtaining precipitation and vertical hydrometeor profiles from passive microwave sensors , 1996, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[15]  C. Kummerow,et al.  The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Sensor Package , 1998 .

[16]  Katsuhiko Nishikawa,et al.  Development of precipitation radar onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite , 2001, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[17]  C. Prabhakara,et al.  A Model for Estimation of Rain Rate on Tropical Land from TRMM Microwave Imager Radiometer Observations , 2005 .

[18]  Christopher R. Williams,et al.  Uncertainties in Oceanic Radar Rain Maps at Kwajalein and Implications for Satellite Validation , 2004 .

[19]  Hiroshi Kumagai,et al.  TRMM Precipitation Radar , 2000 .

[20]  C. Kummerow,et al.  Combined Use of the Radar and Radiometer of TRMM to Estimate the Influence of Drop Size Distribution on Rain Retrievals , 2000 .

[21]  Emmanouil N. Anagnostou,et al.  Overview of Overland Satellite Rainfall Estimation for Hydro-Meteorological Applications , 2004 .

[22]  E. Anagnostou,et al.  Overland Precipitation Estimation from TRMM Passive Microwave Observations , 2001 .

[23]  Frédéric Fabry,et al.  Long-Term Radar Observations of the Melting Layer of Precipitation and Their Interpretation , 1995 .

[24]  E. Ostos.  El clima de la Ciudad de México , 2000 .

[25]  R. Houze.  Stratiform precipitation in regions of convection : A meteorological paradox ? , 1997 .

[26]  Andrew J. Negri,et al.  Rainfall Modification by Major Urban Areas: Observations from Spaceborne Rain Radar on the TRMM Satellite , 2002 .