Diurnal Land-Sea Rainfall Peak Migration over Sumatera Island, Indonesian Maritime Continent, Observed by TRMM Satellite and Intensive Rawinsonde Soundings

Abstract The diurnal cycle of rainfall and its regional variation over Sumatera Island, Indonesian Maritime Continent, are examined using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite precipitation radar (PR) and intensive rawinsonde sounding data. The TRMM PR sensor can detect raindrops directly, regardless of ground and cloud conditions, and can distinguish between convective and stratiform types of rainfall. Rainfall variation over this area was found to have the following characteristics: 1) convective rainfall with a broad peak between 1500 and 2000 LT predominates over the land region of Sumatera Island, whereas rainfall in the early morning, composed almost equally of stratiform and convective types, is predominant over the surrounding sea region. 2) A rainfall peak in the daytime and one in the nighttime migrate with time starting from the southwestern coastline of the island into the inland and offshore regions, respectively. The distance of each rainfall peak migration from the coastline ...

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