Dependence of the precipitation intensity in mesoscale convective systems to temperature lapse rate

Abstract

The dependence of the structure and intensity of precipitation generated within squall lines to environmental temperature lapse rate is investigated by the use of a large set of numerical experiments under idealized model configurations. The lapse rate in a convectively unstable layer is used for the present analysis. The mean precipitation intensity during the simulated period generally increases with the increase in lapse rate, while the maximum precipitation intensity increases with the decrease in lapse rate. The precipitation mean is dependent on the intensity of cold pool resulting from organized convective clouds. In contrast, the precipitation maxima is regulated by relative humidity within the tropospheric lower layer. In an environment with higher lapse rate, a larger amount of CAPE is distributed in a deeper layer of the lower troposphere, which is beneficial for the development and intensification of convection and precipitation. Lapse rate in the troposphere is useful in comparing the characteristics of precipitation produced by mesoscale convective systems that occur in various climate regions of the world and also produced in a future climate under global warming.