Impacts of Urban Canopy on Two Convective Storms With Contrasting Synoptic Conditions Over Nanjing, China

Diverse urban-induced rainfall anomalies highlight the need for improved understanding on extreme rainfall in cities. In this study, we examine urban modification of rainfall over Nanjing, China. Our results are based on climatological analyses of hourly rainfall observations and high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting model simulations coupled with different urban physics schemes. A gridded dataset of urban canopy parameters (UCPs) was developed to better characterize the geometrical features of downtown Nanjing. Two convective storms were investigated to shed light on the impacts of urban canopy on spatial and temporal rainfall variabilities for storms with contrasting synoptic conditions. We show that the model simulations coupled with the multi-layer urban physics scheme and the gridded UCPs can noticeably reduce biases in surface thermal and dynamic fields, but its performance in rainfall patterns varies with storm events. There is a strong convergence zone over the urban-rural interface induced by building complexes, leading to intensified convection for the storm with strong synoptic conditions but bifurcated moisture fluxes for the storm with weak synoptic conditions. Lagrangian analysis of storm elements further illustrates the role of urban canopy in deflecting storm cells approaching the city for the storm under weak synoptic conditions. The magnitudes of positive rainfall anomalies induced by urban canopy range from 60% to 100% of the storm-total rainfall. Our study highlights the necessity of improved characterization of urban canopy and the perturbed atmospheric boundary layer processes in examining urban convective rainfall.

Automated summary

This study investigates the urban modification of rainfall over Nanjing, China, using climatological analyses and high-resolution model simulations. Results show that the urban canopy parameters and physics schemes significantly influence spatial and temporal rainfall variability, with performance varying for storms of different synoptic conditions. Urban canopy induces positive rainfall anomalies ranging from 60% to 100% of the storm-total rainfall, highlighting the importance of characterizing urban canopy in examining urban convective rainfall.