Numerical study of the impact of cloud droplet spectral change on mesoscale precipitation

The change of cloud droplet spectra can modify the microphysics and radiative processes of the atmosphere, which in turn affects surface precipitation. In this paper, the impact of cloud droplet spectral change (CDSC) on mesoscale precipitation is studied by simulating two cases, a South China Storm on June 8, 1998 and a Yangtze River Storm on July 22, 2002, and employing the MM5V3 with newly developed, dual-parameterized explicit moisture scheme coupled to. The results show that CDSC has a slight influence on rainfall distribution/pattern, but can significantly change the precipitation intensity, especially the position and intensity of the precipitation centers. The effects of CDSC are more distinct in the daytime and have an obvious diurnal cycle on rain rate. Precipitation increase (decrease) due to CDSC is ascribed to the relative upper radiative cooling (heating) and lower radiative heating (cooling) in the daytime atmosphere. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.