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Spatial Variability and Linkage Between Extreme Convections and Extreme Precipitation Revealed by 22‐Year Space‐Borne Precipitation Radar Data
Author(s) -
Wang Tsechun,
Tang Guoqiang
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl088437
Subject(s) - precipitation , climatology , environmental science , radar , spatial distribution , extreme value theory , latitude , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geology , geography , remote sensing , telecommunications , statistics , mathematics , geodesy , computer science
Abstract Based on unprecedented 22‐year records from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR) and the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) dual‐frequency precipitation radar (DPR), this study aims to investigate the global distribution and linkage between both convections and precipitation extremes quasi‐globally. Overall, the spatial distributions of extreme events show significant regional variability and land‐ocean contrast. Extreme precipitation is dominant over tropical ocean while extreme convections are exclusive over land from tropics to higher latitude. Besides, there are strong positive relationships between extreme convections and precipitation based on multiple threshold‐based definitions of extremes, which provides more consistent physical properties of extreme events globally. The correlation is significant over land but relatively weak over oceans. Seasonal occurrences of extreme events are also examined. Furthermore, extreme events exhibit notable diurnal characteristics over global land with most extreme convections occurring in the afternoon, while diurnal cycles are more homogeneous over ocean.