Low cloud precipitation climatology in the southeastern Pacific marine stratocumulus region using CloudSat

• Published in: Environmental research letters Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 14027 - 11
• Main Authors: Rapp, Anita D, Lebsock, Matthew, L'Ecuyer, Tristan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.01.2013
• Subjects: 92.05.Fg; 92.30.Pm; 92.40.Ea; 92.60.Ry; 92.60N; climate; clouds; precipitation; stratocumulus; ISE, Pacific; ISEW, South Pacific, South Pacific Convergence Zone
• ISSN: 1748-9326; 1748-9326
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/014027

A climatology of low cloud surface precipitation occurrence and intensity from the new CloudSat 2C-RAIN-PROFILE algorithm is presented from June 2006 through December 2010 for the southeastern Pacific region of marine stratocumulus. Results show that over 70% of low cloud precipitation falls as drizzle. Application of an empirical evaporation model suggests that 50-80% of the precipitation evaporates before it reaches the surface. Segregation of the CloudSat ascending and descending overpasses shows that the majority of precipitation occurs at night. Examination of the seasonal cycle shows that the precipitation is most frequent during the austral winter and spring; however there is considerable regional variability. Conditional rain rates increase from east to west with a maximum occurring in the region influenced by the South Pacific Convergence Zone. Area average rain rates are highest in the region where precipitation rates are moderate, but most frequent. The area average surface rain rate for low cloud precipitation for this region is ∼0.22 mm d−1, in good agreement with in situ estimates, and is greatly improved over earlier CloudSat precipitation products. These results provide a much-needed quantification of surface precipitation in a region that is currently underestimated in existing satellite-based precipitation climatologies.