Precipitation characteristics of trade wind clouds during RICO derived from Radar, Satellite, and aircraft measurements

Abstract Precipitation characteristics of trade wind clouds over the Atlantic Ocean near Barbuda are derived from radar and aircraft data and are compared with satellite-observed cloud fields collected during the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field campaign. S-band reflectivity measurements Z were converted to rainfall rates R using a Z–R relationship derived from aircraft measurements. Daily rainfall rates varied from 0 to 22 mm day−1. The area-averaged rainfall rate for the 62-day period was 2.37 mm day−1. If corrected for evaporation below cloud base, this value is reduced to 2.23 mm day−1, which translates to a latent heat flux to the atmosphere of 63 W m−2. When compared with the wintertime ocean-surface latent heat flux from this region, the average return of water to the ocean through precipitation processes within the trade wind layer during RICO was 31%–39%. A weak diurnal cycle was observed in the area-averaged rainfall rate. The magnitude of the rainfall and the frequency of its occurre...