The variation of the intensity, height and size of precipitation systems with El Niño–Southern Oscillation in the tropics and subtropics

AbstractA 16-year (1998-2013) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Feature (PF) database is used to examine the impacts of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the characteristics of precipitation systems in the tropics and subtropics. Noticeable differences in the fractions of deep systems (20 dBZ radar echo tops greater than 10 km) and Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) (an area greater than 2000 km2) between different phases of ENSO are found over specific regions, including the central Pacific (CPACI), the western Maritime Continent (WMC), the eastern Maritime Continent (EMC), Gulf of Mexico (GM), Argentina (ARGEN), and Australia (AUS). The coefficients of determination (R2) between the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and the population fractions of deep convection and MCSs are analyzed seasonally over these regions. The responses from these precipitation systems to the ENSO are found more pronounced in the winter half-year than the summer half-year. An increase of rainfall du...