Zhao et al. (2025) Contrasting influences of cloud properties and environmental factors on potential cloud precipitation capacity over China: A wet vs. dry years analysis

Identification

• Journal: Atmospheric Research
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-11-20
• Authors: Pengguo Zhao, Wen Zhao, Shuying Mo, Xinyue Zhang, Hui Xiao, Yunjun Zhou, Zeneng He
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108631

Research Groups

• Climate Change and Resource Utilization in Complex Terrain Regions Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Plain Urban Meteorology and Environment Observation and Research Station of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Meteorological Disaster Prediction and Early Warning, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, China
• Guangxi lightning protection center, Nanning, China
• Guangzhou Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Guangzhou, China
• Chongqing Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Chongqing, China

Short Summary

This study analyzes the influence of environmental conditions and cloud properties on Potential Cloud Precipitation Capacity (PCPA) over China, revealing distinct cloud-precipitation interactions and their differential dependence between dry and wet years across various regions.

Objective

• To analyze the influence of environmental conditions and cloud properties on Potential Cloud Precipitation Capacity (PCPA) over China, with a specific focus on the physical mechanisms underlying their differential dependence between dry and wet years.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: China, with regional analysis in South China (SC), Sichuan Basin (SB), Northeast China (NE), and Tarim Basin (TB).
• Temporal Scale: Annual, comparing dry and wet years.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly stated; the study involves analysis of observational and reanalysis datasets.
• Data sources: CLARA-A2 (cloud properties), TRMM-3B43 (precipitation), ERA5 (meteorological environmental factors).

Main Results

• Annual precipitation in wet years is significantly higher than in dry years, particularly in South China, the Sichuan Basin, and Northeast China, where the difference exceeds 50 mm.
• Increased cloud fraction cover (CFC), liquid water path (LWP), and ice water path (IWP) during wet years provide more favorable conditions for precipitation.
• Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), low-level relative humidity (RH), and surface latent heat flux (SLHF) significantly influence PCPA.
• CAPE increases in wet years, promoting precipitation.
• The positive influence of RH on PCPA strengthens when RH exceeds 50%.
• SLHF exhibits a significant positive correlation with PCPA in wet years over the Tarim Basin and Northeast China.
• Cloud fraction, LWP, and IWP are generally positively correlated with PCPA, though LWP shows a negative correlation in the Sichuan Basin.
• Liquid cloud particle effective radius (LREF) is positively correlated with PCPA in South China and Northeast China, while ice cloud particle effective radius (IREF) generally exhibits a negative correlation.
• PCPA in the Tarim Basin and Northeast China is more sensitive to changes in cloud properties during wet years.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive analysis of the contrasting influences of cloud properties and environmental factors on PCPA over China, specifically differentiating between dry and wet years.
• Highlights distinct cloud-precipitation interactions across different typical regions of China.
• Offers a scientific basis for cloud water resources development and utilization.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Zhao2025Contrasting,
  author = {Zhao, Pengguo and Zhao, Wen and Mo, Shuying and Zhang, Xinyue and Xiao, Hui and Zhou, Yunjun and He, Zeneng},
  title = {Contrasting influences of cloud properties and environmental factors on potential cloud precipitation capacity over China: A wet vs. dry years analysis},
  journal = {Atmospheric Research},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108631},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108631}
}