Rao et al. (2026) Urban Enhancement of Organized Convective Systems and Extreme Rainfall Along the South China Coast Under Distinct Synoptic Patterns

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-11
• Authors: Xiaona Rao, Kun Zhao, Sheng Hu, Ang Zhou, Chenli Wang
• DOI: 10.1029/2025jd046085

Research Groups

• Department of Atmospheric Science, University of Guangzhou
• State Key Laboratory of Tropical Ocean Environment Dynamics
• Hong Kong Observatory

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of rapid urbanization on extreme rainfall events in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), identifying an urban-mountain interface as a hotspot for organized convective systems (OCSs) and their associated heavy rainfall.

Objective

• Investigate the relationship between urbanization and extreme rainfall events in the GBA, focusing on the role of the urban-mountain interface.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional scale, covering the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) along the South China coast.
• Temporal Scale: 10-year study period, from [start year] to [end year].

Methodology and Data

• Models used: None mentioned in the paper.
• Data sources: Surface rainfall observations and radar mosaics.

Main Results

• The urban-mountain interface in the northeastern GBA is identified as a primary hotspot for extreme short-term heavy rainfall events (76 cases).
• Organized convective systems (OCSs) are tracked, exhibiting distinct organizational characteristics depending on the synoptic pattern.
• Local OCSs in P2 appear as smaller, slower, and more locally confined features compared to P1.
• Urban modulation consistently enhances local OCSs as they pass the urban-mountain interface.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the impact of urbanization on extreme rainfall events, highlighting the importance of the urban-mountain interface in modulating heavy rainfall.

Funding

• [Funding information not provided in the paper]

Citation

@article{Rao2026Urban,
  author = {Rao, Xiaona and Zhao, Kun and Hu, Sheng and Zhou, Ang and Wang, Chenli},
  title = {Urban Enhancement of Organized Convective Systems and Extreme Rainfall Along the South China Coast Under Distinct Synoptic Patterns},
  journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025jd046085},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025jd046085}
}