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Convective cloud regimes from the classification of object-based CloudSat observations over Asian-Australian monsoon areas
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  • Peng-Jen Chen,
  • Wei-Ting Chen,
  • Chien-Ming Wu,
  • Ting-Shuo Yo
Peng-Jen Chen
National Taiwan University
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Wei-Ting Chen
National Taiwan University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Chien-Ming Wu
National Taiwan University
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Ting-Shuo Yo
National Taiwan University
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Abstract

The present study objectively classify the convective cloud objects detected by the space-borne CloudSat radar over the Asian-Australian monsoon region using the hierarchical agglomerative clustering algorithm. Based on key properties representing the morphological features and convective intensity of the systems, five distinct convective cloud regimes are derived. The unique Coastal-Intense regime exhibits the most expansive horizontal scales (> 1000 km), high convective strength, the strongest cloud radiative effects, the highest probability of extreme rainfall, and a significant coupling with the sharp onset of the Asian summer monsoon circulation. Secondly, the Coastal regime illustrates smaller but also highly organized coastal convections, with the strongest convective strength. Less than 10% of the systems in the CI and Coastal regimes overlap with the tropical cyclones. The rest three regimes mark the less organized convection at various life cycle stages mainly over the land areas, with small seasonal variation in their occurrence.