Modeling radiative effects of haze on summer-time convective precipitation over North China: a case study

Abstract

We modeled the impact of haze radiative effects on precipitation in North China.

Shortwave heating induced by haze radiative effects would reduce heavy rainfalls.

Convection was the key factor that whether precipitation was enhanced or suppressed.

Precipitation was often suppressed where CAPE, RH and updraft velocities were high.

The impact of haze radiative effect on summertime 24-h convective precipitation over North China was investigated using WRF model (version 3.3) through model sensitivity studies between scenarios with and without aerosol radiative effects. The haze radiative effect was represented by incorporating an idealized aerosol optical profile, with AOD values around 1, derived from the aircraft measurement into the WRF shortwave scheme. We found that the shortwave heating induced by aerosol radiative effects would significantly reduce heavy rainfalls, although its effect on the post-frontal localized thunderstorm precipitation was more diverse. To capture the key factors that determine whether precipitation is enhanced or suppressed, model grids with 24-h precipitation difference between the two scenarios exceeding certain threshold (>30 mm or<-30 mm) were separated into two sets. Analyses of key meteorological variables between the enhanced and suppressed regimes suggested that atmospheric convection was the most important factor that determined whether precipitation was enhanced or suppressed during summertime over North China. The convection was stronger over places with precipitation enhancement over 30 mm. Haze weakened the convection over places with precipitation suppression exceeding 30 mm and caused less water vapor to rise to a higher level and thus further suppressed precipitation. The suppression of precipitation was often accompanied with relatively high convective available potential energy (CAPE), relative humidity (RH) and updraft velocities.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Haze / Aerosol radiative effects / Convective precipitation

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