Warm-season rainfall characteristics in the central US are investigated as they play important roles in ecohydrology and agricultural productivity. Using rainfall observations, we compare the April-August mesoscale convective systems (MCS) and non-MCS rainfall characteristics and examine their linear trends between 1997 and 2018. We found that MCS rainfall is ~7 times more intense than non-MCS rainfall but it occurs less frequently in time and space. MCS rainfall peaks in nocturnal hours, with synchronized timing of rainfall intensity, area and occurrence, while non-MCS rainfall peaks in late-afternoon hours, mostly attributed to the timing of peak rainfall area. MCS rainfall has increased in the last 22 years due to an increase in frequency and a longer duration per MCS. In contrast, non-MCS rainfall has decreased mainly due to a reduction in rainfall area, leading to fewer total wet days and increased dry intervals between storms
Revised: December 31, 2020 |
Published: March 28, 2020
Citation
Hu H., L. Leung, and Z. Feng. 2020.Observed Warm-Season Characteristics of MCS and Non-MCS Rainfall and Their Recent Changes in the Central United States.Geophysical Research Letters 47, no. 6:Article Number e2019GL086783.PNNL-SA-150193.doi:10.1029/2019GL086783