title: Weak linkage between the heaviest rainfall and tallest storms.
abstract: Conventionally, the heaviest rainfall has been linked to the tallest, most intense convective storms. However, the global picture of the linkage between extreme rainfall and convection remains unclear. Here we analyse an 11-year record of spaceborne precipitation radar observations and establish that a relatively small fraction of extreme convective events produces extreme rainfall rates in any region of the tropics and subtropics. Robust differences between extreme rainfall and convective events are found in the rainfall characteristics and environmental conditions, irrespective of region; most extreme rainfall events are characterized by less intense convection with intense radar echoes not extending to extremely high altitudes. Rainfall characteristics and environmental conditions both indicate the importance of warm-rain processes in producing extreme rainfall rates. Our results demonstrate that, even in regions where severe convective storms are representative extreme weather events, the heaviest rainfall events are mostly associated with less intense convection.
authors.affiliation: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8568, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.affiliation: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8568, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukari N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Takayabu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5850, USA.
authors.forename: Chuntao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0110, USA.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Zipser