Fang et al. (2026) Modulating Effects of Ice-Phase Microphysical Processes on Surface Precipitation Intensity in Typhoon Spiral Rainbands

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrometeorology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-01
• Authors: Rong Fang, Ting Wang, Haoya Liu
• DOI: 10.1175/jhm-d-25-0132.1

Research Groups

• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
• University of Colorado Boulder
• Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS)

Short Summary

This study investigates the modulating effects of ice-phase microphysical processes on surface precipitation intensity in Typhoon spiral rainbands. The results show that ice-phase processes contribute significantly to surface precipitation, with an average contribution fraction of 82% over the 48-h analysis period.

Objective

• Investigate the role of ice-phase microphysical processes in modulating surface precipitation intensity in Typhoon spiral rainbands.
• Quantify the contribution of ice-phase processes to surface precipitation and examine their spatial and temporal variability.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The study focuses on a single typhoon event, Typhoon Lekima (2019), with a domain size of approximately 1000 km × 1000 km centered on the storm eye.
• Temporal Scale: The analysis period spans 48 hours, from 0000 UTC 9 Aug to 0000 UTC 11 Aug 2019.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used for simulations, with the Morrison cloud microphysics scheme.
• Data sources: GPM IMERG Final Run (V07B) data were used for validation and comparison with simulated results.

Main Results

• Ice-phase processes contribute significantly to surface precipitation, with an average contribution fraction of 82% over the 48-h analysis period.
• The spatial distribution of ice-phase contribution shows highest contributions in the convective cores of spiral rainbands.
• Temporal evolution of ice-phase variables indicates a significant increase in IWC above the freezing level and ice-phase contribution fraction during the 48-h analysis period.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the role of ice-phase microphysical processes in modulating surface precipitation intensity in Typhoon spiral rainbands.
• The results highlight the importance of considering ice-phase processes in predicting typhoon rainfall and associated hazards.

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant #XXXXX
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Grant #YYYYY

Citation

@article{Fang2026Modulating,
  author = {Fang, Rong and Wang, Ting and Liu, Haoya},
  title = {Modulating Effects of Ice-Phase Microphysical Processes on Surface Precipitation Intensity in Typhoon Spiral Rainbands},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrometeorology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1175/jhm-d-25-0132.1},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1175/jhm-d-25-0132.1}
}