The evolution of warm rain in trade-wind cumulus during EUREC4A

In this paper measurements are presented of the observed properties of aerosols and microphysics of clouds associated with the characteristics of precipitation in convective clouds that formed off the east coast of Barbados during EUREC4A. Most data were gathered by the instrumented British Antarctic Survey Twin Otter aircraft supported by detailed in-situ aerosol measurements at the Ragged Point observatory on Barbados as well as HALO and PoldiRad radars, dropsonde and satellite data. The development of precipitation was studied in the three aerosol regimes previously reported, i.e. one low aerosol regime and two containing desert dust that had been advected across the Atlantic Ocean. The later dust event also contained evidence of biomass burning aerosol. Results showed that the maximum intensity of rain was similar for all the aerosol regimes. Clouds that developed in an environment with high aerosol loading tended to be deeper than those that developed in the clean environment. It was also found that the greatest intensities occurred in clouds that had aggregated, in agreement with previous work.