Characteristics of Raindrop Size Distribution for a Squall Line at Chuzhou of Anhui During Summer

Characteristics of raindrop size distribution are analyzed using a ground-based disdrometer for a mid-latitude squall line at Chuzhou of Anhui on 31 Jul 2014. The observational precipitation are classified into convective rain, transition rain and stratiform rain based on the radar reflectivity and rain rate at surface. The convective rain is divided into leading edge, convective center and trailing edge according to a threshold rain rate 10 mm·h^-1. The raindrop spectrum characteristics in different precipitation regions are studied. Results show that the mass-weighted diameter for convective center, transition region, stratiform region are stable with mean values of 1.8 mm, 1.0 mm and 1.7 mm, respectively. The generalized intercepting parameter N_w of convective precipitation is larger compared with stratiform precipitation, indicating a larger number concentration of drops. The μ value is the largest for transition precipitation but the smallest for convective precipitation. The raindrop spectrums are different for varied rain type. For convective precipitation, it shows a highest concentration of raindrop within each size range, especially for small size of raindrops, which results in a smaller raindrop size than tropic region. For stratiform precipitation consists of a lower number concentration of small drops and less large raindrops, therefore, the spectrum curve is flat. For transition precipitation, the number concentration of small drops is close to stratiform precipitation without large drops, results in a steep spectrum. The mass-weighted diameter for leading edge is large probably caused by gravity separation at the early stage of precipitation. The rainwater content of stratiform precipitation is smaller compared with convective precipitation. The mass-weighted diameter of stratiform precipitation is larger compared with convective precipitation, and it increases more rapidly compared with convective precipitation as the rain water content increasing. The reflectivity is larger for stratiform precipitation compared with convective center precipitation at the same rain rate. The Z-I relationship of stratiform precipitation is Z=409I^1.48 when partitioning the rain into convective rain, transition rain and stratiform rain, but Z=395I^1.51 when the partitioning is blurred. The Z-I relationship is improved and the accuracy of radar rainfall estimates is enhanced by dividing the rain type more exactly. In summary, although the raindrop size distribution for a squall line at ground is discussed, the knowledge on microphysical process of mid-latitude squall line is still insufficient. Dual polarization radar can be applied to further investigate the microphysical process in different types of internal cloud precipitation in the future.