A Climatology of Convective Precipitation over Europe

Open Access
- Author:
- Bitting, Miranda
- Graduate Program:
- Meteorology and Atmospheric Science
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- April 28, 2023
- Committee Members:
- Kelly Lombardo, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Paul Markowski, Committee Member
David Stensrud, Program Head/Chair
David Jonathan Stensrud, Committee Member - Keywords:
- convection
convective
precipitation
Europe
radar
satellite
remote sensing
observations
rain gauge
thunderstorm
climatology - Abstract:
- Heavy convective precipitation and the associated flooding pose a serious threat to life and property, but there are challenges in forecasting these types of storms. In this study, the climatology of convective precipitation over a large domain encompassing central and southern Europe is investigated for the period 2011-2020. We analyze precipitation rate data from the NASA Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) in combination with the Operational Programme for the Exchange of Weather Radar Information (OPERA) and E-OBS precipitation gauge data, each with its own benefits and limitations. ATDnet lightning data is also used to verify convective precipitation signatures. This study focuses on seasonal and diurnal cycles of convective precipitation as well as its spatial variability. The analyses identify convective precipitation hotspots in the Alps, Carpathians, and Pyrenees Mountains, Italy, the southern Balkan Peninsula, and the Adriatic Sea. Regional analyses of these convective hotspots reveal the annual and diurnal cycles of precipitation and lightning and allow for comparison between regions. Additionally, ERA5 Reanalysis environmental variables and GHRSST sea surface temperatures are used to quantify the mechanisms contributing to the observed convective precipitation patterns. These results reinforce the findings of previous studies and provide new insight into convective precipitation patterns in Europe, especially over the less observed marine regions.