PRECIPITATION-PARTICLE MEASUREMENTS IN TRADE-WIND CUMULI

Abstract

Precipitation particles in the 100- to 6.50-µ-diam range were sampled in a large number of tropical convective clouds. These samples permit one to trace the development of precipitation in these clouds. Liquid-water-content measurements were made simultaneously with some of the particle measurements. From these data, it is shown that the large concentrations of large drops are associated with low liquid-water contents and, conversely, that the large values of liquid water are associated with small numbers of droplets greater than 150 µ in diam. The computed relationship between radar reflectivity, water-content, and median-volume diameter is very similar to that which has been reported for other cloud types.