A case of hailstorm process occurring on 24 June 2006 in northwestern China was studied using satellite retrieval methodology. The particle effective radius (re) in the cloud tops was calculated by the reflectance in the 3.7 μm channel, and cloud-top microphysical properties were vividly represented using the RGB visual multispectral classification scheme. The microphysical zones of clouds and the processes of hail formation and develop-ment are inferred using the relations of cloud-top temperature (T) versus re for the tops of convective clouds. The results show that particle effective radius was smaller near the cloud base of hailstorm. There was a deep zone of diffusional droplet growth at the low level where the particles grew slowly with height, and there existed an evident area of small ice particles in the cloud top, suggesting the existence of a strong updraft in the clouds. The low glaciated temperature indicated a great depth from the cloud base to the glaciation height, which provided a deep layer of supercooled water for hail growth.
展开▼
