Intraseasonal variability of the Indian Monsoon: A test bed to study dynamical conditions and the transition from shallow to deep convection

Abstract:

Precipitation associated with the Indian monsoon is an essential component in global precipitation budget. The precipitation variability associated with the Indian monsoon in the intraseasonal timescale provides an ideal test bed for studying relationships among energy, water budgets, and cloud regimes. Here we examine the transition from monsoon breaks (precipitation minima over the Indian subcontinent) to monsoon peaks (precipitation maxima over the subcontinent) and its associated transition in cloud regimes observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) together with the large-scale dynamical and thermodynamical conditions diagnosed from the Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA). The precipitation-related large-scale dynamical and thermodynamical conditions associated with the transition from shallow to deep convection, which is commonly misrepresented by cumulus parameterization in climate models, will be diagnosed for different phases of intraseasonal variation in Indian monsoon.