Abstract:

Using satellite measurements from A‐Train constellation and Global PrecipitationMeasurement mission, we investigate the relationships between the afternoon time shallow convectivetop height (CTHafternoon) and the evening time deep convective storm top height (CTHevening) and rain rate(RRevening) over the Amazon and Congo regions. We use CloudSat cloud type stratus and stratocumulus asthe shallow afternoon clouds. Our results indicate that the afternoon shallow clouds over the Congoregion are associated with suppressed and weakened evening time deep convection, whereas shallow cloudsover the Amazon region are associated with the growth of the evening time deep convection. Over the Congoregion, wefind that as CTHafternoonincreases, shallow convective rain rate in the afternoon (RRafternoon)increases. As a result, the evening time convective available potential energy (CAPE) as well as freetropospheric humidity (RH700‐300) decrease. Consequently, condensation occurring inside deep convectionreduces and CTHeveningas well as RReveningdecrease over there. Over the Amazon region, however,RRafternoondoes not vary significantly with CTHafternoon. As CTHafternoonincreases, CAPE, RH700‐300, andcondensation occurring inside deep convection increase in the evening. As a result, deep convectiveCTHeveningand RReveningincrease with CTHafternoonover the Amazon basin. These dissimilarities in theambient condition drive the shallow to deep convective evolution differently over these two rainforests.On the other hand, shallow clouds that remain shallow in the evening are associated with less CAPE andRH700‐300,RRafternoon,and RRevening. Although CAPE and RH700‐300promote deep convection to a heightcloud top height, high vertical wind shear inhibits deep convection.