Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial and temporal variations in rainfall over Darwin and its vicinity during different large-scale environments

  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study analyses the regional variations in rainfall over Darwin and its vicinity due to different large-scale circulations during the Australian summer by utilizing the combination of in situ and C-band polarimetric radar rainfall data at hourly resolution. The eight phases of the Madden–Julian oscillation as defined by Wheeler and Hendon (Mon Weather Rev 132(8):1917–1932, 2004) were used as indicators of different large-scale environments. The analysis found that the large-scale forcing starts to build up from phase 4 by the reversal of low- to mid-level easterly winds to moist westerly winds, reaching a maximum in phase 5 and weakening through phases 6–7. During phases 4–6, most of the study domain experiences widespread rainfall, but with distinct spatial and temporal structures. In addition, during these phases, coastal areas near Darwin receive more rainfall in the early morning (0200–0400 LT) due to the spreading or expansion of rainfall from the Beagle Gulf, explaining the occurrence of a secondary diurnal rainfall peak over Darwin. In contrast, local-scale mechanisms (sea breezes) reinvigorate from phase 8, further strengthening through phases 1–3, when low-level easterly winds become established over Darwin producing rainfall predominately over land and island locations during the afternoon. During these phases, below average rainfall is observed over most of the radar domain, except over the Tiwi Islands in phase 2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arritt RW (1993) Effects of the large-scale flow on characteristic features of the sea breeze. J Appl Meteorol 32(1):116–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beringer J, Tapper NJ, Keenan TD (2001) Evolution of maritime continent thunderstorms under varying meteorological conditions over the Tiwi Islands. Int J Climatol 21(8):1021–1036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bringi V, Huang G-J, Chandrasekar V, Keenan T (2001) An areal rainfall estimator using differential propagation phase: evaluation using a C-band radar and a dense gauge network in the tropics. J Atmos Ocean Technol 18(11):1810–1818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bringi V, Tang T, Chandrasekar V (2004) Evaluation of a new polarimetrically based Z-R relation. J Atmos Ocean Technol 21(4):612–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caine S, Jakob C, Siems S, May P (2009) Objective classification of precipitating convective regimes using a weather radar in Darwin, Australia. Mon Weather Rev 137(5):1585–1600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carbone R, Wilson J, Keenan T, Hacker J (2000) Tropical island convection in the absence of significant topography. Part I: Life cycle of diurnally forced convection. Mon Weather Rev 128(10):3459–3480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crook NA (2001) Understanding Hector: the dynamics of island thunderstorms. Mon Weather Rev 129(6):1550–1563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crosman ET, Horel JD (2010) Sea and lake breezes: a review of numerical studies. Bound-Layer Meteorol 137(1):1–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drosdowsky W (1996) Variability of the Australian summer monsoon at Darwin: 1957–1992. J Clim 9(1):85–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drosdowsky W, Holland G (1987) North australian cloud lines. Mon Weather Rev 115(11):2645–2659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimsdell AW, Alexander MJ, May PT, Hoffmann L (2010) Model study of waves generated by convection with direct validation via satellite. J Atmos Sci 67(5):1617–1631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton K, Vincent RA, May PT (2004) Darwin Area Wave Experiment (DAWEX) field campaign to study gravity wave generation and propagation. J Geophys Res 109:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendon HH, Liebmann B (1990a) A composite study of onset of the Australian summer monsoon. J Atmos Sci 47(18):2227–2240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hendon HH, Liebmann B (1990b) The intraseasonal (30–50 day) oscillation of the Australian summer monsoon. J Atmos Sci 47(24):2909–2924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holland GJ, McBride JL, Smith RK, Jasper D, Keenan TD (1986) The BMRC Australian monsoon experiment: AMEX. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 67(12):1466–1472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hung CW, Yanai M (2004) Factors contributing to the onset of the Australian summer monsoon. Q J R Meteorol Soc 130(597):739–758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanamori H, Yasunari T, Kuraji K (2013) Modulation of the diurnal cycle of rainfall associated with the MJO observed by a dense hourly rain gauge network at Sarawak, Borneo. J Clim 26(13):4858–4875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan TD, Carbone RE (1992) A preliminary morphology of precipitation systems in tropical northern Australia. Q J R Meteorol Soc 118(504):283–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan TD, Holland GJ, Manton MJ, Simpson J (1988) TRMM ground truth in a monsoon environment: Darwin, Australia. Aust Meteorl Magazine 36:81–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Keenan TD, Manton MJ, Holland GJ, Morton BR (1989) The Island Thunderstorm Experiment (ITEX)—a study of tropical thunderstorms in the maritime continent. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 70(2):152–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan T, Morton B, Zhang XS, Nyguen K (1990) Some characteristics of thunderstorms over Bathurst and Melville Islands near Darwin, Australia. Q J R Meteorol Soc 116(495):1153–1172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan T, Glasson K, Cummings F, Bird T, Keeler J, Lutz J (1998) The BMRC/NCAR C-band polarimetric (C-Pol) radar system. J Atmos Ocean Technol 15(4):871–886

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan T, May P, Holland G, Rutledge S, Carbone R, Wilson J, Moncrieff M, Crook A, Takahashi T, Tapper N (2000) The maritime continent thunderstorm experiment (MCTEX): overview and some results. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 81(10):2433–2455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koike T (2004) The Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period—an initial step for integrated global water cycle observation. WMO Bull 53(2):115–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar VV, Protat A, May PT, Jakob C, Penide G, Kumar S, Davies L (2013) On the effects of large-scale environment and surface types on convective cloud characteristics over Darwin, Australia. Mon Weather Rev 141(4):1358–1374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madden RA, Julian PR (1994) Observations of the 40–50-day tropical oscillation—a review. Mon Weather Rev 122(5):814–837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May PT, Ballinger A (2007) The statistical characteristics of convective cells in a monsoon regime (Darwin, Northern Australia). Mon Weather Rev 135(1):82–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May PT, Mather JH, Vaughan G, Bower KN, Jakob C, McFarquhar GM, Mace GG (2008) The tropical warm pool international cloud experiment. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 89(5):629–645

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May PT, Long CN, Protat A (2012) The diurnal cycle of the boundary layer, convection, clouds, and surface radiation in a coastal monsoon environment (Darwin, Australia). J Clim 25(15):5309–5326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McBride JL, Frank WM (1999) Relationships between stability and monsoon convection. J Atmos Sci 56(1):24–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller S, Keim B, Talbot R, Mao H (2003) Sea breeze: structure, forecasting, and impacts. Rev Geophys 41(3):1–31

    Google Scholar 

  • North GR, Bell TL, Cahalan RF, Moeng FJ (1982) Sampling errors in the estimation of empirical orthogonal functions. Mon Weather Rev 110(7):699–706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliphant A, Sturman A, Tapper N (2001) The evolution and structure of a tropical island sea/land-breeze system, northern Australia. Meteorol Atmos Phys 78(1–2):45–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pope M, Jakob C, Reeder MJ (2009a) Regimes of the north Australian wet season. J Clim 22(24):6699–6715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pope M, Jakob C, Reeder MJ (2009b) Objective classification of tropical mesoscale convective systems. J Clim 22(22):5797–5808

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porson A, Steyn DG, Schayes G (2007) Formulation of an index for sea breezes in opposing winds. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 46(8):1257–1263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Protat A, Delanoë J, May P, Haynes J, Jakob C, O’Connor E, Pope M, Wheeler M (2011) The variability of tropical ice cloud properties as a function of the large-scale context from ground-based radar-lidar observations over Darwin, Australia. Atmos Chem Phys 11:8363–8384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Protat A, Rauniyar S, Kumar VV, Strapp JW (2014) Optimizing the probability of flying in high ice water content conditions in the tropics using a regional-scale climatology of convective cell properties. J Appl Meteor Climatol 53(11):2438–2456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramage CS (1968) Role of a tropical maritime continent in the atmospheric circulation. Mon Weather Rev 96(6):365–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rauniyar SP (2006) Characteristics and mechanism analysis of precipitation’s diurnal cycle based on CEOP. Dissertation (M. Sc.), University of Tokyo, Japan

  • Rauniyar SP, Rasmy M, Tamagawa K, Yang K, Koike T (2007) Prediction skill assessment of NWP models in simulating the diurnal cycle of precipitation. Annu J Hydraulic Eng, JSCE 51:97–102. doi:10.2208/prohe.51.97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds RW, Smith TM, Liu C, Chelton DB, Casey KS, Schlax MG (2007) Daily high-resolution-blended analyses for sea surface temperature. J Clim 20(22):5473–5496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santos e Silva CM, Gielow R, de Freitas SR (2009) Diurnal and semidiurnal rainfall cycles during the rain season in SW Amazonia, observed via rain gauges and estimated using S-band radar. Atmos Sci Lett 10(2):87–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner T, Tapper N (1994) Preliminary sea breeze studies over Bathurst and Melville Islands, Northern Australia, as part of the Island Thunderstorm Experiment (ITEX). Meteorol Atmos Phys 53(1–2):77–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soman VV, Valdés JB, North GR (1995) Satellite sampling and the diurnal cycle statistics of Darwin rainfall data. J Appl Meteorol 34(11):2481–2490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troup A (1961) Variations in upper tropospheric flow associated with the onset of the Australian summer monsoon. Indian J Meteorol Geophys 12:217–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Wapler K, Lane TP (2012) A case of offshore convective initiation by interacting land breezes near Darwin, Australia. Meteorl Atmos Phys 115:123–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler MC, Hendon HH (2004) An all-season real-time multivariate MJO index: development of an index for monitoring and prediction. Mon Weather Rev 132(8):1917–1932

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler M, McBride J (2011) Australasian monsoon. In: Lau WKM, Waliser D (eds) Intraseasonal variability in the atmosphere–ocean climate system, 2nd edn. Springer, New York, pp 147–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler MC, Hendon HH, Cleland S, Meinke H, Donald A (2009) Impacts of the Madden–Julian oscillation on Australian rainfall and circulation. J Clim 22(6):1482–1498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie S, McCoy RB, Klein SA, Cederwall RT, Wiscombe WJ, Jensen MP, Johnson KL, Clothiaux EE, Gaustad KL, Long CN, Mather JH, McFarlane SA, Shi Y, Golaz J-C, Lin Y, Hall SD, McCord RA, Palanisamy G, Turner DD (2010) CLOUDS AND MORE: ARM climate modeling best estimate data. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 91(1):13–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang S, Smith EA (2006) Mechanisms for diurnal variability of global tropical rainfall observed from TRMM. J Clim 19(20):5190–5226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C (2005) Madden–Julian oscillation. Rev Geophys 43:RG2003. doi:10.1029/2004RG000158

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Matthew Wheeler, Dr. Peter May and Dr. Alain Protat for their valuable suggestions and comments. We would also like to thank Michael Whimpey for providing the CPOL radar data. In this study, ERA-Interim data were obtained from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and atmospheric variables datasets were obtained from the ARM Climate Modeling Best Estimate (CMBE) atmospheric and radiation datasets and from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Surendra P. Rauniyar & Kevin J. E. Walsh

Authors
  1. Surendra P. Rauniyar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kevin J. E. Walsh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Surendra P. Rauniyar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rauniyar, S.P., Walsh, K.J.E. Spatial and temporal variations in rainfall over Darwin and its vicinity during different large-scale environments. Clim Dyn 46, 671–691 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2606-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2606-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation