Work

Cloud response to lateral interactions from convective strength-variable neighbors

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The organization of convective clouds plays a key role in convective system development, yet the interactions between neighboring cloud entities remain unclear. This study examines how clouds of varying convective strength influence spatial and temporal evolution of their neighbors by idealized large-eddy simulations. Results reveal that interactions predominantly occur during the late mature stage of the cloud lifecycle, where neighboring clouds suppress liquid water path and vertical development while enhancing horizontal expansion, leading to a net reduction in cloud volume. Thermodynamic and dynamic analyses indicate that warming and moistening from neighboring clouds promote low-level convergence and updrafts on their adjacent flanks, driving horizontal growth but inhibiting vertical extension by shifting the cloud core toward neighboring clouds. The study underscores the importance of lateral interactions in shaping the organization of shallow convective cloud systems and provides insights for improving cumulus parameterization in models.

Source: Geoscience Letters

DOI: 10.1186/s40562-026-00469-y

Authors: Chuang Xu, Jingyi Chen, Chunsong Lu, Yiqi Chen

Institutions: China Meteorological Administration, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Peking University

Language: English

Topic: Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations

Subfield: Atmospheric Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,390

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China