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Regional Variability in the Structure and Microphysical Characteristics of Hail Clouds over China Based on GPM Observations and ERA5 Reanalysis.

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Title: Regional Variability in the Structure and Microphysical Characteristics of Hail Clouds over China Based on GPM Observations and ERA5 Reanalysis.
Authors: Zhang, Jiatao1 (AUTHOR), Ai, Weihua1,2 (AUTHOR), Zhao, Xianbin1,3 (AUTHOR) zhaoxianbin17@nudt.edu.cn, Chen, Jingjing1,2 (AUTHOR), Hu, Xiong2,3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Remote Sensing. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 11, p1853. 23p.
Subjects: Hailstorms, Vertical wind shear, Meteorological precipitation measurement, Meteorology, Thunderstorms, Spatial variation
Geographic Terms: Southwest China, Tibet (China), China
Abstract: Highlights: What are the main findings? Hail cloud systems in South and Southwest China exhibit the strongest ice-phase particle growth (steepest Δ Z e / Δ h and Δ D m / Δ h gradients) under high-CAPE environments, while systems in North and Northeast China develop into more horizontally extensive, organized structures under stronger vertical wind shear. The Tibetan Plateau displays a distinct hail cloud regime characterized by strong echoes and large particle sizes aloft but weak low-level intensification and limited hydrometeor content, reflecting thermodynamically constrained conditions at high altitude. What are the implications of the main findings? Three regionally distinct hail cloud modes—deep moist convective, organization-enhanced, and plateau-constrained—provide a physically consistent framework for satellite-based hail monitoring and region-specific early warning across China. The coupled GPM active/passive microwave and ERA5 environmental analysis demonstrates that regional hail cloud contrasts are jointly regulated by thermodynamic instability, vertical wind shear, and topographic forcing. Hail is one of the most destructive warm-season severe convective hazards in China, yet the structure and microphysical evolution of hail-bearing clouds vary markedly among regions. Using GPM DPR/GMI observations together with ERA5 reanalysis during the warm seasons of 2020–2025, we identified 817 hail cloud systems across five representative hail-prone regions of China, namely Northeast China (NE), North China (NC), South China (SC), Southwest China (SW), and the Tibetan Plateau (TP), on the basis of the flagHail indicator. We then compared their macroscopic structure, vertical microphysical characteristics, organization scale, and environmental setting within a unified framework. The results reveal pronounced regional heterogeneity. Hail cloud systems in SC and SW exhibit higher echo-top heights and larger ice water paths, together with the strongest downward enhancement of reflectivity and particle size within the key ice-growth layer between 0 °C and −20 °C, indicating a deep moist-convective regime. By contrast, hail cloud systems in NC and NE more often develop into organized and horizontally extensive systems under stronger vertical wind shear, consistent with an organization-enhanced regime. Hail cloud systems over TP are characterized by high cloud tops, low hydrometeor content, and weak low-level growth, which together define a plateau-constrained regime. Environmental analyses indicate that these regional contrasts are jointly regulated by thermodynamic instability, vertical wind shear, and topographic forcing. These findings provide a physically consistent basis for satellite-based hail monitoring and region-specific hail warning over China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Regional Variability in the Structure and Microphysical Characteristics of Hail Clouds over China Based on GPM Observations and ERA5 Reanalysis.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Jiatao%22">Zhang, Jiatao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ai%2C+Weihua%22">Ai, Weihua</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhao%2C+Xianbin%22">Zhao, Xianbin</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> zhaoxianbin17@nudt.edu.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Jingjing%22">Chen, Jingjing</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hu%2C+Xiong%22">Hu, Xiong</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Remote+Sensing%22">Remote Sensing</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 11, p1853. 23p.
– Name: Subject
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  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hailstorms%22">Hailstorms</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vertical+wind+shear%22">Vertical wind shear</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Meteorological+precipitation+measurement%22">Meteorological precipitation measurement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Meteorology%22">Meteorology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thunderstorms%22">Thunderstorms</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spatial+variation%22">Spatial variation</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Southwest+China%22">Southwest China</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tibet+%28China%29%22">Tibet (China)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Highlights: What are the main findings? Hail cloud systems in South and Southwest China exhibit the strongest ice-phase particle growth (steepest Δ Z e / Δ h and Δ D m / Δ h gradients) under high-CAPE environments, while systems in North and Northeast China develop into more horizontally extensive, organized structures under stronger vertical wind shear. The Tibetan Plateau displays a distinct hail cloud regime characterized by strong echoes and large particle sizes aloft but weak low-level intensification and limited hydrometeor content, reflecting thermodynamically constrained conditions at high altitude. What are the implications of the main findings? Three regionally distinct hail cloud modes—deep moist convective, organization-enhanced, and plateau-constrained—provide a physically consistent framework for satellite-based hail monitoring and region-specific early warning across China. The coupled GPM active/passive microwave and ERA5 environmental analysis demonstrates that regional hail cloud contrasts are jointly regulated by thermodynamic instability, vertical wind shear, and topographic forcing. Hail is one of the most destructive warm-season severe convective hazards in China, yet the structure and microphysical evolution of hail-bearing clouds vary markedly among regions. Using GPM DPR/GMI observations together with ERA5 reanalysis during the warm seasons of 2020–2025, we identified 817 hail cloud systems across five representative hail-prone regions of China, namely Northeast China (NE), North China (NC), South China (SC), Southwest China (SW), and the Tibetan Plateau (TP), on the basis of the flagHail indicator. We then compared their macroscopic structure, vertical microphysical characteristics, organization scale, and environmental setting within a unified framework. The results reveal pronounced regional heterogeneity. Hail cloud systems in SC and SW exhibit higher echo-top heights and larger ice water paths, together with the strongest downward enhancement of reflectivity and particle size within the key ice-growth layer between 0 °C and −20 °C, indicating a deep moist-convective regime. By contrast, hail cloud systems in NC and NE more often develop into organized and horizontally extensive systems under stronger vertical wind shear, consistent with an organization-enhanced regime. Hail cloud systems over TP are characterized by high cloud tops, low hydrometeor content, and weak low-level growth, which together define a plateau-constrained regime. Environmental analyses indicate that these regional contrasts are jointly regulated by thermodynamic instability, vertical wind shear, and topographic forcing. These findings provide a physically consistent basis for satellite-based hail monitoring and region-specific hail warning over China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3390/rs18111853
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 23
        StartPage: 1853
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Hailstorms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vertical wind shear
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Meteorological precipitation measurement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Meteorology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thunderstorms
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spatial variation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Southwest China
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Tibet (China)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Regional Variability in the Structure and Microphysical Characteristics of Hail Clouds over China Based on GPM Observations and ERA5 Reanalysis.
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            NameFull: Zhang, Jiatao
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            NameFull: Zhao, Xianbin
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              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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