Characteristics of layer type radar echoes around Delhi

Abstract

Some characteristics of the precipitation echoes from layer type clouds in Delhi region have been studied using radar observations made during 1960-1962. The study showed that the height of the layer echoes first observed varied between 3.0 and 13.0 km. Mean height of the first observed layer echoes was about 8 km in summer (April-June), 10 km during monsoon (July-September) and 7 km during winter (November-March). The depth of these echoes have been found to be usually in the range 0.5-6.0 km and horizontal extensions varied between wide limits ranging from 12 to 200 km. Occurrence of layer echoes preceded by convective development has been found to be maximum during summer while melting band feature occurred more frequently during monsoon. Rainfall rate and liquid water content I layer clouds as well as the percentage contribution towards season’s rainfall from such clouds have also been estimated.