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Multi-parameter Doppler Weather Radar analysis of an extreme rain event in central India: Precursors of convective intensification, sectoral variability and storm structure
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DOI：10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108952.png)
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Abstract
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An extreme rainfall event (ERE) over Nagpur during 22-23 September 2023 is investigated using an S-band Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) operated at Nagpur. The radar volume scans at 10-min intervals are gridded onto a 1 km x 1 km x 0.5 km Cartesian framework and classified into convective and stratiform regimes to examine the spatiotemporal evolution of the storm. Three distinct sectors within a 100 km radius of the radar are identified based on convective duration. The base radar parameters, such as Radar Reflectivity (Z, dBZ), Radial Velocity (V, m s(-1)), and Spectrum Width (SW, m s(-1)), from each sector are analysed to highlight spatial heterogeneity in convective development and decay of the ERE. Time-height cross sections of these parameters, together with standard deviation and skewness, provide a detailed depiction of storm dynamics, including the timing and vertical extent of convective bursts, turbulence layers, and wind structures. Two-dimensional histograms and complementary statistical analyses reveal the distribution of radar variables and highlight the dominance of convective cores, elevated ice layers, and stratiform regions during different storm phases. Convective fraction and time-of-occurrence analyses show intense convection transitioning gradually into stratiform rain in Sector 1, persistent deep convection in Sector 2-the primary convective core of the system, and shallow, decaying convection in Sector 3. The results collectively demonstrate how convective intensity, organization, and longevity vary during the ERE. Sector 2 showcases dominant and vertically extensive convection that persists into the post-midnight hours, whereas Sectors 1 and 3 transition earlier into stratiform rainfall. Standard deviation and skewness consistently precede increases in mean reflectivity and spectrum width, confirming their potential as precursors of convective intensification. Radiosonde observations provide an independent thermodynamic context for the radar-observed storm evolution and support the physical interpretation of the identified precursor signals. This multi-parameter radar-based framework proposes new insights into the vertical and temporal heterogeneity of extreme convective systems over central India, underscoring the role of organized convection in producing catastrophic rainfall during EREs.
Keywords:
S-Band Doppler Weather Radar
Extreme rain event
Spatiotemporal variation
Radar reflectivity
Radial velocity
Spectrum width
Convective precursors
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