Articles | Volume 7, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-2193-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-2193-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Nov 2026
Research article |
| 09 Nov 2026
| 09 Nov 2026
Understanding the contrasting environments for localised and widespread heavy rainfall in the tropics
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Martin S. Singh
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The ARC Centre of Excellence for Weather in the 21st Century, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Yi-Xian Li
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Annabel J. Bowden
Climate Futures Research Group, School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
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Short summary
Heavy tropical rainfall can occur in two ways: as localised, high-intensity events, or as widespread events. Using 20 years of radar observations from Darwin, Australia, and a simple theoretical model, we show that these two forms of heavy rain occur in different atmospheric conditions. This helps to better understand the spatial characteristics of rainfall and provides a way to better assess weather and climate models.
Heavy tropical rainfall can occur in two ways: as localised, high-intensity events, or as...
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