Scale Dependence of Variability in Stratiform Clouds Based on Millimeter Wave Could Radar

Internal variability of stratiform clouds is manifested on grid scales ranging from cloud resolving models to general circulation models, and its accurate formulation is one of the most important tasks in improvement of model predictions. Understanding cloud variability on different scales will help develop and improve subgrid-scale cloud parameterizations. Information about variability is also crucial when dealing with retrieval of microphysical information from observations of volume-averaged reflectivity parameters, since neglecting variability can lead to substantial biases in estimation of retrieved microphysical variables.