Raindrop size distributions in convective clouds over Cuba

Raindrop size distributions, measured in the warm sector of convective clouds over Camagüey, Cuba, are analyzed; a wide range of rainfall rates is present in the dataset. Mean spectra are presented and examined separately for updrafts and downdrafts, with additional information about vertical velocities and cloud water content. Large drop sorting has been detected; its sense and degree depend on rainfall rate and cloud dynamic characteristics. No significant small drop sorting has been found. Mean spectra for individual clouds and for groups of clouds with the same rainfall rate category have been calculated and fitted by different models; the best fits have been obtained with a least square gamma function model. An alternate analytical procedure has been presented, resulting appropriate to estimate rain water content and accurate in the sense of mean error. Negative form factors, associated with upward concavity are obtained in most cases, because of the presence of relatively high concentrations of small and large drops.