Properties of Global Extreme Rainfall Events Identified Using the GPM Precipitation Radar

This study aims to comprehensively analyze extreme rainfall events globally, utilizing data from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite spanning 2014-2022. We define Extreme Precipitation Features (EPFs) by grouping contiguous pixels with at least 20 mm/hr precipitation rate as derived by the GPM Ku band radar. From the defined criteria, 362,019 such events were identified in 8+years. This presentation shows the characteristics of these extreme PFs, emphasizing their geographical locations, maximum heights of 20, 30, 40 dBZ echo tops, volumetric rain, and seasonal variations. A comparative analysis is performed between EPFs over land and ocean. On average, land-based EPFs are found to be taller (11.5 km) compared to their oceanic counterparts (10.9 km). Additionally, land EPFs tend to manifest over regions with intense convection, in addition to the areas with abundant moisture. Regions most susceptible to extremely severe rainfall (with maximum rain rates exceeding 100mm/hr.) include the Amazon rainforest, Central/East Africa, and South Asia. These areas also have significant volumetric rain accumulations. The relationships among the properties of EPFs are presented through maps and two-dimensional histograms. With the caveats of large uncertainties in the retrieved extreme values, our findings not only echo previous literature but also enhance our comprehension of extreme weather systems' properties through statistical analysis.