Relationship of tropical cyclone intensity and intensity change with precipitation and structural properties based on a decade of microwave sounder observations

Precipitation and structural properties of tropical cyclones (TCs) are quantified across a range of TC intensity and intensity change values by using composite analysis of a decade of data from Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU A&B) and Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS). The large samples from collection of microwave sounders allow more statistically robust analysis than any other individual sensors, besides sampling at different local times. We quantify the relationship of TC inner core and surrounding precipitation (e.g., volume, area, intensity) and structural properties (e.g., vertical distribution of reflectivity) with TC intensity and intensity change. As will be discussed the reflectivity data are empirically derived based on field campaign analysis and have been found valuable in analysis of TC structures. Recent analysis suggests that the retrieved reflectivity data compares well with that observed by TRMM PR and airborne radars during recent field campaigns. The maximum wind speed from the best track data is used as an index for TC intensity and four future intensity change categories are defined: rapidly intensifying, slowly intensifying, neutral, and weakening. Detailed results and discussion will be reported in this presentation followed by concluding remarks about potential values of the findings to TC intensity change forecast.