Organization of deep convection largely affects how precipitation is distributed both spatially and temporally in the tropics, and have great implication of radiative feedbacks. A global examination of tropical convection types is performed using satellite radar products. Preliminary results show that the activity of organized deep convection is not only controlled by thermodynamical factors such as sea surface temperature (SST) and column saturation fraction, but also by vertical wind shear. Strong control of convective organization and associated high cloud cover and atmospheric longwave radiative heating by low-level wind shear suggests a potential importance of mesoscale dynamics in affecting the large-scale climate system.

Using CESM 1, response in cloud radiative effect to idealized forcing is found to indirectly impose a circulation change in the tropics, which in turn induces surface evaporation and ENSO-like sea surface temperature (SST) patterns. The finding suggests potential importance of accurately simulating cloud radiative feedback in climate models to projection of tropical SST pattern.

Spending a majority of time sitting in office, I was fortunate to help gathering data directly in field by participating in Prediction of Rainfall Campaign in the Pacific (PRECIP) at Hsinchu, Taiwan. I assisted in communication with the Central Weather Bureau and domestic participants, launching soundings, and operating an S-Pol radar. The data helps understanding how extreme rainfall is established, with a focus under the synoptic transition between east-Asian Mei-Yu season and typhoon season. 

As a recently update, I will participate in the PICCOLO - ORCHESTRA field campaign at Barbados!