Highly localized droplet clustering in shallow cumulus clouds

Abstract

The size and spatial clustering of water droplets in warm clouds influence cloud evolution and radiation properties and thus are of fundamental importance for the Earth’s energy balance and water cycle. Some proposed mechanisms for droplet growth and precipitation initiation in warm clouds require strong droplet clustering. Resolving such clustering on sub-cm scales remains a challenge. The most detailed observations, collected from aircraft, showed weak mm-scale droplet clustering averaged over kilometer scales in stratocumulus clouds. Here we present spatially resolved in-situ holographic measurements from a tethered aerostat, demonstrating that clustering in shallow cumulus clouds is significantly stronger and far more localized than previously thought. These findings challenge current cloud microphysics frameworks, with implications for precipitation initiation and cloud modeling.