The characteristics of the raindrop size distribution (DSD) in summer in the western (Nilek) and central (Urumqi) regions in the Tianshan Mountains of China were studied based on three years of second-generation Particle Size Velocity (Parsivel2) disdrometer data. The FengYun-2G satellite remote sensing data and the ERA5 reanalysis product were used to reveal the possible thermo-dynamical and microphysical processes that caused the dissimi-larities in DSD between Urumqi and Nilek. The DSD in Nilek is significantly different from that in Urumqi. The concentration of mid-and large-size drops is higher in Nilek than in Urumqi. The DSD characteristics for six rain rate classes and two rain types (convective and stratiform) are studied. It is found that the raindrops in Nilek have overall higher mass-weighted mean diameters (Dm) and lower logarithm of normalized intercept parameters (log10 Nw) than those in Urumqi, which is true for different rain rates and rain types. Convective clusters in Urumqi are similar to maritime clusters, whereas those in Nilek are more similar to continental clusters, accord-ing to a classification standard of convective clusters. The radar reflectivity, rain rate relations, and the shape and slope relations for rainfall in Urumqi and Nilek are also different. The DSD variability in the two regions may be attributed to differences in convective intensity that are closely related to the specific terrain of the Tianshan Mountains. © The Author(s) 2022.
