Cloud-radiation coupling over the lifetime of deep convective storms

Deep convective storms have a large influence on both solar and thermal radiation due to their initially optically thick updrafts and anvils, and later, in their mature and dissipating stage, thin but large anvil coverage. A storm's impact on the top of atmosphere net radiation is relevant for Earth's climate. More directly, radiation also plays a role on further storm evolution and later development by surface heating and affecting the thermal structure of the atmosphere. Our question is whether mid-level clouds and cloud overlap play a role in storm evolution and total cloud radiative effect over the storm's lifetime. For example, there are regions, such as (sub)tropical West Africa, where mid-level clouds near the freezing level are frequently observed and thought to originate from congestus detrainment or as remnants of previous deep convection. One hypothesis is that cloudiness around the freezing level affects anvil cirrus lifetime and local stability sufficiently to influence a convective storm's net radiative effects as a whole. We use high resolution modelling to investigate whether mid-level cloudiness and overlap with cirrus is sufficiently resolved compared to observations. Secondly, we test our hypothesis with a mechanism denial experiment. If confirmed, this cloud-radiation coupling needs to be well represented in models for weather forecasting (storm evolution, next-day storm environment) and climate simulations (net radiation balance).