Aerosols are critical components of the atmospheric hydrological cycle. By attenuating solar radiation and affecting cloud microphysical processes, specifically cloud properties and precipitation can be modified both on regional and global scales. The initial forcing due to changes in the aerosol concentration and composition may be enhanced or dampened by feedback processes such as modified cloud dynamics, surface exchange or atmospheric circulation patterns. As the mechanisms behind the feedback processes are not well understood, the overall cloud and precipitation response to changes in the aerosol population is highly uncertain. The atmospheric and climate communities have long been working to gain a better grasp of these critical effects and hence reduce the significant uncertainties in climate prediction resulting from such a lack of adequate knowledge.

This session highlights the use of numerical models (from cloud, regional to global scales) and observations (satellite and ground-based global observing systems) to provide a basis for improving our understanding of the impact of aerosols on cloud and precipitation processes. Invited and contributing speakers will discuss current state-of-the-art modeling capabilities and limitations in predicting, simulating and observing aerosol effects on clouds and precipitation on different spatial and temporal scales. In addition, future research directions regarding cloud-aerosol precipitation interactions will be discussed in this session.