Dust effects on cloud properties in dust-infused baroclinic storm (DIBS) over East Asia

Dust particles impose significant effects on the microphysics of mixed-phase and ice clouds. Previous studies mainly focused on dust-cloud interaction at the scale of convection, lacking the investigation of dust’s indirect effect in extratropical cyclone (EC) systems. In this study, we investigate dust effect on cloud properties by examining a decade (2016–2025) of Mongolian cyclones, which are primary drivers of East Asian dust-infused baroclinic storms (DIBS). Using automated tracking, satellite observations, and reanalysis data, we compare cloud properties under various dust conditions during DIBS events. Increasing dust loading enhances ice cloud fraction but reduces ice effective radius in both mixed-phase and ice regime in DIBS. This indicates that ice formation in East Asian DIBS ice clouds is dominated by heterogeneous rather than homogeneous nucleation. These results establish the significant role of dust in modulating the cloud phase partitioning and microphysical properties within ECs.