Modulated by global, continental, regional, and local scale processes, precipitation in the coastal tropical regions such as the Caribbean is paramount in maintaining the ecological balance and socioeconomic health of the region. A comprehensive observational effort was thus undertaken to improve our understanding of island-scale processes and precipitation variation.cast_pto_rico The western coast of Puerto Rico is ideal for observing local convective dynamics due to interactions of complex processes, such as orography, surface heating, land cover, and sea-breeze trade-wind convergence, which combine to produce differing rainfall climatologies across the island. The island has a wide network of observational instruments, including ground weather stations, soil moisture sensors, a Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD), twice-daily radiosonde launches, and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sunphotometers. The main motivation for the Convection, Aerosol, and Synoptic-Effects in the Tropics (CAST) campaign was to observe and understand interactions between local and synoptic convective processes in coastal tropical environments with western Puerto Rico as main test site. To achieve this goal, researchers from multiple institutions supplemented existing Puerto Rico observational networks with additional radiosonde launches, three high resolution radars, continuous ceilometer monitoring, and air sampling on its west coast to monitor convective precipitation events. Observations during three CAST measurement phases (22 June–10 July 2015, 6–22 February 2016, and 24 April–7 May 2016) captured the most extreme drought in recent history (summer 2015), in addition to anomalously wet early rainfall and dry season (2016) phases. This short article presents an overview of CAST slong with selected campaign data and analysis.

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Data Availability
Tropinet
Aeronet Air Sampler Ceilometer Disdrometer CAST Briefings LIDAR Radiosonde Soil Moisture Isabela (RHI) Isabela (PPI) Cabo Rojo (RHI) Cabo Rojo (PPI) Lajas (RHI) Lajas (PPI) WRF Images WRF Data
Campaign 1 22-Jun X X X X X X X
23-Jun X X X X X X
24-Jun X X X X X X X X
25-Jun X X X X X X X X
26-Jun X X X X X
27-Jun X X X X X X X
28-Jun X X X X X X X X X X
29-Jun X X X X X X X X X X X
30-Jun X X X X X X X X X X X
1-Jul X X X X X X X X X X X
2-Jul X X X X X X X
3-Jul X X X X X X X
4-Jul X X X X
5-Jul X X X X X X X
6-Jul X X X X X X X X X X
7-Jul X X X X X X X X X X X
8-Jul X X X X X X X X X X
9-Jul X X X X X X X X
10-Jul X X X X X X
11-Jul X X X X X X
12-Jul X X
13-Jul X
14-Jul X
Campaign 2 6-Feb X
7-Feb X X
8-Feb X X X X X X
9-Feb X X X X X X
10-Feb X X X X X X
11-Feb X X X X X X
12-Feb X X X X X X
13-Feb X X X X X
14-Feb X X X X X
15-Feb X X X X X
16-Feb X X X X X X
17-Feb X X X X X X X
18-Feb X X X X X X X
19-Feb X X X X X X X
20-Feb X X X
21-Feb X X X
22-Feb X X X
Campaign 3 24-Apr X X
25-Apr X X X X X X X
26-Apr X X X X X X
27-Apr X X X X X
28-Apr X X X X X X
29-Apr X X X X X X X X X
30-Apr X X X X X X
1-May X X X X X X
2-May X X X X X X X X
3-May X X X X X X X X
4-May X X X X X X X X
5-May X X X X X X X
6-May X X X X X
7-May X X
Campaign 4 27-Jun X X X X X X X X
28-Jun X X X X X X X X X X X X
29-Jun X X X X X X X X X X
30-Jun X X X X X X X X X X
1-Jul X X X X X X X X X X
2-Jul X X X X
3-Jul X X X X X
4-Jul X X X X
5-Jul X X X X X X X X X
6-Jul X X X X X X X X
7-Jul X X X X X X X X
8-Jul X X X X X X X X X
9-Jul X X X X
10-Jul X X X X
11-Jul X X X X X X X X X
12-Jul X X X X
Campaign Days
Max precip (ahps) (1/100 mm) predominant daily sea breeze direction (Urb. Sultana) predominant daily sea breeze direction (Eugenio Maria de Hostos) predominant daily sea breeze direction (finca alzamora) predominant daily wind direction, mph (Rafael Hernandez, aguadilla) predominant daily wind direction (weatherunderground, mercedita, PR) tradewind direction (weatherunderground, Luis Munoz Marin International, San Juan, PR) tradewind direction (weatherunderground, Ceiba, PR) aot (aeronet); la parguera- 1020 aot (aeronet, uprm)- 1020 relative humidity weather underground (finca alzamora) Water Vapor-cm (aeronet, la parguera) Water Vapor-cm (aeronet; uprm)
Camapign 1
7951
22-Jun 16177 No data No data 1, NE 11, E 8, E 9, E 9, E 0.183 0.291 88 3.952 3.496
23-Jun 8948 No data No data 3, WNW 10, E 6, ENE 11, E 10,E 0.329 0.154 84 4.488 4.283
24-Jun 258 No data 9 NW 2, E 8, E 5, NE 13, E 11,E 0.505 0.492 77 3.248 3.543
25-Jun 1355 No data 12 NW 2, ENE 13, E 3, ENE 14, E 10, ENE 0.403 0.431 79 3.393 3.506
26-Jun 4023 No data 8 SW 2, ESE 9, E 8, ESE 13, E 9, E 0.237 0.189 75 3.119 3.436
27-Jun 692 No data 12 W 2, NW 12, ESE 8, ESE 13, E 11, E 0.312 0.057 83 3.715 4.877
28-Jun 101 No data No data 2, WNW 9, E 6, E 16, E 11, ESE 0.492 0.581 82 3,480 4.002
29-Jun 1514 No data no data 2, N 13, E 6, E 15, E 10, ENE 0.494 0.555 81 3.406 3.332
30-Jun 5414 No data 7, W 1, NE 12, E 6, ENE 10, E 10, E 0.072 0.066 84 3.363 2.832
1-Jul 694 No data 9, ESE 2, WNW 14, E 5, E 12, E 10, E No data 0.205 81 No data 4.583
2-Jul 203 No data 10, WNW 2, WNW 15, E 8, E 13, E 10, E 0.339 0.362 79 3.474 3.422
3-Jul 788 No data 10, E 2, NNW 14, E 8, E 16, E 10, ENE 0.297 0.353 80 3.695 3.537
4-Jul 55 No data 7, W 2, N 16, E 10, ESE 17, E 9, E 0.371 0.363 82 3.412 3.405
5-Jul 1201 No data No data 2, WNW 17, E 9, E 14, E 11, NE 0.271 0.305 83 3.472 3.04
6-Jul 4080 No data No data 2, NE 16, E 7, ESE 12, E 11, ENE 0.144 0.068 81 3.507 3.555
7-Jul 454 No data 10, W 2, W 14, E 4, ESE 12, E 9, ENE 0.190 0.153 80 3.844 3.505
8-Jul 613 No data No data 2, WNW 14, E 7, ESE 14, ENE 10, ENE 0.438 0.431 81 3.715 3.692
9-Jul 2257 No data 12, N 2, NNE 13, E 5, E 12, E 9, ENE 0.467 0.458 81 4.051 3.828
10-Jul 12499 No data 8, E 2, NNE 6, ESE 6, E 9. E 7, E 0.105 0.092 85 3.541 3.517
11-Jul 4565 No data 6, NNE 1, E 8, ESE 7, E 9, ESE 8, E No data No data 87 No data
12-Jul 7162 No data No data 1, E 6, SE 6, E 4, E 8, E No data No data 94 No data
13-Jul 1341 No data No data 2, W 8, E 7, ESE 14, E 10, E 0.429 0.44 84 3.665
14-Jul 9114 No data No data 2, NW 11, E 8, E 12, E 9, ENE 0.078 0.084 81 4.09
Campaign 2
2186
6-Feb 5748 5, ESE 9, S No data 4, ENE 4, NE 3, SSE 5, SSW .053 0.035 No data 3.801 3.004
7-Feb 2082 7, ESE No data No data 3, NNE 6, ENE 5, SSE 5, SE 0.165 0.126 No data 3.625 3.364
8-Feb 4941 5, E No data No data 4, NE 6, NE 4, SE 3, S 0.142 0.124 No data 3.551 3.39
9-Feb 3212 4,  SSE (interpolated) 8, W No data 5, ENE 5, ENE 5, ESE 4, ESE 0.129 0.093 No data 3.469 3.209
10-Feb 4901 4, NNE 9, WNW No data 5, ENE 2, ESE 6, ESE 7, ESE 0.105 0.059 No data 3.496 3.298
11-Feb 3012 4, ESE (Interpolated) No data No data 9, E 0, N 7, E 5, E 0.045 0.043 No data 2.742 2.689
12-Feb 1331 3, E No data No data 10, E 0, N 9, E 8, ENE 0.054 0.045 No data 3.089 3.036
13-Feb 8245 4, ENE 10, WNW No data 7, E 1, NNE 5, ESE 7, ESE 0.111 0.069 No data 2.595 2.334
14-Feb 8539 3, SE No data No data 7, ESE 1, NE 7, E 5, NE 0.102 0.089 No data 3.118 2.882
15-Feb 7397 4, E No data No data 8, ESE 3, E 8, ESE 9, ESE 0.020 0.031 No data 3.976 3.956
16-Feb 2262 3, ENE No data No data 9, ESE 6, E 10, ESE 15, E 0.108 0.091 52 3.395 3.452
17-Feb 6901 4, ENE 7, NW 1, W 6, ENE 7, E 6, E NO data 0.095 0.113 76 3.552 3.343
18-Feb 9289 4, NW No data 2, WSW 4, ENE 1, NNE 5, SE No data 0.073 0.093 70 3.825 3.869
19-Feb 12245 4, N 10, ENE No data 7, ENE 2, SE 8, N 8, NE 0.060 0.088 80 4.141 4.171
20-Feb 4959 7, SE(Interpolated) 17, ENE No data 17, ENE 3, NNE 14, NE 14, NNE 0.002 0.091 No data 2.909 2.989
21-Feb 10549 6, N No data No data 14, ENE 2, E 12, NE 12, NNE 0.028 0.046 No data 2.679 2.832
22-Feb 24636 3, WNW No data No data 10,  ENE 2, E 4, SE 5, SSW 0.002 0.006 No data 3.516 3.879
Campaign 3
19092
24-Apr 5990 6, E No data No data 4, SW 5, NE 4, SSE 6, S No data 0.243 81 No data 4.589
25-Apr 22377 4, SE (interpolated) No data No data 6, NE 0, N 4, SSE 5, SW No data 0.145 89 No data 5.239
26-Apr 12366 3, SE (interpolated) No data 1, NE 8, E 2, NE 3, ENE 5, ENE No data No data 90 No data No data
27-Apr 19096 5, East (Interpolated) No data No data 5, E 2, NE 6, E 8, ESE No data 0.202 84 No data 4.751
28-Apr 11908 5, ENE No data No data 4, NE 6, ENE 5, SSE 6, SE No data No data 86 No data No data
29-Apr 18416 4, ENE 7, ENE No data 3, ENE 8, NE 4, SE 6, SE No data No data 90 No data No data
30-Apr 8616 6, ENE No data 2, SSE 2, ENE 5, ENE 5, SE 6, SSE No data 0.027 81 No data 4.353
1-May 12478 5, NE No data 2, E 7, E 1, NE 4, ESE 4, S No data 0.073 No data No data 4.229
2-May 20732 5, ENE No data No data 7, E 5, ENE 6, E 5, E No data 0.089 No data No data 4.042
3-May 7591 5, E No data No data 7, E 5, ENE 8, E 8, ESE No data 0.063 80 No data 4.132
4-May 10523 6, ENE No data 2, SSE 4, ESE 4, E 6, ESE 8, E No data 0.054 83 No data 4.666
5-May 3142 7, East (Interpolated) 11, SSE No data 4, ENE 7, ENE 6, ESE 9, SE 0.060 0.048 79 4.477 4.558
6-May 1443 11, East (Interpolated) No data 4, SE 4, NNE 4, ENE 8, SE 10, SSE .064 0.045 77 4.556 4.27
7-May 10780 13, E No data No data 4, S 5, SE 10, SSE 15, SSE No data 0.087 No data No data 4.175
Campaign 4
12416
27-Jun 5028 3, WNW No data 1, W 7, E 5, NE 10, E 7, E 0.205 0.184 No data 3.901 3.864
28-Jun 9177 4, ENE No data 1, WNW 8, E 4, NE 9, E 9, ESE 0.077 0.072 No data 4.229 4.149
29-Jun 2883 6, ENE No data No data 7, E 2, NE 8, ESE No data 0.127 0.082 No data 4.056 3.938
30-Jun 4994 4, NE No data 1, WNW 10, E 5, NE 10, E No data 0.093 0.065 No data 3.597 3.202
1-Jul 11756 4, ENE No data No data 11, E 9, ENE 11, E No data 0.180 0.171 No data 4.653 4.712
2-Jul 5900 3, East (interpolated) No data No data 9, E 5, E 5, ESE No data 0.080 0.067 No data 5.046 4.829
3-Jul 6103 4, W No data 0, WSW 13, E 6, ENE 11, E No data 0.250 0.212 No data 3.584 3.727
4-Jul 9132 4, WNW No data 2, WNW 14, E 5, NE 13, E No data 0.127 0.139 82 3.313 3.453
5-Jul 7558 4, NNE No data No data 10, ESE 6, ENE 12, E No data 0.330 No data 87 4.812 No data
6-Jul 12912 4, WNW No data 1, NE 9, E 3, ENE 11, ENE No data 0.434 0.479 87 4.003 3.77
7-Jul 14559 3, NNE No data 1, WSW 12, E 3, ENE 12, E No data 0.390 0.413 87 4.254 4.285
8-Jul 3774 4, WSW No data 2, WSW 12, E 10, E 10, E No data 0.099 0.09 81 3.579 3.662
9-Jul 8824 3, ENE No data 1, NNW 12, E 9, ENE 6, ESE No data 0.050 0.444 85 4.587 4.613
10-Jul 18859 4, NNW No data 1, NW 12, E 6, NE 12, E No data 0.149 0.076 84 4.339 4.266
11-Jul 9883 3, SE (Interpolated) No data 1, S 13, E 4, E 12, ENE No data 0.471 0.447 82 3.942 4.124
12-Jul 10248 No data No data 14, E 2, ENE 13, ENE No data 0.200 0.244 81 4.011 3.883
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