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An array of atmospheric profile observations consists of three‐dimensional vectors representing pressure, temperature, and humidity, with each profile forming a continuous curve in this three‐dimensional space. In this paper, the Signature method, which can quantify a profile's curve, was adopted for the atmospheric profiles, and the accuracy of profile representations was investigated. The description of profiles by the signature was confirmed with adequate accuracy. The machine‐learning‐based model, developed using the signature, exhibited a high level of annual accuracy with minimal absolute mean differences in temperature and water vapor mixing ratio (<2.0 K or g kg−1). Notably, the model successfully captured the vertical structure and atmospheric instability, encompassing drastic variations in water vapor and temperature, even during intense rainfall. These results indicate the Signature method can comprehensively describe the vertical profile with information on how ordered values are correlated. This concept would potentially improve the representation of the atmospheric vertical structure. Plain Language Summary: The atmospheric profile can be visualized as a three‐dimensional curve representing pressure, temperature, and humidity. By utilizing the Signature method, we can measure and quantify the profile's curve, allowing for comprehensive modeling of the atmosphere. In this paper, we confirmed the accuracy of atmospheric profile representation using signatures and introduced the characteristics of signatures revealed through machine‐learning models. The description of profiles by the signature was confirmed with adequate accuracy. Moreover, the model demonstrated robust annual accuracy, with minimal temperature and water vapor discrepancies. It effectively captured the vertical structure and instability of the atmosphere, even during heavy rainfall, characterized by significant temperature and water vapor content fluctuations. Key Points: The utilization possibility of the Signature method for atmospheric profiles was confirmedBy utilizing the Signature method, we can measure and quantify the profile's curve, allowing for comprehensive modeling of the atmosphereThe machine‐learning model developed with the signature can predict the profiles with high annual accuracy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paciorek and Wehner raise important questions around our use of the Mann‐Kendall nonparametric trend test on smoothed data for analyzing long‐term hydrometeorological trends in Zhang et al. (2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl092293). We thank them for initiating this important conversation and their gracious cooperation in exploring the issues addressed in their comment. In this reply we confirm the inflation of significant p‐values by our choice to smooth, illustrate the relatively minor impacts on the main conclusions of our paper, and add our voices to those of Paciorek and Wehner in highlighting the lack of methodology for hypothesis testing across multiple stations that have spatial structure (i.e., testing for regionally consistent trends). Plain Language Summary: Our colleagues Drs. Paciorek and Wehner have raised concerns about our paper (Zhang et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl092293), which showed widespread increases in the duration of drought events over the last five decades in the western United States. They point out that our decision to smooth the data using a moving average inflated the number of weather stations at which the trends toward longer droughts were deemed significant by a statistical test. We agree with them on this point, and we have recomputed all our results using unsmoothed data to determine the impacts. We find that for most stations and regions, trend magnitudes remained largely unchanged, with many stations nearby one another often suggesting similar trends. Finally, we agree with Paciorek and Wehner that there is a lack of statistical methods to test such coherent regional patterns, and we caution that over‐reliance on p‐values limits the power of regional data to identify important climate trends. Key Points: We agree that smoothing to 5‐year moving windows introduced serial correlation into time series of annual statistics of daily rainfall data, inflating the number of weather stations individually showing significant trends (p < 0.05) with the Mann‐Kendall testRecomputation with unsmoothed values produced substantially the same dry intervals trend magnitude and direction at most stations individually and had only minimal impacts on dry interval trends computed for National Ecological Observatory Network domains using the Regional Kendall testNo perfect statistical approach leverages the capacity of coherent regional patterns among spatially correlated weather stations, and an over‐reliance on p‐values as a binary (significant vs. insignificant) determinant of trends limits the power of regional data [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses a critical gap in understanding anthropogenic influences on tropical climate dynamics by investigating the impact of aerosol‐cloud interactions on large‐scale circulation. Despite extensive research on greenhouse gas‐induced warming and its effects on tropical circulation, the impact of aerosols, particularly their interactions with clouds, on large‐scale circulation remains understudied. Utilizing large‐domain radiative convective equilibrium cloud‐resolving simulations, this research demonstrates that increasing aerosol concentration intensifies tropical overturning circulation, evaluated at the mid‐troposphere (I) $(\mathcal{I})$, strongly correlating with domain mean cloud and radiative properties. Employing a weak temperature gradient approximation, I attribute variations in I $\mathcal{I}$ to changes in clear‐sky radiative cooling rather than stability. These radiative cooling changes are linked to humidity changes driven by warm rain suppression by aerosols. This study's findings underscore the need to take into account microphysical changes, particularly aerosol concentrations, when studying anthropogenic effects on tropical circulation. Plain Language Summary: Clouds intricately couple with the large‐scale overturning circulation in the tropics. Aerosols, small particles suspended in the atmosphere, interact with clouds. Thus, changes in aerosols concentration (Na) have the potential to affect cloud properties and by that the large‐scale circulation, with important implications for tropical climate and climate change. Despite this crucial relationship, the subject has been insufficiently explored. In this paper, I use a simplified, yet realistic, representation of the tropical atmosphere—radiative convective equilibrium large‐domain cloud‐resolving simulations—to investigate the effect of aerosol‐cloud interaction on overturning tropical circulation. By varying Na under diverse sea surface temperatures, I demonstrate that the strength of the overturning circulation intensifies with increasing Na. Utilizing a semi‐analytical expression for subsidence strength in clear‐sky tropical regions, I show that the intensified overturning circulation with increased Na can be attributed to heightened humidity in the mid‐troposphere, leading to intense radiative cooling. This mid‐tropospheric humidification can be explained by warm rain suppression by aerosols, which fosters stronger humidity mixing between clouds and their surroundings. These findings underscore the need to consider aerosol concentration changes when examining anthropogenic impacts on tropical circulation. Key Points: The overturning tropical circulation intensifies with aerosol concentration in a radiative convective equilibrium modelChanges in circulation strength can be explained by changes in diabatic subsidence driven by radiative changesRadiative changes can be explained by increased humidity at the mid‐troposphere due to warm rain suppression [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]