AbstractThe effects of ice and water clouds on rainfall are investigated through a partitioning analysis based on surface rainfall budget. The data come from five two‐dimensional idealized cloud‐resolving model simulations that are imposed by zero large‐scale vertical velocity and time‐invariant sea surface temperature. The grid‐scale rainfall simulation data from the last 10‐day equilibrium period are categorized by different rainfall processes to form eight rainfall types. The results show that the rainfall contribution of the rainfall with water vapor convergence is decreased when the radiative effects of ice and water clouds are excluded, whereas it is increased when the microphysical effects of ice clouds are excluded. The decreased rainfall contribution caused by the removal of radiative effects of ice clouds is much stronger than that caused by the elimination of radiative effects of water clouds, whereas it is weaker than the increased rainfall contribution caused by the exclusion of microphysical effects of ice clouds, which leads to the increased rainfall contribution caused by the total exclusion of ice microphysics. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society