The use of seasonal rhythms and conditional random process repeatability for the prospective estimation of the forthcoming cold half-year nature in the Midlatitude Eastern Eurasia

The nature of cold half-years in midlatitude Asia is investigated using the data from 1917 to 2008. The schemes are developed of transitive forecasts of various characteristics of the thermal cold half-year structure on the basis of the use of seasonal rhythms within the cold half-year: the duration of the whole cold period and pre-spring period and the dates of the end of the coldest winter period. The reasonability of computation scheme adaptation to the certain dynamics of both predictors and predictants is demonstrated. The possibilities are considered of the determination of duration and dates of the coldest winter period coming at certain stations with the lead time of one year according to the conditional repeatability of the process of their temporal variations.     

洞庭湖生态经济区热量资源变化特征

基于洞庭湖生态经济区25个地面气象观测站1961-2013年的逐日平均气温、最高气温和最低气温观测资料,组合成100项热量特征指标,利用统计方法系统性分析该区域的热量资源变化特征,并采用贡献率探讨了最高、最低气温在年平均气温变化中的作用。结果表明：洞庭湖生态经济区不同气温要素的空间分布形态不同,日平均气温≥0℃、≥5℃、≥10℃、≥15℃、≥20℃的积温空间分布形态一致,均呈西低东高分布;稳定通过0℃、5℃、10℃、15℃、20℃的初、终日期在区域内相对集中。年平均气温、年平均最高气温、年平均最低气温均呈显著或极显著上升趋势,但存在升温的不均匀性,气候变暖以最低气温升高为主要特征,最高气温在春季起到升温加速作用,导致洞庭湖区春季气温上升速率较其他季节大。气候变暖带动日平均气温≥0℃、≥5℃、≥10℃、≥15℃、≥20℃的积温呈极显著上升趋势,但升温的不均匀性直接关联到稳定通过一定界限日平均温度初、终日期的变化及积温突变时间的变化,5℃、15℃初日呈显著提前趋势,≥0℃、≥5℃、≥10℃积温增加突变时间与最低气温相近,≥15℃、≥20℃积温增加突变时间与最高气温相近。     

A lidar study of the atmospheric entrainment zone and mixed layer over Hong Kong

In this paper we present the lidar study of the atmospheric boundary layer using the City University of Hong Kong lidar system. Three cases of determination of the entrainment zone thickness and the mixed layer depth in the atmospheric boundary layer over Hong Kong were selected for detailed study. The data collected have been analysed using the visual inspection method and the Steyn et al. [J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol. 16 (1999) 953] detection method. During the cold front passage, the mixed layer depth stayed at the level almost constant over the transition period, and the entrainment zone was thickening at a steady entrainment rate.     

Fluctuations in the onset,termination and length of the growing season in northern Nigeria

Summary A simple water balance method is used to compute the dates of the onset and termination and length of the growing season from long-term rainfall series in northern Nigeria. For most of the stations, the time series of onset and termination dates and growing season length are homogeneous and random, and can be taken as normally distributed. There is a progressive decrease in the length of the growing season from a mean of about 200 days in the south to less than 155 days in the extreme northern part. While there is no statistically significant trend in the onset dates, there is some evidence for statistically significant decreasing trend in the termination dates and the length of the growing season over the region. The results indicate that recent trends in the length of the growing season are more sensitive.to large interannual fluctuations in the start of the rains than to variations in the cessation dates.With 7 Figures     

Fluctuations in the length of the growing season in Minnesota

Fluctuations in growing season length and in the dates of the last spring freeze and first fall freeze between 1899 and 1982 were studied for five rural Minnesota stations with long, high quality records. A general increase in growing season length was found, but there was substantial variation in the pattern of fluctuations among the stations. The increase in growing season length is not clearly and uniformly related to changes in the dates of first and last freezes. The interannual variability of growing season duration is on the order of the increase in duration so that the change would not be readily apparent to a casual observer. Our results do not correspond well with certain other studies of growing season length nor with fluctuations in hemispheric mean temperature. We conclude that extreme care must be used in extrapolating results of growing season length studies in space and in relating them to mean temperature fluctuations.     

On the prediction of rainfall onset and retreat dates in Nigeria

Summary This study examined the rainfall onset and retreat dates between 1962 and 1996 in Nigeria, and generated models for their prediction. The study used the composite of rainfall-promoting factors namely, sea surface temperature of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, land/sea thermal contrast between some selected locations in Nigeria and the tropical Atlantic Ocean, surface location of the Inter-tropical Discontinuity and the land surface temperature in the selected locations in Nigeria. Rainfall and temperature data were collected from Ikeja, Benin, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna and Kano, in Nigeria. Cumulative percentage mean rainfall was employed to generate the rainfall onset and retreat dates series, while the method of stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to construct the required prediction models.The results obtained showed that the hypothesized rainfall-promoting factors are efficient in predicting rainfall onset and retreat dates in Nigeria. The correlation coefficients (R²) obtained are in most cases (>75%) higher than 0.50 (with several of them approaching 0.90). Sea surface temperature and land/sea thermal contrast are the most significant predictor variables. The results also indicated that all the areas of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, from the Gulf of Guinea, through St Helena and Ascension Island, up to the Benguela Current region, influence the inter-annual variability in the rainfall onset and retreat dates of Nigeria.     

宁夏春季首场透雨的气候预测探索

利用目前在统计预报中广泛应用的最优子集回归预报法,作宁夏南部山区及银川地区春季首场透雨出现日期的统计预报,给出了具体的预报方程和拟合效果分析。并对近30 a来宁夏南部山区及银川地区首场透雨出现日期的变化特征进行了较详细的分析。研究结果表明:银川地区3月份出现首场透雨的气候概率为23.3%、4月份为20%、5月份为23.3%、6月份为33.3%,出现机会相对较多。30 a来春季首场透雨出现日期:20世纪70年代相对较晚,80年代偏早,90年代介于70、80年代之间。南部山区春季首场透雨出现时间相对比较集中,其中4月份出现的气候概率为53%,其次是5月份和3月份,分别为20%和17%,最小的是6月份,只占10%,从近30 a来的总趋势看,南部山区春季首场透雨出现日期在波动中略有推迟现象。利用最优子集回归预报法对宁夏春季首场透雨出现日期的预测具有理想的拟合效果。     

Determining rainy season onset and retreat over Nigeria from precipitation amount and number of rainy days

Summary This study assesses the relative efficiency of the use of rainfall amount and rainy days in the determination of rainfall onset and retreat dates in Nigeria based on rainfall data for the period 1961 to 2000. Daily rainfall data were sourced from the archives of the Nigerian Meteorological Services, Oshodi Lagos. The specific locations for which data were collected are: Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna and Kano. The method of percentage cumulative mean rainfall values was employed in the determination of the rainfall onset and retreat dates. The results obtained show that both rainfall amount and rainy days are equally effective in the determination of the mean rainfall onset and retreat dates in Nigeria. With regards to the rainfall onset and retreat dates of the individual years however, the method based on the rainy days is more effective than that based on rainfall amount, as the former yielded more realistic dates than the latter. It is thus recommended that studies investigating rainfall onset and retreat dates within a series of individual years in Nigeria, should be based on rainy days rather than rainfall amount.     

冬季气温急剧升、降日期与东北夏季低温的联系

利用通化市所属5个气象站1954—2006年日平均温度组成的区域平均时间序列资料、季平均温度资料,分析了短期气温的剧烈变化(本文称之为寒潮和气温骤升)与后期季温度异常的关系,结果发现,冬季短期气温的剧烈变化与后期春、夏季气温距平存在联系,表现在一些特定的寒潮(或气温骤升)爆发日期段总是与后期季的高或低温相对应。在一定的年代背景下,一些日期段还与极端季温度距平存在明显的联系。与后期气温异常联系明显的寒潮爆发、气温骤升日期段存在着周期性,与春季低温对应明显的寒潮爆发日期有5 d的时间间隔;与春季低温对应明显的气温骤升的日期存在着9~11 d的周期,且随着日期的变化,爆发日期之间的间隔有规律的延长和缩短。一些寒潮爆发和气温骤升日期与东北夏季低温冷害存在明显的联系。     

气候变暖对呼和浩特地区自然物候的影响

分析了1982—2007年气候变暖对内蒙古呼和浩特、武川自然物候的影响,结果表明:①春季,土壤表层解冻呼和浩特晚于武川,其余物候呼和浩特早于武川;秋季物候均为武川早于呼和浩特。且两地物候间距均为"豆雁始(绝)见>气象水文物候期>植物始花(落叶)";两地植物物候间呈显著的正相关,豆雁始(绝)见呈显著负相关,气象水文物候期间相关不显著;②两地年、春、秋季平均气温呈增加趋势,植物物候春季提前,秋季延迟趋势显著,与气温有很强的响应关系;豆雁在呼和浩特始见提前,绝见延迟,武川与此相反,豆雁与气温有一定的响应关系;气象水文物候期也具有春季提前,秋季延迟的趋势,与气温相关不显著。     

闽东食用菌生产的气温条件分析与利用

根据闽东地区1976～2005年9个县市(区)的历史气温统计资料,分析气温变化特征,进行气温类型划分.结合实际不同温型食用菌类生长过程对温度条件的要求,确定全区9个县市(区)的各温型菌类适宜生长的界温和界温日期(初终日),统计出各温型菌类自然可生产期.分析不同气温类型地区在生产各温型菌类的优劣势,进而对生产各温型菌类生产季节进行安排,达到充分利用闽东气温条件为科学安排食用菌生产,节省生产成本,增加农民收入的目的.     

华北汛期的起讫及其气候学分析

基于对汛期的理解和认识, 利用Samel等人设计的半客观统计分析方法、Mann-Kendall突变分析、滑动t检验等方法, 通过分析和研究1957—2006年华北台站的日降水资料, 确定了华北汛期起讫的日期。结果表明:华北汛期始于6月30日, 止于8月18日, 持续期为50d。华北汛期的起讫日期、持续天数以及空汛发生的频次, 具有鲜明的地域特征:冀北山地汛期开始最早, 结束较迟, 持续天数较长, 空汛发生频次最少; 黄土高原汛期开始较迟, 其北部汛期结束最迟, 持续期也最长, 发生空汛的频次也比较多; 黄河下游地区汛期开始比较早, 结束最早, 汛期最短, 发生无大汛的频次较大; 河北平原地区, 汛期开始最迟, 结束较迟, 汛期较长, 发生无大汛的频次最多。与华北汛期开始和结束日相对应的东亚大气环流特征是:当西太平洋西部上空500hPa存在正的位势高度距平, 华北上空存在负的位势高度距平, 同时地面为“东高西低”的异常海平面气压场配置时, 异常偏南风到达30°N, 华北汛期开始; 当华北上空500hPa为较小的位势高度正距平, 日本海为位势高度正距平, 而地面上, 我国大陆和西太平洋之间为“西高东低”的异常海平面气压场配置时, 异常偏北风控制我国东部地区, 华北汛期结束。     

Changes in the Number and Timing of Days of Ice-Affected Flow on Northern New England Rivers, 1930–2000

Historical dates of ice-affected flows for 16 rural, unregulated rivers in northern New England, USA were analyzed. The total annual days of ice-affected flow decreased significantly (p < 0.1) over the 20th century at 12 of the 16 rivers. On average, for the nine longest-record rivers, the total annual days of ice-affected flow decreased by 20 days from 1936 to 2000, with most of the decrease occurring from the 1960s to 2000. Four of the 16 rivers had significantly later first dates of ice-affected flow in the fall. Twelve of the 16 rivers had significantly earlier last dates of ice-affected flow in the spring. On average, the last dates became earlier by 11 days from 1936 to 2000 with most of the change occurring from the 1960s to 2000. The total annual days of ice-affected flow were significantly correlated with November through April air temperatures (r = −0.70) and with November through April precipitation (r = −0.52). The last spring dates were significantly correlated with March through April air temperatures (r = −0.73) and with January through April precipitation (r = −0.37). March mean river flows increased significantly at 13 of the 16 rivers in this study.The U.S. Government right to retain a non-exclusive royalty-free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

近46年大连地区初、终霜冻事件和无霜冻期变化

以不高于0℃最低气温作为霜冻指标, 利用1961—2006年大连地区3个国家级气象站逐日最低气温资料, 采用现代气候诊断分析方法, 分析了该地区初、终霜冻事件和无霜期变化的特征。结果表明:近46年来, 大连和瓦房店站均表现为初霜冻日推迟、终霜冻日提早、无霜冻期延长的变化趋势, 其中瓦房店站表现得更为显著; 庄河站的初霜冻日和终霜冻日表现出相似的变化, 但各自的变化趋势不显著, 而无霜冻期延长趋势显著; 大连境内极早初霜冻日和极晚终霜冻日发生频数分别为1~3次和1~4次, 大连最多, 瓦房店最少; 大连站的初霜冻日期存在2年和11年的显著周期, 终霜冻日期存在22年的显著周期, 庄河站的初霜冻日期和无霜冻期均存在11年左右显著周期; 异常霜冻事件大连和庄河站20世纪60年代出现的频数最多, 21世纪初最少; 而瓦房店21世纪初异常霜冻事件出现的频数最多, 20世纪80年代最少。     

1960-2010年中国华北东北地区热量资源时空变化

利用1960-2010年华北、东北地区165个气象站日平均气温资料,运用线性倾向估计等方法,对近51 a来≥0 ℃和≥10 ℃积温及其持续天数和起止日期的时、空分布特征进行分析,以了解气候变暖对华北、东北地区热量资源分布的影响。结果表明：近51 a来华北、东北地区气温增暖趋势明显,气候倾向率达0.32 ℃/10 a（P<0.001）,且与各项热量资源指标相关显著。随着气候变暖,≥0 ℃和≥10 ℃积温及持续天数普遍显著增加,其气候倾向率分别在（30 ℃·d）/10 a和2 d/10 a以上;2000年以后亚热带北界和暖温带北界在华北、东北地区均出现了北移,以亚热带北界移动幅度更大;20世纪90年代以后,一年两熟制种植北界在山西和辽宁两省明显北抬,平均移动幅度超过1.5个纬距。华北、东北地区≥0 ℃和≥10 ℃积温及持续天数普遍增加是受起始日期提前和终止日期延后共同影响,≥0 ℃前者比后者的影响更明显,≥10 ℃两者作用相当。     

Track of Super Typhoon Haiyan Predicted by a Typhoon Model for the South China Sea

Super Typhoon Haiyan was the most notable typhoon in 2013. In this study, results from the operational prediction of Haiyan by a tropical regional typhoon model for the South China Sea are analyzed. It is shown that the model has successfully reproduced Haiyan’s rapid passage through the Philippines and its northward deflection after its second landfall in Vietnam. However, the predicted intensity of Haiyan is weaker than the observed. An analysis of higher-resolution model simulations indicates that the storm is characterized by an upper-level warm core during its mature stage and a deep layer of easterly flow. Sensitivity experiments are conducted to study the impact of certain physical processes such as the interaction between stratus and cumulus clouds on the improvement of the typhoon intensity forecast. It is found that appropriate boundary layer and cumulus convective parameterizations, and orographic gravity-wave parameterization, as well as improved initial conditions and increased horizontal grid resolution, all help to improve the intensity forecast of Haiyan.     

南海台风模式对“海燕”移动路径的预报

超强台风"海燕"是2013年最著名的台风。分析中国南海台风模式对"海燕"整个过程的预报,发现模式基本预报出"海燕"的快速穿过菲律宾和登陆越南后北翘东折的移动路径,但也存在一些不足,例如强度预报偏弱。通过高分辨率数值模拟分析了"海燕"的变化机理,发现高层暖心、高中低层一致东风气流是其超强发展和快速西移的主要特征。进一步的模式预报试验中,探讨了模拟技术对提高台风预报水平的影响作用。分析结果表明,准确的模式物理参数化(如边界层、积云对流和地形参数化)和模式初始大气构造等,以及提高模式分辨率有助于提高台风预报水平。     

Numerical Simulation Study on the Scientific and Methodological Aspects of the Brazilian Proposal

1. IntroductionObservations of surface air temperature indicatethat a significant global average warming has occurredduring the 20th century. The Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC, 2001) concludes that thereis new and stronger evidence that man has influencedthe climate. International negotiations have led to afirst step in combating climate change with the UnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, but further stepsare needed in …     

The onset and cessation of the “long rains” in eastern Africa and their interannual variability

Summary ?Thirty years (1958–1987) of daily rainfall data for Kenya and north eastern Tanzania are analysed with the aim to characterize the interannual variability of the onset and cessation of the East African “long rains” (boreal spring). The leading principal component (PC1) depicts consistent rainfall variations over much of the region. Cumulative PC1 scores for each year serve to identify onset and cessation dates. The robustness of the dates derived from this method is demonstrated through the use of an independent sample of stations. Their spatial representativity is assessed by daily rainfall composites. Average onset occurs on March 25^th, and cessation on May 21^st. The interannual variability of the onset (standard deviation of 14.5 days) is larger than that of the withdrawal (10.3 days), but the onset is also spatially much more consistent. Mean dates and dates in selected anomalous years agree well with previous studies. The relationship between onset time-series and large-scale atmospheric and oceanic fields is analysed. On a monthly time-scale, interannual variations in “long rains” onset are associated with sea-surface temperature (SST) and sea-level pressure (SLP) patterns that have a different sign for the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. A warm South Atlantic and a cool Indian Ocean are associated with low and high SLP anomalies, respectively. These patterns are conducive to enhanced equatorial easterlies and surface divergence over East Africa. This maintains the meridional branch (north–south orientated) of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) further west, and the net result is a delayed onset of the “long rains”. Some of the South Atlantic features are already present during January–February, suggesting some potential for monitoring interannual variations in the wet season onset, based on SST and SLP patterns. Additional signals are found over Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in terms of the interaction between the Northern Hemisphere extratropics and equatorial eastern Africa. A surge in the mid-tropospheric northerlies at this time induces instability that may lead to an early onset event. Received July 3, 2002; revised November 28, 2002; accepted December 7, 2002 Published online March 17, 2003     

Reconstructing snowmelt in Idaho’s watershed using historic streamflow records

In recent decades, a warming climate likely has accelerated the timing of spring snowmelt in the western United States; however, records of the timing of snowmelt typically only extend to the 1980s. Stream gage data can lengthen records of the timing of snowmelt back to the early 1900s, enhancing understanding of past, current, and future climate change on snowmelt-dominated watersheds and associated ecosystems. We used snowpack telemetry data and historic streamflow records to test reconstructions of final snowmelt dates using Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) wavelet analysis of hydrographs. STFT reconstructions tested against known final snowmelt dates over the last ~25 years indicate final snowmelt can be determined within ±4 days ~95% of the time and within ±7 days 100% of the time. Comparison of the STFT method with the center of timing method indicates that in addition to reconstructing actual snowmelt dates (as opposed to dates associated with the center of timing of streamflow), the STFT method may limit interpretation errors associated with changes in discharge not related to snowmelt. Reconstructions of final snowmelt dates in the Idaho, U.S. study area show intervals of early snowmelt (1920s–1930s), later and less variable snowmelt (1940s–1970s), and both variable and early snowmelt (~1985–2007). Early and variable snowmelt during the last ~20 years is associated with large wildfires.