A Statistical Analysis on the E ect of Vertical Wind Shear on Tropical Cyclone Development

Using tropical cyclone (TC) best track and intensity of the western North Pacific data from the Joint TyphoonWarning Center (JTWC) of the United States and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the period of 1992-2002, the effects of vertical wind shear on TC intensity are examined. The samples were limited to the westward or northwestward moving TCs between 5°N and 20°N in order to minimize thermodynamic effects. It is found that the effect of vertical wind shear between 200 and 500 hPa on TC intensity change is larger than that of the shear between 500 and 850 hPa, while similar to that of the shear between 200 and 850 hPa. Vertical wind shear may have a threshold value, which tends to decrease as TC intensifies. As the intensifying rate of TC weakens, the average shear increases. The large shear has the obvious trend of inhibiting TC development. The average shear of TC which can develop into typhoon (tropical depression or tropical storm) is below 7 m s-1 (above 8 m s-1).     

Effects of vertical wind shear and storm motion on tropical cyclone rainfall asymmetries over the North Indian Ocean

Tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall asymmetry is often influenced by vertical wind shear and storm motion. This study examined the effects of environmental vertical wind shear (200-850 hPa) and storm motion on TC rainfall asymmetry over the North Indian Ocean (NIO): the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS). Four TC groups were used in this study: Cyclonic Storm (CS), Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS), Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) and Extreme Severe Cyclonic Storm (ESCS). The Fourier coefficients for wave number-1 was used to analyze the structure of TC rainfall asymmetry. Results show that the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry was predominantly in the downshear left quadrant in the BoB, while it placed to downshear right quadrant in the AS, likely due to the different primary circulation strength of the TC vortex. For the most intense cyclone (ESCS), the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry was in the upshear left quadrant in the BoB, whereas it was downshear right quadrant in the AS. It is evident for both basins that the magnitude of TC rainfall asymmetry declined (increased) with TC intensity (shear strength). This study also examined the collective effects of vertical wind shear and storm motion on TC rainfall asymmetry. Here, the analysis in case of the strong shear environment (>7 m s^-1) omitted for the AS because the maximum value for this basin was about 7 m s^-1. The result showed that the downshear left quadrant was dominant in the BoB for the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry. In a weak shear environment (<5 m s^-1), on the other hand, downshear right quadrant is evident for the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry in the BoB, while it placed dominantly downshear left quadrant in the AS. In the case of motion-relative wavenumber-1, the maximum TC rainfall asymmetry was dominantly downshear for both basins.     

A new insight into the contribution of environmental conditions to tropical cyclone activities

The changes of tropical cyclone (TC) activities in response to influencing environmental conditions have been paid more and more attention to in recent years. The potential contributions of single and multivariate environmental variables to annual TC frequency and intensity from 1970 to 2009 are investigated in this study. Instead of using correlation coefficient that assumes a set of samples satisfying the normal distribution, a quantitative measurement is formulated based on the information theory. The results show that dynamic environmental variables play an important role in variations of TC activities over the western North Pacific, North Atlantic, and eastern Pacific. These dynamic factors include wind shear between 850 and 200 hPa and 850-hPa relative vorticity. However, the effects of thermal factors on TC activities are distinct over different basins. The thermal environmental variables only have significant contributions to TC frequency and intensity over the eastern Pacific as well as to TC frequency over the North Atlantic. It is found that the primary factors influencing TC activities are indeed not the same over different basins because of the differences in atmospheric conditions and their changes across different areas. The effects of dynamic variables should be considered more in the regions such as the western North Pacific where the thermal conditions are always satisfied.     

热带气旋台风阶段强度突变的角动量收支

本文利用探空和热带网格资料的合成方法,对西北太平洋热带气旋台风阶段的强度突然变化各时段进行了角动量收支分析。主要结论是:角动量输送可以作为热带气旋台风阶段强度变化的诊断工具;台风中层850—300hPa大的角动量输送对台风强度变化起着重大作用;台风的海面摩擦耗散非常巨大,以致于流入层的角动量输送不足以抵消摩擦汇项,台风的突然增强需要中层大的角动量输送补尝,以及中高层之间明显的反气旋性风切变加速。      

A western North Pacific tropical cyclone intensity prediction scheme

A western North Pacific tropical cyclone (TC) intensity prediction scheme (WIPS) is developed based on TC samples from 1996 to 2002 using the stepwise regression technique, with the western North Pacific divided into three sub-regions: the region near the coast of East China (ECR), the South China Sea region (SCR), and the far oceanic region (FOR). Only the TCs with maximum sustained surface wind speed greater than 17.2 m s⁻¹ are used in the scheme. Potential predictors include the climatology and persistence factors, synoptic environmental conditions, potential intensity of a TC and proximity of a TC to land. Variances explained by the selected predictors suggest that the potential intensity of a TC and the proximity of a TC to land are significant in almost all the forecast equations. Other important predictors include vertical wind shear in ECR, 500-hPa geopotential height anomaly at the TC center, zonal component of TC translation speed in SCR, intensity change of TC 12 or 24 h prior to initial time, and the longitude of TC center in FOR.     

INFLUENCE OF THE INTERANNUAL VARIATION OF CROSS-EQUATORIAL FLOW ON TROPICAL CYCLOGENESIS OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC

The influence of the interannual variation of cross-equatorial flow(CEF) on tropical cyclogenesis over the western North Pacific(WNP) is examined in this paper by using the tropical cyclone(TC) best track data from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the JRA-25 reanalysis dataset. The results showed that the number of TCs forming to the east of 140°E over the southeastern part of the western North Pacific(WNP) is in highly positive correlation with the variation of the CEF near 125° E and 150° E, i.e., the number of tropical cyclogeneses increases when the cross-equatorial flows are strong. Composite analyses showed that during the years of strong CEF, the variations of OLR, vertical wind shear between 200-850 h Pa, 850 h Pa relative vorticity and 200 h Pa divergence are favorable for tropical cyclogenesis to the east of 140°E over the tropical WNP, and vice versa. Moreover, it is also discussed from the view of barotropic energy conversion that during the years of strong CEF, an eastward-extended monsoon trough leads to the rapid growth of eddy kinetic energy over the eastern part of WNP, which is favorable for tropical cyclogenesis;but during the years of weak CEF, the monsoon trough is located westward in the western part of the WNP, consistent with the growth area of eddy kinetic energy. As a result, there are fewer TC geneses over the eastern part of WNP.Besides, the abrupt strengthening of a close-by CEF 2-4 days before tropical cyclogenesis may be the one of its triggers.     

西北太平洋区域纬向风垂直切变的气候特征研究

西北太平洋区域纬向风垂直切变的变化是影响西北太平洋热带气旋生成和发展的一个重要的动力因子,弱的纬向风切变有利于热带气旋的发生、发展。文中将西北太平洋区域纬向风垂直切变幅度(MWS)定义为850与200 hPa的纬向风之差的绝对值,以研究MWS的气候特征。结果表明,西北太平洋区域的MWS有两个主要空间模态,第1空间模态表现为在15°N以南的热带西太平洋存在MWS东西向变化相反的两个区域,20°N附近的热带西太平洋MWS的变化与其以北海区的MWS的变化相反。第2空间模态表现为在热带太平洋140°E东、西的变化相反。研究了两个模态相关的大气环流特征,发现去掉强ENSO信号后,第1模态不但与低纬度大气环流有关,而且还与南、北半球中高纬度的大气环流有关,第2模态主要与热带西太平洋和北太平洋局地大气环流有关。另外,第1模态的时间系数与赤道东太平洋海温、西北太平洋台风生成频次有着密切联系;第2模态时间系数与西北太平洋台风活动频次联系密切。     

Environmental Influences on the Intensity Change of Tropical Cyclones in the Western North Pacific

The atmospheric and oceanic conditions are examined during different stages of the lifecycle of western North Pacific tropical cyclones (TCs), with the intention to understand how the environment affects the intensity change of TCs in this area. It is found that the intensification usually occurs when the underlying sea surface temperature (SST) is higher than 26℃. TCs usually experience a rapid intensification when the SST is higher than 27.5℃ while lower than 29.5℃. However, TCs decay or only maintain its intensity when the SST is lower than 26℃. The intensifying TCs usually experience a low-to-moderate vertical wind shear (2-10 ms-1 ). The larger the vertical wind shear, the slower the TCs strengthen. In addition, the convective available potential energy (CAPE) is much smaller in the developing stage than in the formation stage of TCs. For the rapidly intensifying TCs, the changes of SST, CAPE, and vertical wind shear are usually small, indicating that the rapid intensification of TCs occurs when the evolution of the environment is relatively slow.     

Potential use of a regional climate model in seasonal tropical cyclone activity predictions in the western North Pacific

This study investigates the potential use of a regional climate model in forecasting seasonal tropical cyclone (TC) activity. A modified version of Regional Climate Model Version 3 (RegCM3) is used to examine the ability of the model to simulate TC genesis and landfalling TC tracks for the active TC season in the western North Pacific. In the model, a TC is identified as a vortex satisfying several conditions, including local maximum relative vorticity at 850?hPa with a value?≥450?×?10^?6?s^?1, and the temperature at 300?hPa being 1°C higher than the average temperature within 15° latitude radius from the TC center. Tracks are traced by following these found vortices. Six-month ensemble (8 members each) simulations are performed for each year from 1982 to 2001 so that the climatology of the model can be compared to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) observed best-track dataset. The 20-year ensemble experiments show that the RegCM3 can be used to simulate vortices with a wind structure and temperature profile similar to those of real TCs. The model also reproduces tracks very similar to those observed with features like genesis in the tropics, recurvature at higher latitudes and landfall/decay. The similarity of the 500-hPa geopotential height patterns between RegCM3 and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts 40 Year Re-analysis (ERA-40) shows that the model can simulate the subtropical high to a large extent. The simulated climatological monthly spatial distributions as well as the interannual variability of TC occurrence are also similar to the JTWC data. These results imply the possibility of producing seasonal forecasts of tropical cyclones using real-time global climate model predictions as boundary conditions for the RegCM3.     

Upper-Tropospheric Environment–Tropical Cyclone Interactions over the Western North Pacific: A Statistical Study

Based on 25-year(1987–2011) tropical cyclone(TC) best track data, a statistical study was carried out to investigate the basic features of upper-tropospheric TC–environment interactions over the western North Pacific. Interaction was defined as the absolute value of eddy momentum flux convergence(EFC) exceeding 10 m s~(-1)d~(-1). Based on this definition, it was found that 18% of all six-hourly TC samples experienced interaction. Extreme interaction cases showed that EFC can reach~120 m s~(-1)d~(-1) during the extratropical-cyclone(EC) stage, an order of magnitude larger than reported in previous studies.Composite analysis showed that positive interactions are characterized by a double-jet flow pattern, rather than the traditional trough pattern, because it is the jets that bring in large EFC from the upper-level environment to the TC center. The role of the outflow jet is also enhanced by relatively low inertial stability, as compared to the inflow jet. Among several environmental factors, it was found that extremely large EFC is usually accompanied by high inertial stability, low SST and strong vertical wind shear(VWS). Thus, the positive effect of EFC is cancelled by their negative effects. Only those samples during the EC stage, whose intensities were less dependent on VWS and the underlying SST, could survive in extremely large EFC environments, or even re-intensify. For classical TCs(not in the EC stage), it was found that environments with a moderate EFC value generally below ~25 m s~(-1)d~(-1) are more favorable for a TC's intensification than those with extremely large EFC.     

全球50 km分辨率SNU-AGCM模式模拟热带气旋活动

为了验证50 km分辨率的SNU-AGCM模式(Seoul National University Atmospheric General Circulation Model)模拟TC活动的能力, 利用Hadley中心月平均海温资料驱动模式, 模拟了1980—2009年全球热带气旋的活动特征。与观测资料对比分析, 两组利用不同对流参数化方案的试验, 都能够模拟与观测类似的TC结构以及全球TC活动的主要特点, 包括全球生成总频数、各海区路径分布和TC活动的季节变化。但是各个海域TC生成的年平均频数与观测还存在明显差异。模式中西北太平洋和南太平洋两组试验平均的TC频数较观测分别偏多21.5%和31.3%;而北大西洋、南北印度洋分别偏少11.4%、41.1%和50%。模拟的东北太平洋TC比观测少了将近88%, 而观测中TC极少的南大西洋在两组试验中平均每年却有1.5个TC生成。模拟的TC频数较观测的差异主要与模拟的北印度洋季风、西北太平洋季风槽、垂直风切变、850 hPa相对涡度与观测的差异有关。     

Negative relationship between Korea landfalling tropical cyclone activity and Pacific Decadal Oscillation

The present study discovered a strong negative correlation between Korea-landfalling tropical cyclone (TC) frequency and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) in the summer. Thus, the present study selected years that had the highest PDO index (positive PDO years) and years that had the lowest PDO index (negative PDO years) to analyze a mean difference between the two phases in order to determine the reason for the strong negative correlation between the two variables. In the positive PDO years, TCs were mainly generated in the southeastern part of the western North Pacific, and lower TC passage frequency was found in most regions in the mid-latitude in East Asia. Moreover, a slightly weaker TC intensity than that in the negative PDO years was revealed. In order to determine the cause of the TC activity revealed in the positive PDO years, 850 hPa and 500 hPa stream flows were analyzed first. In the mid-latitude region in East Asia, anomalous huge cyclonic circulations were strengthened, while anomalous anticyclonic circulations were strengthened in the low-latitude region. Accordingly, Korea was being influenced by anomalous northwesterlies, which played a role in blocking TCs from moving northward to Korea. The results of analysis on 850 hPa air temperature, precipitation, 600 hPa relative humidity, and sea surface temperature (SST) showed that negative anomalies were strengthened in the northwest region in the western North Pacific while positive anomalies were strengthened in the southeast region. The atmospheric and oceanic environments were related to frequent occurrences of TCs in the southeast region in the western North Pacific during the positive PDO years. All factors of air temperature, precipitation, 600 hPa relative humidity, and SST revealed negative (positive for vertical wind shear) anomalies near Korea, so that atmospheric and oceanic environments were formed that could rapidly weaken TC intensity, even if the TCs moved northward to Korea in the positive PDO years.     

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF THE PACIFIC MERIDIONAL MODE IMPACTS ON TROPICAL CYCLONES ACTIVITY OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC

Based on analyses of the relationship between Pacific Meridional Mode (PMM) and number of tropical cyclones (TCs) activity over the western North Pacific, the impacts of the PMM on Tc activity over the western North Pacific are studied using numerical simulations with an Atmospheric General Circulation Model (CAM3) of National Center for Atmospheric Research (of USA). The result shows that the PMM has impacts on the large-scale generating environment of TCs, thus affecting their number and strength. The numerical simulations using the NCAR CAM3 indicate that with the inclusion of the forcing from sea surface temperature (SST) of the PMM, there appears a decreased magnitude of the vertical zonal wind shear, large proportion of relative humidity, anomalous westerly wind at low levels and anomalous easterly wind at high levels, in association with anomalous cyclonic circulation at low levels and anomalous anti-cyclonic circulation at high levels over the tropical western Pacific. Thus, the PMM provides favorable environment for the typhoon genesis. In the sensitivity experiment, TCs have larger strength, lower SST at the center, stronger tangential wind at 850 hPa and intensified warm cores at high levels. In this paper, the simulation results are similar to that in the data analyses, which reveals the important impact of the PMM on TC activity over the western North Pacific.     

INTERACTIONS OF MULTIPLE TYPHOONS AND RELATIONSHIPS OF HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL VORTICITY

Three typhoons, Goni, Morakot and Etau which were generated in Western Pacific in 2009, are successfully simulated by the WRF model. The horizontal and vertical vorticity and their interaction are analyzed and diagnosed by using the simulation results. It is shown that their resultant vectors had a fixed pattern in the evolution process of the three typhoons: The horizontal vorticity converged to the tropical cyclone (TC) center below 900 hPa level, flowed out from it at around 900 to 800 hPa, and flowed in between 800 hPa and 700 hPa. If multiple maximum wind speed centers showed up, the horizontal vorticity converged to the center of the typhoon below the maximum wind speed center and diverged from the TC center above the maximum wind speed center. At low levels, the three typhoons interacted with each other through vertical circulation generated by the vortex tube. This circulation was mainly generated by the eastward or westward horizontal vorticity vectors. Clouds and precipitation were generated on the ascending branch of the vertical circulation. The vortex tubes often flowed toward the southwest of the right TC from the northeast of the left TC. According to the full vorticity equation, the horizontal vorticity converted into the vertical vorticity near the maximum wind speed center below 850 hPa level, and the period of most intense conversion was consistent with the intensification period of TC, while the vorticity advection was against the intensification. The vertical vorticity converted into the horizontal vorticity from 800 hPa to 600 hPa, and the wind speed decreased above the maximum wind speed region at low levels.     

Tropical cyclone track and intensity prediction with a structure adjustable balanced vortex

A new Tropical Cyclone (TC) initialization method with the structure adjustable bogus vortex was applied to the forecasts of track, central pressure, and wind intensity for the 417 TCs observed in the Western North Pacific during the 3-year period of 2005–2007. In the simulations the Final Analyses (FNL) with 1° × 1° resolution of National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) were incorporated as initial conditions. The present method was shown to produce improved forecasts over those without the TC initialization and those made by Regional Specialized Meteorological Center Tokyo. The average track (central pressure, wind intensity) errors were as small as 78.0 km (11.4 hPa, 4.9 m s^?1) and 139.9 km (12.4 hPa, 5.5 m s^?1) for 24-h and 48-h forecasts, respectively. It was found that the forecast errors are almost independent on the size and intensity of the observed TCs because the size and intensity of the bogus vortex can be adjusted to fit the best track data. The results of this study indicate that a bogus method is useful in predicting simultaneously the track, central pressure, and intensity with accuracy using a dynamical forecast model.     

2010年西北太平洋与南海热带气旋活动异常的成因分析

利用中国气象局热带气旋（TC）资料、NCEP/NCAR 再分析资料和美国 NOAA 向外长波辐射（OLR）等资料,分析了2010年西北太平洋（WNP）及南海（SCS）热带气旋活动异常的可能成因,讨论了同期大气环流配置和海温外强迫对TC生成和登陆的动力和热力条件的影响。结果表明,2010年生成TC频数明显偏少,生成源地显著偏西,而登陆TC频数与常年持平。导致7～10月TC频数明显偏少的大尺度环境场特征为：副热带高压较常年异常偏强、西伸脊点偏西,季风槽位置异常偏西,弱垂直风切变带位置也较常年偏西且范围偏小,南亚高压异常偏强,贝加尔湖附近对流层低高层均为反气旋距平环流,这些关键环流因子的特征和配置都不利于 TC 在WNP的东部生成。影响TC活动的外强迫场特征为：2010年热带太平洋经历了El Ni?o事件于春末夏初消亡、La Ni?a事件于7月形成的转换;7～10月,WNP海表温度维持正距平,140°E以东为负距平且对流活动受到抑制;暖池次表层海温异常偏暖,对应上空850 hPa为东风距平,有利于季风槽偏西和TC在WNP的西北侧海域生成。WNP海表温度和暖池次表层海温的特征是2010年TC生成频数偏少、生成源地异常偏西的重要外强迫信号。有利于7～10月热带气旋西行和登陆的500 hPa风场特征为：北太平洋为反气旋环流距平,其南侧为东风异常,该东风异常南缘可到25°N,并向西扩展至中国大陆地区;南海和西北太平洋地区15°N以南的低纬也为东风异常;在这样的风场分布型下,TC容易受偏东气流引导西行并登陆我国沿海地区。这是2010年生成TC偏少但登陆TC并不少的重要环流条件。     

环境场对西北太平洋热带气旋快速增强过程的影响

利用美国联合台风预警中心整编的西北太平洋1970—2012年热带气旋(TC)最佳路径数据集及ERA-Interim再分析资料,利用极端天气法确定TC快速增强(RI)的阈值为30 kn,分析了快速增强(RI)TC的时空分布特征;从RI的样本中选取9个个例,采用动态合成分析法,对TCRI过程的环境场进行比分析。研究表明:(1)菲律宾群岛以东(10~15°N,130°E)海域为RI发生频数最多的区域,南海地区发生RI的情况明显偏少。(2)RI在1972年发生的概率最大,而在2005年发生的概率最小,1997年后,RI发生的概率波动性较大。(3)西风与西南风水汽输送结合150h Pa附近的反气旋强辐散作用,有利于TCRI过程的进行。(4)RI发生前24 h至RI发生后的6 h,TC中心附近区域平均东风切变较快增大,其值由0.5 m·s~(-1)增加到2.5 m·s~(-1)左右,之后保持在2.0~3.0 m·s~(-1),使TC处于一个有利于其RI过程的纬向风切变环境。     

超强台风威马逊快速增强及大尺度环流特征

超强台风威马逊（1409）登陆前发生快速增强现象,并成为我国有气象记录以来的最强登陆台风。该文利用中国气象局台风最佳路径资料、NCEP FNL分析资料、NOAA高分辨率逐日最优插值海表温度融合分析资料和天气学、动力学诊断分析方法,分析这次罕见的台风快速增强过程。研究结果表明:威马逊（1409）快速增强与持续有利背景场有关,如海温异常偏暖、低空急流和越赤道气流的增强、环境风垂直切变维持较小、高层维持较强流出气流等。尤其是台风下游大气处于热力不稳定,在其他有利因子的共同作用下,台风移入热力不稳定环境场中,有利于台风环流内部对流活动的增强和对流凝结潜热效率的增加,从而有利于台风强度增加。动能诊断方程表明:威马逊（1409）快速增强期间低层动能主要来源于风穿越等压线所作的功,这与台风环流内强降雨释放的对流凝结潜热驱动台风中心附近上升、外围下沉的垂直环流圈的加强紧密联系。     

EFFECTS OF VERTICAL WIND SHEAR ON TROPICAL CYCLONE INTENSITY CHANGE

The effects of vertical wind shear on tropical cyclone (TC) intensity change are examined based on the TC data from the China Meteorological Administration and the NCEP reanalysis daily data from 2001 to 2006. First, the influence of wind shear between different vertical levels and averages in different horizontal areas are compared. The results indicate that the effect of wind shear between 200 and 850 hPa averaged within a 200–800 km annulus on TC intensity change is larger than any other calculated vertical wind shear. High-latitude and intense TCs tend to be less sensitive to the effects of VWS than low-latitude and weak TCs. TCs experience time lags between the imposition of the shear and the weakening in TC intensity. A vertical shear of 8–9 m/s (9–10 m/s) would weaken TC intensity within 60 h (48 h). A vertical shear greater than 10 m/s would weaken TC intensity within 6 h. Finally, a statistical TC intensity prediction scheme is developed by using partial least squares regression, which produces skillful intensity forecasts when potential predictors include factors related to the vertical wind shear. Analysis of the standardized regression coefficients further confirms the obtained statistical results.     

高低层纬向风切变的年际变率及气候学意义

用1959～1998共40年全球格点风场资料计算了200 hPa与850 hPa的纬向风速差, 即对流层纬向风切变(简称TZWS),并在此基础上得到其距平值。为了全面考察对流层中环流异常的年际变率特征, 根据TZWS的标准差分布, 文中选出了7个TZWS标准差数值大于5 m/s的代表性区域。这7个区域分别位于赤道中太平洋、赤道东太平洋、北太平洋亚热带地区、南太平洋亚热带地区、赤道大西洋、亚洲西南部以及东北部。前5个分别位于赤道、亚热带太平洋和大西洋的区域TZWS指数, 其年际变率与ENSO循环有密切联系, 反映了热带海洋温度异常对低纬度地区对流层环流的影响; 后2个区域的TZWS指数反映的是亚洲西南部和东北部的气候统变率, 在年际时间尺度上与ENSO循环有着明显的区别。通过对全球陆地降水和温度场的分析, 比较了热带、副热带的TZWS指数以及北极涛动指数的异同, 发现后2个区域TZWS指数能很好且能独立反映出北半球中高纬度地区陆地降水及陆地温度的异常模态。