两次不同类型暖区暴雨的对比分析

2014年5月8-12日,华南发生了连续暴雨天气过程,为了探究回流暖区暴雨和锋前暖区暴雨的成因,加深这两类不同类型暴雨的认识,利用NCEP/,NCAR的1°×1°再分析资料、多普勒天气雷达、风廓线仪、自动站资料等,分析了回流暴雨与锋前暖区暴雨的特征及主要物理差异。得出：（1）8日暴雨发生在变性高压脊后部,未受冷空气影响,属于回流型暖区暴雨过程,10-11日暴雨发生在锋面低槽中,属于锋前型暖区暴雨。（2）两种类型暴雨不仅降水的分布、中尺度云团活动、雷达特征等存在明显的差异,而且在天气形势、水汽输送、动力机制、中尺度环境条件以及与暴雨的触发机制存在着不同点,这些差异可能是造成两类暖区暴雨降水落区及量级差异的主要原因。     

四川盆地暖区暴雨特征分析

给出四川盆地暖区暴雨的定义,并根据天气形势和影响系统将其分为西南涡型、副热带高压边缘型、西南急流型和东南风型四类。然后利用2008—2018年5—9月常规和自动站逐时降水资料统计分析四类暖区暴雨的时空分布特征和降水性质,并选取典型个例,对暴雨中尺度特征和成因进行了分析。主要结论包括:四类暖区暴雨易发于山脉迎风坡、喇叭口地形、平原和丘陵山地不均匀下垫面附近。西南涡型和西南急流型暴雨范围广且成片,西南涡型暴雨主要位于盆地中部和南部,西南急流型暴雨主要出现在盆地中部到龙门山脉北段和大巴山脉;副热带高压边缘型和东南风型暴雨分散,主要出现在盆地西部;降水都具有明显的日变化,呈现为单峰型,夜间加强,白天减弱;暖区暴雨由对流性和稳定性降水组成,降水量级越大,对流性越明显,其中,副热带高压边缘型和东南风型对流性降水明显,西南涡型和西南急流型稳定性降水明显;暖区暴雨直接由β中尺度云团发展造成,西南涡型和西南急流型中尺度对流系统持续时间≥6 h,副热带高压边缘型和东南风型中尺度对流系统持续时间≤6 h,但四类暖区暴雨单站对流性降水(20~50 mm·h^-1)的持续时间一般不超过3 h,≥50 mm·h^-1的短时强降水维持时间不超过1 h,若超过1 h易造成极端降水事件,西南涡型和西南急流型容易出现极端强降水;四类暖区暴雨发生在高能高湿不稳定环境条件下,平均CAPE值超过1000 J·kg^-1,K指数在40℃左右,850 hPa平均假相当位温在85℃左右,平均比湿可达16 g·kg^-1。     

华南暖区降水数值预报的初值同化试验

为了了解初值场对华南短时临近降水预报的影响,文中利用GRAPES区域中尺度模式,针对华南一次暖区暴雨过程分别进行控制试验、同化地面探空资料、nudging雨水资料和同化雷达径向风等四个模拟试验。分析结果表明：(1) 同化地面探空资料有助于改善24小时的降水落区及其量级;(2) nudging雨水资料对临近降水预报有积极影响;(3) 同化雷达径向风能使24小时的降水落区、量级得到明显的提升。这些结论为下一步的华南地区短时临近降水预报研究提供了重要的技术参考。     

不同类型华南暖区暴雨过程的环流特征

在对34年华南暖区暴雨的筛选和客观分类研究的基础上,继续深入研究不同类型暖区暴雨的环流特征与对流发生环境变量特征的异同。主要结果如下:大部分切变线型、低涡型和回流型暖区暴雨个例的环境场斜压性较强,其中回流型暖区暴雨在关键区斜压性最强,而南风型暖区暴雨个例的环境场斜压性相对较弱;所有类型暖区暴雨发生时对流层中高层的中纬度基本为平直西风气流控制,降水区主要位于西风带短波槽槽前,低层均有低空急流的影响。各类暖区暴雨的主要差异在于高层南亚高压、中层短波槽和副热带高压的位置和强度差异以及低层低空急流的位置、强度、风向和水汽输送条件的不同。切变线型暖区暴雨发生时0～3 km垂直风切变最强,低涡型暖区暴雨对流有效位能最大,两类南风型暖区暴雨的动力和热力强迫都较弱,对其发生发展机理需要开展更深入研究。     

夏季江南地区暖区暴雨的统计分析

本文首先给出江南地区暖区暴雨的定义,并按天气形势将其分为暖切变型、冷锋锋前型、副热带高压(以下简称副高)型和强西南急流型四类。然后利用2010—2016年5—9月常规和自动站逐时降水等非常规观测资料统计暖区暴雨的时空分布特征和降水性质等,并对暖区暴雨的形成原因进行初步分析。最后利用NCEP FNL全球分析资料,基于中尺度分析技术给出四类暖区暴雨的系统配置:(1)四类暖区暴雨均为分散性局地降水,降水多发生于山区、平原和湖泊交界处等不均匀下垫面附近。其中,暖切变型降水范围广、强度最大、极端性最明显且主要位于江南中西部;冷锋锋前型降水集中、强度较大且具有一定极端性,主要位于江南中部;副高型降水强度较弱,主要位于江南中东部;强西南急流主要位于江南西部。(2)暖切变型和强西南急流型以夜间降水为主,副高型降水集中在午后,冷锋锋前型降水日变化不明显。(3)暖区暴雨由稳定性和对流性降水共同组成且降水量越大,降水对流性越明显。(4)在低层高湿、不稳定能量积聚等有利背景下,暖切变型、冷锋型和副高型暖区降水多由边界层(地面)中尺度辐合线配合高低空急流耦合产生,强西南急流型一般形成于低空急流上的中尺度风速脉动及地面辐合线附近,且低空急流越强,暴雨强度越大。(5)暖切变型和冷锋型暖区暴雨的落区分别位于低层850hPa暖切变以南和地面锋前的显著湿区内,副高型和强西南急流型的暴雨落区分别位于副高内和强低空急流出口区左前侧的水汽充沛且大气层结不稳定区内。四类暖区暴雨常表现为长生命史的移动型中尺度雨团途经山区或河流湖泊等不均匀下垫面时,强度增大、移速减慢,形成暖区局地强降水。     

一次华南暴雨的中尺度结构及复杂地形的影响

文中选取了 1998年 6月 8～ 9日的一次发生在华南的强降雨过程 ,利用观测资料和MM5中尺度模式对这个过程进行了诊断分析和数值模拟 ,研究了该暴雨过程的中尺度结构及华南地区复杂地形的影响。分析表明这次华南暴雨由锋面暴雨和暖区暴雨组成 ,具有不同的中尺度结构 ,其中广西梧州地区暴雨是准静止锋面上的中尺度对流系统造成 ,具有持续时间短 ,强度大的特征 ,MM5模拟的雷达回波强度超过 30dBz ,高度超过 2 0 0hPa ,并在其东、北侧出现闭合的次级垂直环流 ;珠江三角洲的暴雨是暖区暴雨 ,发生在深厚的暖湿气流内 ,85 0hPa上强度超过 16m/s的西南低空急流是影响降水的主要系统 ,该中心暴雨持续时间较长 ,降水强度也达到了暴雨标准 ,模拟雷达回波不明显 ,没有出现局地的次级环流。华南地区的复杂地形在这次华南暴雨过程中主要为动力性作用 ,具体表现在一支冷空气在低层由苗岭和南岭之间南下 ,南海上空一支暖湿气流北上直接到达梧州地区 ,另一支次暖湿空气在南岭的阻挡下由武夷山以南沿南岭和云开大山之间折而向西 ,这三支气流在梧州地区附近汇合 ,形成广西梧州地区的暴雨 ;同时南海上空北上的低层气流被迫向东北绕行海南岛 ,形成一个尺度为 2 0 0km左右的背风面气旋 ,这个气旋的东北部分加强了在珠江三角洲地     

2005—2008年5、6月华南暖区暴雨与高、低空急流和南亚高压关系的统计分析

利用2005—2008年5月和6月的NCEP 1 °×1 °分析资料和气象台站常规气象资料，对我国华南地区的暖区暴雨进行了统计分析，并且以θse场与暖区暴雨的不同配置进行了分类，将华南暖区暴雨划分为三种类型，在分类的基础上进行了合成分析。统计及合成分析得出5月和6月的暖区暴雨有明显的差异：5月1型暖区暴雨出现最多，6月2型暖区暴雨出现最多，3型暖区暴雨仅发生于6月；5月暖区暴雨受高空急流的影响比较大，多发生于高空急流的右后方，离南亚高压脊线较远；6月形成暖区暴雨的高空急流较弱，暖区暴雨多发生在南亚高压脊线附近；5月形成暖区暴雨的南部系统相对稳定，而6月南部系统尺度变化较大。其相同点为：5、6月各类暖区暴雨多发生于850 hPa低空急流的后部(包括左后、右后)，且均发生于850 hPa左右的南风辐合区中，因此低层南风辐合是产生暖区暴雨的重要机制之一，除6月1型暖区暴雨外，其他类暖区暴雨区的南侧中层均有干区配合。5、6月2型暖区暴雨相似度最大，1型暖区暴雨的相似度最小。     

山西2006年雨季天气气候特征分析

2005年6月17～24日,华南地区发生了连续多日的暴雨天气过程,其显著特征是存在着南北两条雨带,北支雨带(福建中北部)由准静止的梅雨锋造成,南支雨带(广东中东部)发生在锋前暖区之中,这种连续多日共存的双雨带现象引起了气象学家的广泛关注.为了探究锋面和锋前暖区暴雨的成因,加深这两类不同性质暴雨的认识,利用NCEP每6 h一次的1°×1°经纬度再分析资料以及华南地区加密观测的逐小时地面降水等资料,以此次连续多日维持的双雨带降水过程为例,详细分析了锋面附近与锋前暖湿区内暴雨系统的主要物理差异.结果发现:梅雨锋暴雨和锋前暖区暴雨不仅在中尺度雨团活动、系统动力结构、大气不稳定机制和大气加热结构等存在明显的差异,而且在水汽输送、中尺度环境以及与暴雨有关的垂直环流之间也存在着不同点,这些差异可能是造成锋前暖区暴雨难以模拟和预报的主要原因.     

双雨带过程中的回流暖区暴雨个例对比研究

利用常规观测资料、NCEP 1 °×1 °FNL资料、自动站降水资料,对华南两次双雨带过程中的回流暖区暴雨个例进行了对比分析,结果表明:(1)与暖湿的南到西南气流相比,变性高压脊后部回流的东到东南气流具有一定干冷属性,边界层两支不同性质的气流汇合形成辐合渐近线和边界层锋区。回流暖区暴雨实际是先有回流、预先在东侧形成浅薄的冷池,后有高空槽加深东移、带来边界层西南风,与东南风辐合,形成低层辐合抬升条件,西南风暖平流使边界层锋区加强并缓慢东移,产生的暴雨。回流和高空槽均起到关键的作用;(2)回流暖区暴雨区域在边界层内具有弱对流性不稳定或湿中性层结、而在中低层具有明显对流性不稳定,其发生发展机制有别于锋前暖区暴雨和典型锋面暴雨;(3)边界层较大水平螺旋度与回流暖区暴雨有良好对应关系,对回流暖区暴雨预报有指示意义,是回流暖区暴雨区别于锋面暴雨的重要动力学特征;(4)回流暖区的水汽输送主要集中在850 hPa以下,以925 hPa最显著,北侧锋区的水汽输送主要集中在850~700 hPa;南北两支雨带低层的水汽输送通道可能存在部分重合,当南侧暖区雨带的对流发展起来后,部分水汽可能被南侧辐合系统截留,从而影响北侧的水汽输送强度。这可能是导致北雨带降雨强度不如南雨带的一个原因。      

华南暖区暴雨预报的模式初始场质量敏感性分析北大核心

本文利用高分辨率中尺度数值预报模式WRF和两组再分析资料,在研究不同模式初值对华南暖区暴雨预报质量差异明显的基础上,利用合成初值方法进行了模式初值对暖区暴雨预报的敏感性数值试验研究,讨论了模式初始场关键物理量对暖区暴雨预报质量的影响,重点开展了模式初值湿度场质量对华南暖区暴雨降水预报的敏感性分析。结果表明:模式初始场质量的较小差异,可显著影响本次华南暖区暴雨预报的降水强度、降水落区以及降水发生时间等的质量。初始水汽场对暖区暴雨预报影响最大,也最为敏感,是准确预报对流单体的发生发展以及地面强降水的基础。风场和温度场对暖区暴雨预报的影响相对较小。对流层低层较强的风速辐合是本次暖区暴雨强对流单体触发、生成和加强发展以至产生暖区强降水的物理基础。     

Classification of persistent heavy rainfall events over South China and associated moisture source analysis

Persistent heavy rainfall events (PHREs) over South China during 1981–2014 were selected and classified by an objective method, based on the daily precipitation data at 752 stations in China. The circulation characteristics, as well as the dry-cold air and moisture sources of each type of PHREs were examined. The main results are as follows. A total of 32 non-typhoon influenced PHREs in South China were identified over the study period. By correlation analysis, the PHREs are divided into three types: SC-A type, with its main rainbelt located in the coastal areas and the northeast of Guangdong Province; SC-B type, with its main rainbelt between Guangdong Province and Guangxi Region; and SC-C type, with its main rainbelt located in the north of Guangxi Region. For the SC-A events, dry-cold air flew to South China under the steering effect of troughs in the middle troposphere which originated from the Ural Mountains and West Siberia Plain; whereas, the SC-C events were not influenced by the cold air from high latitudes. There were three water vapor pathways from low-latitude areas for both the SC-A and SC-C PHREs. The tropical Indian Ocean was the main water vapor source for these two PHRE types, while the South China Sea also contributed to the SC-C PHREs. In addition, the SC-A events were also influenced by moist and cold air originating from the Yellow Sea. Generally, the SC-C PHREs belonged to a warm-sector rainfall type, whose precipitation areas were dominated by southwesterly wind, and the convergence in wind speed was the main reason for precipitation.     

华南一次暴雨过程热力和动力特征的诊断分析

2015年5月19—20日广东省强降水过程具有降水集中、强度大和局地性强的特点,利用广东省自动气象站观测资料、ECMWF_FINE再分析资料,对此次强降水过程进行分析发现:华南地区受低槽东移影响,强降水发生在切变线南侧偏南暖湿流场中,粤北降水属于锋面降水,粤东降水属于锋前暖区降水,两者在水汽输送和动力机制上有显著区别。孟加拉湾和南海输送的水汽在这次强降水过程中占主导地位,南边界和东边界为水汽的流入边界,整体水汽输送以经向输入为主。暖区降水区域处于较强的水汽平流环境中,具有更大的水汽净输送量,造成粤东地区的降水量更大。对流层高层辐散比中低层辐合更为重要,是粤东暖区降水重要的动力属性,且暖区中低层流场的旋转效应弱,有区别于典型的梅雨锋降水。利用绝热无摩擦湿位涡守恒进行诊断发现对流不稳定是此次强降水发展的主要机制,暴雨发生区域对应湿位涡垂直分量为负值,水平分量为正值,底层MPV1＜0和MPV2＞0综合反映了大气对流不稳定和斜压不稳定的增强过程。降水区对流层低层受负湿位涡控制,低层湿位涡负值区与强降水落区有较好的对应关系。      

两类华南沿海暖区暴雨特征及热力发展机制对比研究

对2009—2014年4—6月的华南沿海暖区暴雨依据低层环流进行分类:第一类为偏南向型,即珠江口以西经向性偏南向辐合线型,由东南、偏南、西南三支气流汇合;第二类为西南向型,即珠江口以东纬向性西南向辐合线型,由偏西和西南风两支气流汇合。6小时强降水统计显示,6年中偏南向型年平均73.2次,西南向型年平均50.3次。南海夏季风爆发后,两种类型发生频数均明显增加。两类低层辐合线系统对应上层的合成特征显示,500 hPa天气形势偏南向型为宽阔暖脊,温度脊落后,有较明显的暖平流,无锋区;西南向型为弱槽,中纬度温度槽落后,锋区偏北,华南位于锋面前暖区,有弱波动。两类暴雨垂直剖面上有深厚垂直速度中心伸展到400 hPa;对应强烈的辐合层为几个垂直叠置的辐合中心;均为水汽充沛,对流不稳定能量层次深厚,有较强凝结潜热释放,造成气柱增暖拉伸,加强深厚多中心辐合及上升气流,其中西南向型凝结潜热释放更强,偏南向型中高层暖平流强于其凝结潜热释放。探讨热力发展机制的数值模拟显示,凝结潜热释放对气柱增温,大大增强暴雨区垂直速度厚度与强度,并增强暴雨区低层辐合环流,减弱中层辐散环流,其影响力达到环流强度的30%~50%,有利于维持强烈对流,促进暖区暴雨的发展。      

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON CHARACTERISTICS AND THERMO- DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT MECHANISMS OF TWO TYPES OF WARM-SECTOR HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG THE SOUTH CHINA COAST

Warm-sector heavy rainfalls along the south China coast from April to June during 2009–2014 can be divided into two main types based on their low-level circulations. Type I is the southerly pattern with meridional convergence line at the west of the Pearl River estuary, which is formed by the convergence of southeasterly, southerly, and southwesterly flows. Type II is the southwesterly pattern with a latitudinal convergence line at the east of the Pearl River estuary, which is formed by the convergence of westerly and southwesterly flows. Statistics on 6-hourly heavy rainfall events indicates that, during the afore-mentioned 6 years, there were on average 73.2 occurrences of the southerly pattern and 50.3 occurrences of the southwesterly pattern per year. After the onset of summer monsoon in the South China Sea, the occurrence frequencies of both patterns increase remarkably. The synthetic diagnosis of pattern circulation shows that, at 500 hPa, for the southerly pattern, there is a broad warm high ridge, and a temperature ridge is behind the high ridge, which causes an obvious warm advection at the high ridge area. There is no frontal region. For the southwesterly pattern, the circulation is a weak trough with a temperature trough behind it. The position of the frontal region is near Yangzi River, and the south China coast is in the warm-sector of the frontal region. At the vertical cross-section of each of the two categories of heavy rainfall, there is a strong vertical motion center stretching to 400 hPa, where the convergence layer in the rainfall region is deep and with several vertical convergence centers overlapping one another. Both types of heavy rainfalls are with abundant water vapor, accompanied with deep convective instability energy layers, and with strong release of latent heat caused by condensation of water vapor. The release of latent heat leads to the warming-up and stretching of the air column, thus strengthens deep convergence and vertical velocity upward. There is a stronger latent heat-release in the southwesterly pattern than in the southerly pattern, while in the southerly pattern, the warm advection at middle and upper levels is stronger than the latent head release. To study the thermo-dynamic development mechanisms, weather research and forecasting model (WRF) numerical simulations are made and the results show that, in the two rainstorm regions, latent heat release warms up the air column, hence significantly increase the depth and strength of the vertical velocity. Moreover, the release of latent heat strengthens convergent circulation at lower levels and weakens divergent circulation at middle levels, whose influence can be as strong as 30%–50% of the wind circulation strength of the two types of the warm-sector heavy rainfall over the south China coast, and further enhances deep convection, promoting warm-sector storm development.     

华南前汛期持续暴雨环流分型初步研究

采用1961—2010年NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料和台站观测降水量资料,按一定标准选取了华南前汛期24个持续暴雨过程;并且按基本判据确定逐年华南夏季风降水开始日期。然后依据南亚高压环流型和相对于该年夏季风降水开始的早晚,将这些暴雨过程划分为夏季风降水前、后南亚高压东部型,夏季风降水后南亚高压带状、西部型共4个类型;其中,夏季风后南亚高压西部型次数最多、平均持续时间最长。所有类型持续暴雨的相同点是:广东东北部附近均为暴雨频率和雨量高值区;暴雨期间华南150 h Pa位势高度增加、500 h Pa位势高度减少;华南处在150 h Pa偏西风急流南侧辐散区中;850 h Pa华南沿海有明显的西南气流,低层辐合在华南东北部最明显;两广沿海为可降水量大值区;华南的整层水汽输送主要呈现西南向。不同点是:夏季风后南亚高压西部型平均雨量较小,夏季风后南亚高压带状型与西部型在印度洋上存在明显的偏东风高空急流;夏季风后南亚高压类型在两广沿海的可降水量数值较大。     

华南沿海暖区辐合线暴雨地形动力机制数值模拟研究

华南沿海暖区暴雨是单一暖气团降水。本文采用客观分析方法确定暖区暴雨主要影响系统为两类辐合线低值系统:偏南向辐合线与西南向辐合线;此类辐合线系统具有强烈的辐合上升层次与暖心结构,是一类强烈的暖区暴雨天气系统。偏南向辐合线多出现在粤西沿海,而西南向辐合线多出现于粤东沿岸,分别具有短时团状与持续带状两类强降水。华南沿海地区山脉河口众多,其中珠江口以西的团状云雾山正面阻挡偏南向辐合线,河口以东的带状莲花山侧面阻挡西南向辐合线。利用WRF数值模式分别研究粤东和粤西山脉对两类辐合线及其暴雨的地形影响,包括正面阻挡和侧面摩擦。结果显示,将偏南向型辐合线所遇云雾山范围地形降低80%后,因正面阻挡缺失,辐合线及其降水向北推进,雨带强度减弱,形状改变。地形的正面阻挡促使低层辐合气流迅速抬升触发强降水。降水释放的凝结潜热,又加强系统的上升运动和暖心结构强度与层厚,进而增强暴雨。填充偏南向型狭管地形的试验显示,狭管效应构成对强降水位置和强度的直接强迫影响,加之与云雾山正面阻挡配合,两项作用造成粤西暴雨频繁特征。测试粤东西南向莲花山脉对西南向辐合线的侧向阻挡与摩擦效应,通过对比莲花山两种地表粗糙度环境模拟效果,获得显著的局地垂直上升速度差,显示粤东沿海山脉的侧向摩擦不仅增强西南辐合线强度也加强垂直上升运动强度,由于西南气流的持续,山脉走向与气流的配置,维持了降雨时长及雨带范围。同时对粤西近海西南辐合气流及河口的暴雨雨带也有连带增强与维持作用。进一步地山脉地形抬升以其抬升迅速,范围集中,层次深厚,而有别于锋面气团抬升。加之近海水汽充沛,抬升后中层凝结释放的配合,增强了辐合线低值系统强度,造成暖区降水雨强远高于华南锋面降水。     

SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIATION CHARACTERISTICS OF EXTREMELY HEAVY PRECIPITATION FREQUENCY OVER SOUTH CHINA IN THE LAST 50 YEARS

This paper comprehensively studies the spatio-temporal characteristics of the frequency of extremely heavy precipitation events over South China by using the daily precipitation data of 110 stations during 1961 to 2008 and the extremely heavy precipitation thresholds determined for different stations by REOF, trend coefficients, linear trend, Mann-Kendall test and variance analysis. The results are shown as follows. The frequency distribution of extremely heavy precipitation is high in the middle of South China and low in the Guangdong coast and western Guangxi. There are three spatial distribution types of extremely heavy precipitation in South China. The consistent anomaly distribution is the main type. Distribution reversed between the east and the west and between the south and the north is also an important type. Extremely heavy precipitation events in South China mainly occurred in the summer-half of the year. Their frequency during this time accounts for 83.7% of the total frequency. In the 1960s and 1980s, extremely heavy precipitation events were less frequent while having an increasing trend from the late 1980s. Their climatological tendency rates decrease in the central and rise in the other areas of South China, and on average the mean series also shows an upward but insignificant trend at all of the stations. South China＇s frequency of extremely heavy precipitation events can be divided into six major areas and each of them shows a different inter-annual trend and three of the representative stations experience abrupt changes by showing remarkable increases in terms of Mann-Kendall tests.     

EXPERIMENTS ON ASSIMILATION OF INITIAL VALUES IN NUMERICAL PREDICTION OF A WARM-SECTOR PRECIPITATION IN SOUTH CHINA

In order to understand the impact of initial conditions upon prediction accuracy of short-term forecast and nowcast of precipitation in South China, four experiments i.e. a control, an assimilation of conventional sounding and surface data, testing with nudging rainwater data and the assimilation of radar-derived radial wind, are respectively conducted to simulate a case of warm-sector heavy rainfall that occurred over South China, by using the GRAPES_MESO model. The results show that (1) assimilating conventional surface and sounding observations helps improve the 24-h rainfall forecast in both the area and order of magnitude; (2) nudging rainwater contributes to a significant improvement of nowcast, and (3) the assimilation of radar-derived radial winds distinctly improves the 24-h rainfall forecast in both the area and order of magnitude. These results serve as significant technical reference for the study on short-term forecast and nowcast of precipitation over South China in the future.     

A Study on Water Vapor Transport and Budget of Heavy Rain in Northeast China

The characteristics of moisture transport and budget of widespread heavy rain and local heavy rain events in Northeast China are studied using the NCEP--NCAR reanalysis 6-hourly and daily data and daily precipitation data of 200 stations in Northeast China from 1961--2005. The results demonstrate that during periods with widespread heavy rain in Northeast China, the Asian monsoon is very active and the monsoonal northward moisture transport is strengthened significantly. The widespread heavy rainfall obtains enhanced water vapor supply from large regions where the water vapor mainly originates from the Asian monsoon areas, which include the East Asian subtropical monsoon area, the South China Sea, and the southeast and southwest tropical monsoon regions. There are several branches of monsoonal moisture current converging on East China and its coastal areas, where they are strengthened and then continue northward into Northeast China. Thus, the enhanced northward monsoonal moisture transport is the key to the widespread heavy rain in Northeast China. In contrast, local heavy rainfall in Northeast China derives water vapor from limited areas, transported by the westerlies. Local evaporation also plays an important role in the water vapor supply and local recycling process of moisture. In short, the widespread heavy rains of Northeast China are mainly caused by water vapor advection brought by the Asian monsoon, whereas local heavy rainfall is mainly caused by the convergence of the westerly wind field.