Tropical cyclone track and intensity prediction: The generation and assimilation of high-density, satellite-derived data

Summary The impact of recent scientific and technological advances in tropical cyclone track, intensity and structure modeling is discussed. Since the early 1990s, developments have occurred in remote sensing, data assimilation procedures, numerical models and high performance computing. In particular, there is now quasi-continuous high spatial and temporal resolution data coverage over the previously data-sparse oceans where tropical cyclones spend most of their life cycles. There has been a rapid development of data assimilation methodologies capable of using these data to initialize high-resolution prediction models. Model developments have reached a stage of maturity where the representation of many of the physical processes necessary for improved tropical cyclone track and intensity prediction are now included. Finally, available computer power has reached the teraflop range. Most operational centers have high performance computers capable of tropical cyclone modeling at resolutions necessary for skillful track and intensity simulations. This article focuses on combining all of the above developments in a tropical cyclone data analysis and prediction system. The system has produced statistically significant reductions in the mean forecast error statistics for tropical cyclone track predictions and resulted in far more realistic simulations of tropical cyclone intensity and structure. A large number of tropical cyclones have been modeled, with emphasis on those classified as being “difficult” storms to predict accurately. These difficult storms are most responsible for rapidly growing forecast errors. Our results are illustrated by case studies of such tropical cyclones. Received October 9, 2001 Revised December 28, 2001     

COMPARISONS OF EOF AND CCA METHODS IN EXPERIMENTS WITH TYPHOON TRACK

A predictive model for 24-120 h track of the tropical cyclone over the South ChinaSea is set upusing the predictors of CLIPER and with reference to those of EOF and CCA. This EOF-and CCA-basedmodel is compared with dependent and independent samples in veritring forecasts'Analpees appltwg themethods to 500-hPa geopotential heights have shown that the CCA method is able toconcentrate moreoriginal information of variable fleld that has the best global correlation withtropical cyclone track andthus reduces more efficiently error arisen in forecast,despite that can0nicaldistribution of weighted vari-able coefficients derived by it is less well-defined or smoothed of a spacialpattern as is done by eigenvec-tor in the EOF method. The verification indicates a certain degree of skill in both track predictive model,though better results are yielded in the CCA-based one, whose mean vector errorare 159.27, 314.84,524.12, 813.03, and 987.12 km, respectively for periods of 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. The modelmakes an objective approach for prediction of short-and medium-range track of tropical cyclone in theSouth China Sea.     

利用神经网络方法建立热带气旋强度预报模型

以神经网络方法为基础,建立西北太平洋热带气旋强度预测模型,模型首先进行历史相似热带气旋选择。从选择的样本出发,计算得到一组气候持续因子、天气学经验因子和动力学因子, 对这些因子采用逐步回归方法进行筛选,将筛选得到的因子同对应时效的热带气旋强度输入神经网络训练模块,从而得到优化的预测模型。从2004-2005年西北太平洋26个热带气旋过程对12,24,36,48,72h等不同预报时效分别进行的634,582,530,478,426次预测试验结果的统计来看,相对于线性回归模型预测水平,该模型显著降低了各时段的预测误差。从几个热带气旋个例的预测结果来看, 该模型对超强台风, 以及具有强度迅速加强、再次加强等特征的热带气旋过程均有很好的描述能力。     

THE OBJE CTIVE ANALOGUE PREDICTION MODEL FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE TRACK WITH COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

An objective analogue prediction model for tropical cyclone (TC) track is put forward that comprehensively assesses the environmental field. With the parameters of the tropical cyclone and environmental field at initial and future time, objective analogue criteria are set up in the model. Analogous samples are recognized by comprehensive assessment to historical TC cases for similarity with multivariate criteria,using non-linear analogue indexes especially defined for the purpose. When the historical tracks are coordinateconverted and weighted with reference to analogue indexes,forecast tracks are determined. As shown in model verification and forecast experiments, the model has forecasting skill.     

基于偏最小二乘回归理论的西北太平洋热带气旋强度统计预报方法

热带气旋(TC)的强度预报是TC研究中的前沿性问题和实际业务中的难点.当前具有参考价值的预报方法主要是统计类或模式释用类方法,例如气候持续性(CLIPER)模型等.CLIPER模型的核心技术为多元线性回归,这种回归算法在预报因子之间存在多重相关性时会丧失建模的稳健性,进而影响CLIPER模型的预报精度.为了提高CLIP...     

Improved tropical cyclone track predictions using error recycling

Summary Errors produced by a nonlinear predictive scheme contain information about both the observations and the prediction system. Therefore, its error history would be expected to contribute to increasing the skill of the predictions if it is included in the forecast. In this study an error recycling procedure is developed for tropical cyclone track prediction. Errors are defined here as differences between the model forecast and the best track position. Error histories are incorporated into a nonlinear analogue, or simplex, forecast scheme and applied to tropical cyclone track prediction, using the archives of observed position data associated with the forecast errors. Various forecast experiments of the cyclone tracks are performed: standard simplex predictions using observed positions only; simplex predictions improved by error forecasts based on libraries of both observations and the recycled forecast errors; and, finally, predictions that include NWP-model forecasts and their errors as predictors. The resulting gains in skill of predictions out to 72 hours ahead are found to be substantial. Received August 12, 1999 Revised November 5, 1999     

多源资料循环同化在台风“潭美”预报中的应用

为了检验不同观测资料在台风预报中的作用,以美国NCEP (National Centers for Environmental prediction)业务同化系统GSI (Grid Statistical Interpolation)为平台,选取2013年路径较复杂且登陆后降水持续较强的“潭美”台风过程为例,分别加入常规地面和高空观测资料、极轨卫星NOAA18、NOAA19、METOP-A和METOP-B资料,以及多普勒雷达基数据资料,探讨不同观测资料同化对台风的预报效果。同时,对台风采用Bogus初始化方案以及循环资料同化对台风路径和强度预报效果进行了对比分析。结果表明:常规观测资料对台风路径预报改善效果最明显,卫星资料的融入对海上台风路径的修正较好,而雷达资料则对台风登陆后的路径预报有改善;并且多源资料的融入效果最好。同时,采用Bogus方案可有效调整初始台风的位置和强度,从而对后期台风路径和强度预报有正效应。采用间隔6 h资料循环同化方法,可有效利用各时段资料,对台风路径和强度预报有较好的改善。      

热带气旋路径集合预报试验

以MM5模式为试验模式，分别用增长模繁殖法（BGM）和模式物理过程扰（MPP）形成12个集合成员，对2005年登陆我国的8个热带气旋进行了52次路径集合预报试验，以寻找适合西北太平洋热带气旋路径的集合预报方法。结果表明:BGM方法的集合预报结果总体上好于控制试验结果，其中对强度较弱的热带气旋的集合预报效果更好。MPP方法的集合预报结果总体上不如控制试验结果，但对初始时刻强度达到台风的热带气旋的集合预报效果较好，集合预报相对于控制试验的改进效果明显。基于BGM方法和MPP方法集合预报的不同特点，将两种方法相结合形成扰动成员，这一综合方法的集合预报效果好于单一方法的集合预报效果。BGM方法和MPP方法的系统发散度总体上都偏小。     

热带气旋强度资料的差异性分析

通过对比西北太平洋3个主要预报中心(中国气象局(CMA)、日本东京台风中心(RSMC Tokyo)和美国联合台风警报中心(JTWC))的16 a数据,分析了不同来源的热带气旋(TC)强度资料的差异性。结果表明:CMA与RSMCTokyo和JTWC的TC强度均值分别相差0.6和1.7 m/s,均通过1%信度的统计检验,即存在显著差异;3个中心对同一TC确定的强度最大差异超过30 m/s;CMA资料的台风数多于RSMC Tokyo和JTWC,年台风频数的均方差也最大,但是3个中心资料的各级TC频数差异均无统计显著性。对比有、无飞机探测时段的资料发现,对TC进行飞机探测可在一定程度上减小各中心在确定TC强度方面的分歧。为了初步了解上述资料问题对TC强度预报的可能影响,采用一个气候持续性预报方法,取不同来源的TC强度资料进行了4 a(2000—2003年)的预报。发现据JTWC资料所得TC强度预报有最大的均方根误差,RSMCTokyo的最小,CMA居中;据CMA和RSMC Tokyo(CMA和JTWC)资料,对相同TC相同时次24 h预报的平均绝对偏差达2.5(4.0)m/s,最大可相差16(21)m/s。可见,西北太平洋TC强度的基本资料问题增加了预报的难度。     

基于集合Kalman滤波数据同化的热带气旋路径集合预报研究

构建了一个基于集合Kalman滤波数据同化的热带气旋集合预报系统，通过积云参数化方案和边界层参数化方案的9个不同组合，采用MM5模式进行了不同时间的短时预报。对预报结果使用“镜像法”得到18个初始成员，为同化提供初始背景集合。将人造台风作为观测场，同化后的结果作为集合预报的初值，通过不同参数组合的MM5模式进行集合预报。对2003～2004年16个台风个例的分析表明，初始成员产生方法能够对热带气旋的要素场、中心强度和位置进行合理扰动。同化结果使台风强度得到加强，结构更接近实际。基于同化的集合路径预报结果要优于未同化的集合预报。使用“镜像法”增加集合成员提高了预报准确度，路径预报误差在48小时和72小时分别低于200 km和250 km。     

热带气旋定量降水预报的动力相似方案

该文提出一个热带气旋定量降水预报(QPF) 的动力相似方案。方案应用热带气旋初始参数、历史过程的天气形势场和物理量场及数值预报产品, 构造预报区域内当前时刻至未来时刻环境要素场的多元客观相似判据。通过定义非线性的相似指数综合评估历史热带气旋样本与预报热带气旋在多元判据下的连续动态相似程度, 以此找到相似样本。应用相似样本的历史降水量记录进行相似指数的权重综合, 得到热带气旋未来6~48 h降水量的定点、定量预报值。预报试验表明该方案具有一定的预报技巧。     

热带气旋奇异向量在GRAPES全球集合预报中的初步应用

基于副热带奇异向量的初值扰动方法已应用于GRAPES （Global and Regional Assimilation PrEdiction System）全球集合预报系统,但存在热带气旋预报路径离散度不足的问题。通过分析发现,热带气旋附近区域初值扰动结构不合理导致预报集合不能较好地估计热带气旋预报的不确定性,是路径集合离散度不足的可能原因之一。通过建立热带气旋奇异向量求解方案,将热带气旋奇异向量和副热带奇异向量共同线性组合生成初值扰动,以弥补热带气旋区域初值扰动结构不合理这一缺陷,进而改进热带气旋集合预报效果。利用GRAPES全球奇异向量计算方案,以台风中心10个经纬度区域为目标区构建热带气旋奇异向量求解方案,针对台风“榕树”个例进行集合预报试验,并开展批量试验,利用中国中央气象台最优台风路径和中国国家气象信息中心的降水观测资料进行检验,对比分析热带气旋奇异向量结构特征和初值扰动特征,评估热带气旋奇异向量对热带气旋路径集合预报和中国区域24 h累计降水概率预报技巧的影响。结果表明,热带气旋奇异向量具有局地化特征,使用热带气旋奇异向量之后,热带气旋路径离散度增加,路径集合平均预报误差和离散度的关系得到改善,路径集合平均预报误差有所减小,集合成员更好地描述了热带气旋路径的预报不确定性;中国台风降水的小雨、中雨、大雨、暴雨各量级24 h累计降水概率预报技巧均有一定提高。总之,当在初值扰动的生成中考虑热带气旋奇异向量后,可改进热带气旋初值扰动结果,并有助于改善热带气旋路径集合预报效果。      

USE OF A NEW STEERING FLOW METHOD TO PREDICT TROPICAL CYCLONE MOTION

A tropical cyclone is a kind of violent weather system that takes place in warmer tropical oceans and spins rapidly around its center and at the same time moves along surrounding flows. It is generally recognized that the large-scale circulation plays a major role in determining the movement of tropical cyclones and the effects of steering flows are the highest priority in the forecasting of tropical cyclone motion and track. This article adopts a new method to derive the steering flow and select a typical swerving track case (typhoon Dan, coded 9914) to illustrate the validity of the method. The general approach is to modify the vorticity, geostropical vorticity and divergence, investigate the change in the non-divergent stream function, geoptential and velocity potential, respectively, and compute a modified velocity field to determine the steering flow. Unlike other methods in regular use such as weighted average of wind fields or geopoential height, this method has the least adverse effects on the environmental field and could derive a proper steering flow which fits well with storm motion. Combined with other internal and external forcings, this method could have wide application in the prediction of tropical cyclone track.     

Tropical cyclone track predictability

Summary In this study an attempt is made to estimate theinherent limits to tropical cyclone mean absolute track position errors out to 72 hours ahead and to compare these estimates with the position errors currently being obtained inpractice at weather centres around the world. A knowledge of the magnitude of the difference between the lower limit to predictability and that being achieved with state-of-the-art numerical weather prediction (NWP) models is of vital importance. A small difference would indicate that there is little further need for continued initiatives in the prediction of tropical cyclone tracks. On the other hand, a large difference would imply either that the problem requires continued emphasis or if there has been no significant trend towards reducing the forecast track errors, that present research and development techniques need to be extended or new procedures developed.It was found that the difference between the inherent and practical limits of tropical cyclone track position errors is presently about 35 to 40 per cent for advanced baroclinic NWP systems, a moderate to large difference, and one that is almost invariant between tropical cyclone basins. For simpler models, such as barotropic models, the difference is closer to 45 per cent but is again almost invariant. As far as the authors are aware, these are the first estimates of the lower bounds of tropical cyclone track predictability. Finally, very recent research studies with emerging range of high quality data, high density data sources, improved models and new data assimilation techniques suggest that the difference possibly is now down to about 30 to 35 per cent. This value is encouragingly small but still large enough to continue active research programs in improving tropical cyclone motion prediction. Much of the forecast track errors now come from major forecast errors associated with tropical cyclones that follow erratic tracks.With 3 Figures     

SOME ASPECTS OF OBJECTIVE FORECASTING OF TROPICAL CYCLONE MOTION

As shown in a statistical analysis of the relationship between environmental fields at varied timeand tropical cyclone motion, the forecasting ability of the initisl environmental field predictors for tropical cyclone motion decreases with the increase of valid time period of forecast;it is higher with these predictors at a fUture time than at an initial time. The work also indicates that for the tropical cyclone motion over a given period of valid forecast, better predictors appear at times mostly differing from thevalid periods; for periods at 48-120 h the environmental predictors at 48-72 h are more capable of forecasting. With statistical interpretation of NWP products, a predictive model for tropical cyclone motionis superior in performance over a statistical forecasting model that employes predictors of the initial field in the basic framework. The concluding remarks can be used as reference in the construction of an objective prediction model for tropical cyclone motion.     

Recent advancements in dynamical tropical cyclone track predictions

Summary Considerable advancements have recently been made in understanding tropical cyclone motion. Based on these new understandings, the requirements for accurate tropical cyclone motion prediction with dynamical models can be specified. Four issues related to dynamical track prediction are the initial specifications of the environmental wind field, the symmetric vortex and the asymmetric vortex structure, as well as the adequacy of the models to predict the time evolution of each of these three components of the total wind field. Recently developed barotropic and limited-region or global baroclinic models are examined in terms of these issues. The capability of the Hurricane Research Division barotropic model to provide skillful track forecasts to 48 h retrospectively substantiates that tropical cyclones motion is governed by barotropic dynamics to first order. Limited-region baroclinic models are demonstrated to have many of the numerical characteristics, physical process representations, and initial condition specifications that will be required to properly predict tropical cyclone tracks. In particular, the semioperational Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory model most closely addresses all of the above issues, and has demonstrated potential for markedly improved tracks for a small sample of cases. Finally, the inclusion of some aspects of tropical cyclone structure in the initial conditions of global baroclinic models has improved their track predictions. Thus, the outlook is for a significant improvement in dynamical track predictions.With 6 Figures     

Evaluation of long-term trends in tropical cyclone intensity forecasts

Summary The National Hurricane Center and Joint Typhoon Warning Center operational tropical cyclone intensity forecasts for the three major northern hemisphere tropical cyclone basins (Atlantic, eastern North Pacific, and western North Pacific) for the past two decades are examined for long-term trends. Results show that there has been some marginal improvement in the mean absolute error at 24 and 48 h for the Atlantic and at 72 h for the east and west Pacific. A new metric that measures the percent variance of the observed intensity changes that is reduced by the forecast (variance reduction, VR) is defined to help account for inter-annual variability in forecast difficulty. Results show that there have been significant improvements in the VR of the official forecasts in the Atlantic, and some marginal improvement in the other two basins. The VR of the intensity guidance models was also examined. The improvement in the VR is due to the implementation of advanced statistical intensity prediction models and the operational version of the GFDL hurricane model in the mid-1990s. The skill of the operational intensity forecasts for the 5-year period ending in 2005 was determined by comparing the errors to those from simple statistical models with input from climatology and persistence. The intensity forecasts had significant skill out to 96 h in the Atlantic and out to 72 h in the east and west Pacific. The intensity forecasts are also compared to the operational track forecasts. The skill was comparable at 12 h, but the track forecasts were 2 to 5 times more skillful by 72 h. The track and intensity forecast error trends for the two-decade period were also compared. Results showed that the percentage track forecast improvement was almost an order of magnitude larger than that for intensity, indicating that intensity forecasting still has much room for improvement.     

热带气旋强度变化研究进展

自20世纪90年代后期以来,热带气旋强度变化研究越来越受到人们的重视,随着研究的不断深入,热带气旋强度变化研究取得了可喜的进展,文中总结近年来热带气旋强度变化的主要研究成果,主要包括(1)热带气旋的发生、发展和最大可能强度的研究;(2)行星涡度梯度、环境均匀流、环境流场垂直切变以及热带气旋外流与环境流的相互作用对热带气旋强度的影响及物理机制;(3)热带气旋结构与强度的变化关系,着重总结环境流场导致的非对称结构变化而引起的热带气旋强度变化以及对涡旋倾斜发展理论验证,分析了涡旋Rossby波的最新研究;(4)海洋热状况变化以及海洋飞沫对热带气旋强度的影响研究成果。分析指出,今后进一步开展用现代化卫星探测资料研究热带气旋强度变化外,还应加强热带气旋外流与环境流场的相互作用,海-气交界面的参数化问题,热带气旋结构变化与TC强度变化关系以及这种关系的物理本质的研究,通过深入研究,认识热带气旋强度变化的物理机制,提高热带气旋强度变化的预报能力。     

热带气旋相似和最大概率集成预报方法及其预报业务试用

利用建立在计算机系统的热带气旋历史资料，经反复试验提出了一套集热带气旋发生的日期相似、地理位置相似、路径相似和强度相似等相结合的挑选“最相似”热带气旋的方案；并利用所挑选的路径和强度“最相似”历史样本，分别对各预报时效的移动方向、移动速度和强度进行分级概率值统计，根据最大概率值选取相应的移向、移速和强度作为热带气旋路径和强度的预报。本方法已在计算机系统成功开发并投入业务试用，检验结果表明：本方法具有一定的预报能力，其输出的未来24、48、72小时的路径和强度预报对预报员有一定参考价值。     

南海热带气旋路径集合预报试验

利用3种不同模式的初始资料，通过它们生成得到16个不同的初始场，分别对2004年南海及其周边地区9个热带气旋个例进行集合预报试验，最后筛选得到了7个南海热带气旋初值集合成员，由此初步探讨了南海热带气旋初值集合成员的生成方法。结果表明，采用不同模式的初始资料生成得到初值集合成员的方法用于集合预报，对南海热带气旋路径预报有一些明显的改进。