Possible sources of forecast errors generated by the global/regional assimilation and prediction system for landfalling tropical cyclones. Part I: Initial uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone (TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions (“initials”, hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

Possible Sources of Forecast Errors Generated by the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System for Landfalling Tropical Cyclones. Part Ⅰ: Initial Uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone(TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System(GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions("initials", hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

Which Features of the SST Forcing Error Most Likely Disturb the Simulated Intensity of Tropical Cyclones?

Among all of the sources of tropical cyclone(TC) intensity forecast errors, the uncertainty of sea surface temperature(SST) has been shown to play a significant role. In the present study, we determine the SST forcing error that causes the largest simulation error of TC intensity during the entire simulation period by using the WRF model with time-dependent SST forcing. The SST forcing error is represented through the application of a nonlinear forcing singular vector(NFSV)structure. For the selected 12 TC cases, the NFSV-type SST forcing errors have a nearly coherent structure with positive(or negative) SST anomalies located along the track of TCs but are especially concentrated in a particular region. This particular region tends to occur during the specific period of the TCs life cycle when the TCs present relatively strong intensity, but are still intensifying just prior to the mature phase, especially within a TC state exhibiting a strong secondary circulation and very high inertial stability. The SST forcing errors located along the TC track during this time period are verified to have the strongest disturbing effect on TC intensity simulation. Physically, the strong inertial stability of TCs during this time period induces a strong response of the secondary circulation from diabatic heating errors induced by the SST forcing error. Consequently, this significantly influences the subsidence within the warm core in the eye region, which,in turn, leads to significant errors in TC intensity. This physical mechanism explains the formation of NSFV-type SST forcing errors. According to the sensitivity of the NFSV-type SST forcing errors, if one increases the density of SST observations along the TC track and assimilates them to the SST forcing field, the skill of TC intensity simulation generated by the WRF model could be greatly improved. However, this adjustment is most advantageous in improving simulation skill during the time period when TCs become strong but are still intensifying just prior to reaching full maturity. In light of this, the region along the TC track but in the time period of TC movement when the NFSV-type SST forcing errors occur may represent the sensitive area for targeting observation for SST forcing field associated with TC intensity simulation.     

登陆中国大陆、海南和台湾的热带气旋及其相互关系

首先,针对登陆中国热带气旋的登陆地点资料仅为地名的现状,利用1951-2004年西北太平洋热带气旋资料和登陆中国热带气旋资料,研究制定了登陆资料信息化方案.该方案包括海岸线近似、登陆位置计算、其他特征量计算和误差订正4个方面.对资料信息化结果的分析表明:信息化登陆资料效果是良好的.在此基础上,对登陆中国热带气旋的基本气候特征进行研究,重点分析了在大陆、海南和台湾登陆的3类热带气旋以及它们的相互关系.结果表明:登陆热带气旋频繁的地区为台湾东部沿海、福建至雷州半岛沿海和海南东部沿海;台湾东部沿海和浙江沿海部分地区是登陆热带气旋平均强度最大的地区,平均登陆强度达到台风级别,其中台湾南端的平均登陆强度为最强,达到强台风级别;5-11月为热带气旋登陆中国季节,集中期为7-9月,8月最多;登陆热带气旋的强度主要集中在热带低压-台风,尤其以强热带风暴和台风最多.对于全部大陆、海南和台湾三地,50多年来登陆热带气旋频数都存在不同程度的减少趋势,但只有登陆海南热带气旋的减少趋势是显著的;而所有登陆风暴(含以上强度)频数均无明显增多或减少趋势.总体而言,登陆大陆的TC最多、初旋最早、终旋最晚、登陆期最长;登陆海南的TC居中;而登陆台湾的TC最少、初旋最晚、终旋最早、登陆期最短.从登陆方式看,登陆一地的TC最多、登陆两地的TC次之,分别占总数的79.2%和20.6%,仅有1个TC登陆三地.在登陆两地的TC中,经台湾登陆大陆的TC频数最多、强度减弱最快,经海南登陆大陆的TC频数次之、强度减弱较慢,经大陆登陆海南的TC频数排行第3、强度减弱较快.     

2018年西北太平洋台风活动特征和预报难点分析

利用1949—2018年中国气象局台风最佳路径、2018年中央气象台的台风路径强度实时预报、ECMWF数值预报以及NCEP逐日高分辨率海温RTG_SST(0.083°×0.083°)等资料,对2018年西北太平洋台风活动的主要特征和预报难点进行了分析。结果表明:2018年台风生成频数偏多,生成源地偏东,南海台风活跃;生成时间集中,盛夏台风异常偏多,台风群发性强,双台风或多台风共存活动频次偏多;台风生命史长,累积气旋能量偏高,超强台风偏多,但整体强度偏弱,较弱台风异常偏多;台风登陆频数和频次偏多,登陆地段偏北,且登陆台风强度明显偏弱。中央气象台24~120 h台风路径预报误差分别为72、124、179、262和388 km,各时效误差较2017年均有减少,特别是长时效路径预报误差明显减少;24~120 h台风强度预报误差分别为3.7、5.1、5.5、6.6和7.1 m·s^-1。由于双台风或多台风之间的相互作用、“鞍型场”等造成路径预报难度大以及多台风之间复杂水汽输送、近海台风强度变化不确定性大等原因,造成强度预报难度大。若采用更多观测资料、进行更深入的台风机理研究以及研发更有效的台风客观预报技术将是突破这些难点的有效途径。     

Effects of a Dry-Mass Conserving Dynamical Core on the Simulation of Tropical Cyclones

The accurate forecasting of tropical cyclones(TCs) is a challenging task. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a dry-mass conserving(DMC) hydrostatic global spectral dynamical core on TC simulation. Experiments were conducted with DMC and total(moist) mass conserving(TMC) dynamical cores. The TC forecast performance was first evaluated considering 20 TCs in the West Pacific region observed during the 2020 typhoon season. The impacts of the DMC dynamical core on forecasts o...     

OPERATIONAL FORECAST OF RAINFALL INDUCED BY LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES ALONG GUANGDONG COAST

Following previous studies of the rainfall forecast in Shenzhen owing to landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs), a nonparametric statistical scheme based on the classification of the landfalling TCs is applied to analyze and forecast the rainfall induced by landfalling TCs in the coastal area of Guangdong province, China. All the TCs landfalling with the distance less than 700 kilometers to the 8 coastal stations in Guangdong province during 1950—2013 are categorized according to their landfalling position and intensity. The daily rainfall records of all the 8 meteorological stations are obtained and analyzed. The maximum daily rainfall and the maximum 3 days' accumulated rainfall at the 8 coastal stations induced by each category of TCs during the TC landfall period(a couple of days before and after TC landfalling time) from 1950 to 2013 are computed by the percentile estimation and illustrated by boxplots. These boxplots can be used to estimate the rainfall induced by landfalling TC of the same category in the future. The statistical boxplot scheme is further coupled with the model outputs from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF) to predict the rainfall induced by landfalling TCs along the coastal area. The TCs landfalling in south China from 2014 to 2017 and the corresponding rainfall at the 8 stations area are used to evaluate the performance of these boxplots and coupled boxplots schemes. Results show that the statistical boxplots scheme and coupled boxplots scheme can perform better than ECMWF model in the operational rainfall forecast along the coastal area in south China.     

T213与T639模式热带气旋预报误差对比

应用国家气象中心全球谱模式T213L31(简称T213) 及其升级版本T639L60(简称T639) 对2009—2010年西北太平洋热带气旋数值预报的结果进行对比。结果表明:T213与T639模式24～120 h预报平均距离误差基本相近,但由于T639模式分辨率较高,T639模式的热带气旋强度预报明显好于T213模式。从分类误差来看,T639模式对于西北行登陆及转向热带气旋的路径预报好于T213模式,但对西行及北上热带气旋预报误差偏大。对于异常路径热带气旋预报,T639模式能较好预报环流形势的突然调整,对路径突变的热带气旋预报比T213模式有明显优势;从登陆类热带气旋预报的移向误差来看,T213模式存在东北偏北向系统性偏差,T639模式存在东北偏东向系统性偏差。     

IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ENSO ON LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES IN CHINA

Interannual variability of landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs) in China during 1960-2010 is investigated.By using the method of partial least squares regression(PLS-regression),canonical ENSO and ENSO Modoki are identified to be the factors that contribute to the interannual variability of landfalling TCs.El Ni o Modoki years are associated with a greater-than-average frequency of landfalling TCs in China,but reversed in canonical El Ni o years.Significant difference in genesis locations of landfalling TCs in China for the two kinds of El Ni o phases occurs dominantly in the northern tropical western North Pacific(WNP).The patterns of low-level circulation anomalies and outgoing longwave radiation(OLR) anomalies associated with landfalling TC genesis with different types of El Ni o phases are examined.During canonical El Ni o years,a broad zonal band of positive OLR anomalies dominates the tropical WNP,while the circulation anomalies exhibit a meridionally symmetrical dipole pattern with an anticyclonic anomaly in the subtropics and a cyclonic anomaly near the tropics.In El Ni o Modoki years,a vast region of negative OLR anomalies,roughly to the south of 25°N with a strong large-scale cyclonic anomaly over the tropical WNP,provides a more favorable condition for landfalling TC genesis compared to its counterpart during canonical El Ni o years.For more landfalling TCs formed in the northern tropical WNP in El Ni o Modoki years,there are more TCs making landfall on the northern coast of China in El Ni o Modoki years than in canonical El Ni o years.The number of landfalling TCs is slightly above normal in canonical La Ni a years.Enhanced convection is found in the South China Sea(SCS) and the west of the tropical WNP,which results in landfalling TCs forming more westward in canonical La Ni a years.During La Ni a Modoki years,the landfalling TC frequency are below normal,owing to an unfavorable condition for TC genesis persisting in a broad zonal band from 5°N to 25°N.Since the western North Pacific subtropical high(WNPSH) in La Ni a Modoki years is located in the westernmost region,TCs mainly make landfall on the south coast of China.     

近30a登陆我国的西北太平洋热带气旋活动的时空变化特征

采用1979—2006年美国联合台风预警中心的热带气旋（tropical cyclone,TC）资料,对登陆我国的西北太平洋（Northwest Pacific,NWP）TC强度、路径、登陆地点的气候特征、年际变化及其演变趋势进行了统计分析。结果表明：登陆我国的TC以发源于西北太平洋的西侧以及南海中、北部为主,并且在NWP西南区生成的登陆我国的TC基本以西北移动路径为主,而在NWP西北侧和南海生成的登陆我国的TC多为打转或移动路径转向;登陆我国的TC不仅在强度上具有明显增强的变化规律,而且在登陆位置上存在向东北方向偏移的演变趋势,使得登陆厦门以北区域的TC数量具有增加的趋势,而登陆厦门以南的TC数量存在减少的趋势;登陆我国的NWP TC移动路径存在年代际的演变特征。