A Prototype Regional GSI-based EnKF-Variational Hybrid Data Assimilation System for the Rapid Refresh Forecasting System:Dual-Resolution Implementation and Testing Results

A dual-resolution(DR) version of a regional ensemble Kalman filter(EnKF)-3D ensemble variational(3DEnVar) coupled hybrid data assimilation system is implemented as a prototype for the operational Rapid Refresh forecasting system. The DR 3DEnVar system combines a high-resolution(HR) deterministic background forecast with lower-resolution(LR) EnKF ensemble perturbations used for flow-dependent background error covariance to produce a HR analysis. The computational cost is substantially reduced by running the ensemble forecasts and EnKF analyses at LR. The DR 3DEnVar system is tested with 3-h cycles over a 9-day period using a 40/13-km grid spacing combination. The HR forecasts from the DR hybrid analyses are compared with forecasts launched from HR Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation(GSI) 3D variational(3DVar)analyses, and single LR hybrid analyses interpolated to the HR grid. With the DR 3DEnVar system, a 90% weight for the ensemble covariance yields the lowest forecast errors and the DR hybrid system clearly outperforms the HR GSI 3DVar.Humidity and wind forecasts are also better than those launched from interpolated LR hybrid analyses, but the temperature forecasts are slightly worse. The humidity forecasts are improved most. For precipitation forecasts, the DR 3DEnVar always outperforms HR GSI 3DVar. It also outperforms the LR 3DEnVar, except for the initial forecast period and lower thresholds.     

“7·20”华北强暴雨集合预报的中期预报转折和不确定性分析

中央气象台主观预报和数值模式对2016年7月20日华北强暴雨过程的中期预报出现了一定的误差,本文利用ECMWF(简称EC)集合预报和T639集合预报等资料对"7·20"华北强暴雨过程的中期预报效果进行了分析,结果发现:(1)EC集合预报在7月16日前后对降雨区及强度的预报出现了明显转折,其因是大尺度影响天气系统的预报发生了转折性变化,7月16日20:00起报的环流形势集合平均场对比15日20:00起报场显示,在河套地区附近500hPa低槽发展更深,其下游华北高压脊也更强,形成了移动缓慢"东高西低"的环流型,黄河气旋及中低层西南涡北抬加强,导致降雨预报更接近于实况;(2)集合敏感性分析发现对降雨中期预报敏感的区域与转折前后预报的环流差异的分布型一致,引起降雨预报转折的影响系统也是降雨中期预报不确定性的来源;(3)对于降雨预报最敏感的环流系统是黄河气旋,集合成员预报的黄河气旋偏西偏北,强度越强,则预报的京津冀地区降水量越大。     

A STUDY ON THE ENSEMBLE FORECAST REAL-TIME CORRECTION METHOD

Using real-time correction technology for typhoons, this paper discusses real-time correction for forecasting the track of four typhoons during 2009 and 2010 in Japan, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. It was determined that the short-time forecast effect was better than the original objective mode. By selecting four types of integration schemes after multiple mode path integration for those four objective modes, the forecast effect of the multi-mode path integration is better, on average, than any single model. Moreover, multi-mode ensemble forecasting has obvious advantages during the initial 36h.     

Color map design for visualization in flood risk assessment

Visualizations of flood maps from simulation models are widely used for assessing the likelihood of flood hazards in spatial planning. The choice of a suitable type of visualization as well as efficient color maps is critical to avoid errors or bias when interpreting the data. Based on a review of previous flood uncertainty visualization techniques, this paper identifies areas of improvements and suggests criteria for the design of a task-specific color scale in flood map visualization. We contribute a novel color map design for visualizing probabilities and uncertainties from flood simulation ensembles. A user study encompassing 83 participants was carried out to evaluate the effects of this new color map on user’s decisions in a spatial planning task. We found that the type of visualization makes a difference when it comes to identification of non-hazardous sites in the flood risk map and when accepting risks in more uncertain areas. In comparison with two other existing visualization techniques, we observed that the new design was superior both in terms of task compliance and efficiency. In regions with uncertain flood statuses, users were biased toward accepting less risky locations with our new color map design.     

ENSEMBLE PREDICTION EXPERIMENTS OF TYPHOON TRACK BASED ON THE STOCHASTIC TOTAL TENDENCY PERTURBATION

The GRAPES-TCM is used to make ensemble prediction experiments for typhoon track. Three kinds of ensemble schemes are designed for the experiments. A total of 109 experiments are made for the nine typhoons in 2011 and the integral time is 72 h. The experiment results are shown as follows. In the three ensemble schemes, on the whole, scheme 1 has the best track prediction. Its average absolute track error and overall deviations of typhoon moving speed and moving direction are all the smallest in the three schemes. For both scheme 1 and scheme 2, they are all smaller than those of their control predictions. Both of their ensemble predictions show superiority to their deterministic predictions. Overall, compared with the observations, the typhoon moving directions of the three schemes mainly skew to the right, and in the late integration they mainly tend to be relatively slow. In the three schemes, the track dispersion of scheme 1 is the largest and that of scheme 3 the smallest. In scheme 1 it is much larger than in schemes 2 and 3. The difference of dispersion between scheme 2 and scheme 3 is small. The track dispersions of the three schemes are all much smaller than their rational dispersions. Compared with the eight domestic and overseas operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, scheme 1 has better predictions than the other seven operational models except ECMWF NWP model. Scheme 1 has the value of operational application.     

基于CMIP5多模式集合资料的中国气温和降水预估及概率分析

选用国际耦合模式比较计划第五阶段（CMIP5）提供的30个全球大气-海洋耦合模式（AOGCMs）在典型浓度路径（RCPs）情景下气温和降水量的预估结果,采用扰动法,用站点观测资料作为气候背景场替代AOGCM模拟的气候平均,尝试校正气候预估结果的系统性偏差。通过集合方法,用概率的形式给出中国平均气温升高1 ℃,2 ℃和3 ℃以及降水量增加10%,20%和30%概率的空间分布,讨论了中国未来平均气温和降水量可能的变化。结果表明：经过扰动法处理后的气温和降水量预估集合保留了当前气候的局地信息。预估平均气温在中国均有上升,北方地区尤其是青藏高原地区变暖的程度大于南方地区,北方大部分地区平均气温升高的趋势为0.28 ℃/10a。在21世纪初,中国北方地区年平均气温升高1 ℃的可能性超过50%。到了21世纪末期,中国大部分地区平均气温升高2 ℃的可能性超过60%,新疆北部以及青藏高原南部地区气温升高3 ℃的可能性超过50%。预估中国降水量普遍增多,中国北方地区降水量增多的程度要明显大于江淮流域及其以南地区,尤其是西北地区降水量增多非常显著,降水量增多30%的可能性超过70%以上。     

应用九层全球大气格点模式进行跨季度短期气候预测系统性试验

利用中国科学院大气物理研究所9层大气环流模式（IAP9L AGCM）对夏季气候进行了30年（ 1970～1999年）集合回报试验,并采用统计学分析方法对跨季度夏季短期气候的可预测性问 题进行了初步探讨. 结果表明,该模式对对流层中、高层大气环流的预测能力强于低层,位 势高度场和表面气温的可预测性最大,而降水的可预测性则相对较小. 对流层中、高层位势 高度场的可预测性基本呈带状分布,越靠近赤道可预测性越高;而降水的可预测性基本局限 于赤道东太平洋及热带个别区域. 由此可见,降水的预测极为困难和复杂,订正系 统的研究和寻找新的预报物理因子非常重要.      

集合预报研究及应用进展

从初值扰动的生成方法、数值预报模式的建立、输出产品的提炼应用等方面简要概括了集合预报的最新进展。指出，运用BGM法生成初值扰动效果较好，多模式集合预报正成为天气预报的发展趋势；集合概率预报是集合预报的最佳结果，但发布还需要做大量的普及推广和培训工作；集合预报正在被越来越多的国家投入准业务运行和业务运行．有可能成为新的主流预报方式。     

西北太平洋(含南海)热带气旋路径集成预报分析

基于2004—2009 年中国中央气象台、日本气象厅、美国联合台风警报中心、欧洲中心对西北太平洋和南海编号热带气旋主客观预报资料,利用算术平均、多元回归以及历史平均误差等三种集成方法,建立了热带气旋路径集成预报业务化系统。通过2007—2009 年的业务运行结果分析发现,欧洲中心客观预报参与的24、48 和72 h 集成比主观预报三个成员集成预报水平分别提高约2%、3%～5%和3%～5%,减小误差2.5 km左右、6～9 km 和10～12 km。技巧分析发现,24～72 h 集成预报有正技巧,多元回归集成技巧相对稍低,而算术平均和以各成员平均误差的平方倒数为权重系数的集成技巧对于各集成成员来说技巧差异不大。96 h 集成预报对欧洲中心的客观预报没有正技巧。