IMPROVED FORECASTING OF COLD AIR OUTBREAKS OVER SOUTHERN CHINA THROUGH OROGRAPHIC GRAVITY WAVE DRAG PARAMETERIZATION

The parameterization of gravity wave drag induced by sub-grid scale orography(GWDO), which has been used in the regional model based on the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System for Tropical Mesoscale Model(GRAPES_TMM), is extended to include the effect of mountain flow blocking drag(MBD). The extended scheme is evaluated against non-GWDO parameterization, including a cold air outbreak over southern China and a monthly verification in February 2012. The experiment results show that the GWDO and MBD parameterization both improves the forecasting of the cold air outbreaks over southern China, as well as alleviations of system bias of GRAPES_TMM.(1) The extended scheme alleviates the strong southerly wind and high surface temperature simulation during the cold air outbreak, especially over northern Guangxi and Guangdong(NGG) province, where local high surface temperature simulation reduces nearly 5 degree.(2) The MBD parameterization improves southerly wind simulations over NGG, as well as surface temperature forecasts improvement over Guangxi, Guizhou province and southern Yunnan-Guizhou plateau(YUP), and low level southerly wind simulation improvement over intertidal zone over south China.(3) The formation of MBD is mainly in the mountain area(Wuyi, Daba mountain, east of YUP) and coastal area. The MBD over plateau, which is mainly formed at the west of 105°E, is stronger and thicker than that over Nanling mountain.(4) The improvement of GWDO and MBD parameterization is stable in model physics. MBD parameterization demonstrates more overall improvements in the forecasts than GWDO, and the larger of the model forecast error is, the greater improvements of MBD contribute to. Overall, the extended GWDO scheme successfully improves the simulations of meteorological elements forecasting during cold air outbreaks.     

Mesoscale Analysis of a Heavy Rainfall Event over Hong Kong During a Pre-rainy Season in South China

During the Heavy Rainfall Experiment in South China （HUAMEX） of 1998, a record heavy rainfall event occurred in the delta of the Pearl River during the 24 hours from 1200 UTC 8 June to 1200 UTC 9 June, 1998, and a 24-hour precipitation maximum of 574 mm was reported in Hong Kong. In this paper, some mesoscale characteristics of this heavy rainfall event are studied using data from satellites, Doppler radar, wind profilers, and automatic meteorological stations collected during HUAMEX. The following conclusions are drawn： （1） During this heavy rainfall event, there existed a favorable large-scale environment, that included a front with weak baroclinity in the heavy rain area and with an upward motion branch ahead of the front. （2） Unlike most extratropical or subtropical systems, the closed low in the geopotential height field does not exited. The obvious feature was that a southerly branch trough in the westerlies existed and Hong Kong was located ahead of the trough. （3） The rainfall areas were located in the warm sector ahead of the front, rather than in the frontal zone, which is one of the characteristics of heavy rainfalls during the pre-rainy season of South China. A southerly warm and moist current contributed to the heavy rainfall formation, including the transportation of rich water vapor and the creation of strong horizontal wind convergence. （4） The observations show that the heavy rainfall in Hong Kong was directly caused by a series of meso β systems rather than a mesoscale convective complex （MCC）. These meso β systems moved with the steering current in the lower-mid troposphere, their life cycles were 3-6 hours, and their horizontal sizes were 10-100 km. （5） The disturbances in the lower and mid troposphere, especially that in the planetary boundary layer （PBL） were very shallow. However, they are a possible trigger mechanism for the occurrence and development of the mesoscale convective systems and related heavy rainfalls. Finally, a conceptual model of the heav     

滇黔静止锋大暴雨的锋面特征及其对MCS的影响

2012年5月21—22日,贵州省出现了一次典型的Ⅲ型静止锋在南支槽的引导下锋生而触发MCS形成暴雨的过程。MCS有非线性、降水强的特征。分析发现:低层静止锋锋区强,锋生明显;锋前有高能舌及低涡切变发展,切变南侧有偏南急流。垂直方向上锋区陡峭,锋前上凸区内上升气流强,对流不稳定;南支槽及高低空系统的前倾配置是上升气流强的原因。这些锋面特征为MCS发生发展提供了有利条件:低层高能舌和低涡切变为MCS提供了热力和动力条件;偏南急流是影响MCS的重要因素。锋前上凸区是MCS发展的重要区域,锋区附近的θse场及高低空系统前倾配置利于MCS发生发展。锋前到锋区附近的水汽条件好,急流出口处的水汽辐合及上升气流为MCS和大暴雨提供了有利水汽输送。     

全球变暖下青藏高原东南侧常年南风强度的多模式结果比较分析

青藏高原东南侧存在一个特殊区域,它常年维持南风,与东亚季风紧密联系,强度变异也将对下游天气气候造成明显影响。该区域南风对全球变暖背景下青藏高原的快速增暖十分敏感。文中利用国际耦合模式比较计划第5阶段（CMIP5）中13个模式的多情景预估结果,分析了全球变暖1.5℃、2℃和3℃下常年南风区南风强度的变异特征。结果表明,13个模式中仅BCC-CSM1.1、GFDL-CM3和MIROC5模式能够较好地模拟常年南风区的范围,以及其独特的“双峰型”季节演变特征。然而,对南风的预估,模式间存在较大差异。MIROC5模式预估南风将明显加强,尤其6月之后,并持续至12月,但BCC-CSM1.1和GFDL-CM3模式预估南风在秋季后将明显减弱。进一步分析发现,各模式预估的差异主要源于它们对青藏高原及东亚地区之间温差的模拟存在显著差异。MIROC5模式模拟的青藏高原升温幅度高于周边区域,其与东亚平原之间的温度梯度将使常年南风区南风增强。因此,模式未来改进中应特别关注对青藏高原与其周边热力梯度的合理模拟,这对青藏高原区及东亚季风气候的正确模拟至关重要。     

On the Relationship between the Northern Limit of Southerly Wind and Summer Precipitation over East China

The relationship between the summer northernmost position of southerly wind and precipitation over East China is investigated. The northern limit of summer southerly wind index(INLSSW) over East China is defined as the latitude where the zonal-averaged(105–120°E)low-level meridional wind is equal to zero. Results show that there is a significant negative(positive) correlation between INLSSW and summer precipitation over the Yangtze River(North China) region. Thus, the proposed INLSSW may have implications for the prediction of summer precipitation anomalies in these regions. In positive INLSSW years, a cyclonic circulation anomaly is observed over the tropical western North Pacific and an anticyclonic circulation anomaly is seen over the subtropics of East China,accompanied by southerly anomalies over East China.This leads to above-normal moisture penetrating into the northern part of East China. In addition, significant upward(downward) motion anomalies can be found over the North China(Yangtze River) region. As a result, there are significant positive(negative) precipitation anomalies over the North China(Yangtze River) region. Further examination shows that sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean both contribute to the formation of INLSSW-related circulation anomalies over the tropical western North Pacific.