EFFECT OF DRY COLD AIR ACTIVITY ON THE OFFSHORE RAPID INTENSIFICATION OF SUPER TYPHOON SAOMAI (2006): A NUMERICAL SIMULATION RESEARCH

Employing the mesoscale WRF(Weather Research and Forecast) model, Super Typhoon Saomai(2006) is simulated. The variation of track and intensity and its offshore rapid intensification process are well demonstrated by the model, and the temperature and humidity patterns associated with the dry cold air activity and their impact on and mechanism of the offshore rapid intensification of Saomai are mainly studied in this paper. The results indicate that high-resolution water vapor imagery can visually reveal the development, evolution, interaction as well as the mutual complementation of the dry cold air activity accompanied with the development of Saomai. The offshore rapid intensification phenomenon of Saomai is closely related to the dry cold air which originates from the upper- and mid-troposphere. Besides, the dry cold air from the upper troposphere is stronger than that from the mid-troposphere.Saomai intensifies as the dry cold air from the northwest moves toward its circulation but weakens when the dry cold air from the southwest is drawn into the storm. Dry cold airflows and their cold advection effect caused by the downward motion across the isentropic surface are favorable to the development of Saomai. The dry cold air always moves along an isentropic surface from the upper troposphere to the mid-troposphere around the typhoon circulation and contributes to Saomai's abrupt intensity change.