Modulation of tropical cyclogenesis in the western North Pacific by the quasi-biweekly oscillation

The quasi-biweekly oscillation(QBWO) is the second most dominant intraseasonal mode over the western North Pacific(WNP) during boreal summer. In this study, the modulation of WNP tropical cyclogenesis(TCG) by the QBWO and its association with large-scale patterns are investigated. A strong modulation of WNP TCG events by the QBWO is found.More TCG events occur during the QBWO's convectively active phase. Based on the genesis potential index(GPI), we further evaluate the role of environmental factors in affecting WNP TCG. The positive GPI anomalies associated with the QBWO correspond well with TCG counts and locations. A large positive GPI anomaly is spatially correlated with WNP TCG events during a life cycle of the QBWO. The low-level relative vorticity and mid-level relative humidity appear to be two dominant contributors to the QBWO-composited GPI anomalies during the QBWO's active phase, followed by the nonlinear and potential intensity terms. These positive contributions to the GPI anomalies are partly offset by the negative contribution from the vertical wind shear. During the QBWO's inactive phase, the mid-level relative humidity appears to be the largest contributor, while weak contributions are also made by the nonlinear and low-level relative vorticity terms.Meanwhile, these positive contributions are partly cancelled out by the negative contribution from the potential intensity.The contributions of these environmental factors to the GPI anomalies associated with the QBWO are similar in all five flow patterns—the monsoon shear line, monsoon confluence region, monsoon gyre, easterly wave, and Rossby wave energy dispersion associated with a preexisting TC. Further analyses show that the QBWO strongly modulates the synoptic-scale wave trains(SSWs) over the WNP, with larger amplitude SSWs during the QBWO's active phase. This implies a possible enhanced(weakened) relationship between TCG and SSWs during the active(inactive) phase. This study improves our understanding of the modulation of WNP TCG by the QBWO and thus helps with efforts to improve the intraseasonal prediction of WNP TCG.     

季风涡旋影响西北太平洋台风生成初步分析

西北太平洋对流层低层大尺度低频环流季风涡旋与台风生成有密切的关系。利用时间滤波方法将季风涡旋和台风环流从逐日台风风场中分离出来,对两次季风涡旋活动个例分析发现,气旋初始扰动都首先出现在季风涡旋中心东部,一次季风涡旋活动可以伴随着一个或几个热带气旋的生成。通过进一步分析2000—2009年季风涡旋活动与热带气旋的生成关系发现,虽然季风涡旋的定义与环流强度和持续时间有关,但是热带气旋的生成位置大多数分布在季风涡旋的中心和东部,这可能与季风涡旋的Rossby波能量频散有关。     

Intensified impact of northern tropical Atlantic SST on tropical cyclogenesis frequency over the western North Pacific after the late 1980s

Previous studies suggest that spring SST anomalies over the northern tropical Atlantic(NTA) affect the tropical cyclone(TC) activity over the western North Pacific(WNP) in the following summer and fall. The present study reveals that the connection between spring NTA SST and following summer–fall WNP TC genesis frequency is not stationary. The influence of spring NTA SST on following summer–fall WNP TC genesis frequency is weak and insignificant before, but strong and significant after, the late 1980 s. Before the late 1980 s, the NTA SST anomaly-induced SST anomalies in the tropical central Pacific are weak, and the response of atmospheric circulation over the WNP is not strong. As a result, the connection between spring NTA SST and following summer–fall WNP TC genesis frequency is insignificant in the former period. In contrast,after the late 1980 s, NTA SST anomalies induce pronounced tropical central Pacific SST anomalies through an Atlantic–Pacific teleconnection. Tropical central Pacific SST anomalies further induce favorable conditions for WNP TC genesis,including vertical motion, mid-level relative humidity, and vertical zonal wind shear. Hence, the connection between NTA SST and WNP TC genesis frequency is significant in the recent period. Further analysis shows that the interdecadal change in the connection between spring NTA SST and following summer–fall WNP TC genesis frequency may be related to the climatological SST change over the NTA region.     

Intraseasonal oscillation intensity over the western North Pacific:Projected changes under global warming

本文利用8个CMIP5模式的日资料,预估了RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下全球增温达1.5℃和2.0℃时西北太平洋夏季30～60天和10～20天季节内振荡(ISO)强度的变化情况.大多数模式都认为,无论增温水平或情景如何,预估结果均显示从中南半岛南部到菲律宾以东的带状区域内ISO强度增加,并且关键气象要素背景的变化会对...     

Decadal change in relationship between western North Pacific tropical cyclone frequency and the tropical Pacific SST

In this study, we examine the relationship between the number of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific and the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) during the main TC season (July–November) for the period of 1965–2006. Results show that there are periods when TC frequency and the tropical Pacific SST are well correlated and periods when the relationship breaks down. Therefore, decadal variation is readily apparent in the relationship between the TC frequency and the SST variations in the tropical Pacific. We further examine the oceanic and atmospheric states in the two periods (i.e., 1979–1989 vs. 1990–2000) when the marked contrast in the correlation between the TC frequency and the tropical Pacific SST is observed. Before 1990, the analysis indicates that oceanic conditions largely influenced anomalous TC frequency, whereas atmospheric conditions had little impact. After 1990, there the reverse appears to be the case, i.e., atmospheric conditions drive anomalous TC frequency and oceanic conditions are relatively unimportant. A role of atmosphere and ocean in relation to the TC development in the western North Pacific changes, which is consistent with the change of the correlations between the TC frequency and the tropical Pacific SST.     

西北太平洋近赤道热带气旋生成的特征分析

1979—2012年西北太平洋存在70个形成于0°～5°N的低纬度地区的热带气旋(TC),占TC总量的8%,其中达到台风等级的个数占64%。而针对此类缺少一定科氏力作用而形成的罕见TC生成的研究相对较少。本文利用JTWC的TC最佳观测资料、ERA-Interim再分析资料,以及NOAA-OISST海温资料,以西北太平洋近赤道TC为研究对象,统计诊断了其年际、年代际、季节分布特征,分析了其大尺度环境背景场,重点探讨了近赤道TC生成的影响因子。研究结果表明,近赤道TC具有明显的年际与年代际变化,并且近赤道TC具有与西北太平洋总TC恰好相反的季节变化。近赤道TC生成的大尺度环境背景场是东北冬季风与其在近赤道地区偏转形成的西北风之间的气旋性环流。对流层低层的绝对涡度动力项与对流层中层的湿度热量项是近赤道TC生成的主要贡献因子,并且相对于5°～10°N生成的TC,近赤道TC对对流层低层的正涡度与对流层中层的湿度条件的要求更高。     

Changes in extended boreal summer tropical cyclogenesis associated with large-scale flow patterns over the western North Pacific in response to the global warming hiatus

Climate Dynamics - This study examines extended boreal summer (May–October) tropical cyclogenesis events (TCGEs) associated with large-scale flow patterns (LFPs) over the western North...     

A western North Pacific tropical cyclone intensity prediction scheme

A western North Pacific tropical cyclone (TC) intensity prediction scheme (WIPS) is developed based on TC samples from 1996 to 2002 using the stepwise regression technique, with the western North Pacific divided into three sub-regions: the region near the coast of East China (ECR), the South China Sea region (SCR), and the far oceanic region (FOR). Only the TCs with maximum sustained surface wind speed greater than 17.2 m s⁻¹ are used in the scheme. Potential predictors include the climatology and persistence factors, synoptic environmental conditions, potential intensity of a TC and proximity of a TC to land. Variances explained by the selected predictors suggest that the potential intensity of a TC and the proximity of a TC to land are significant in almost all the forecast equations. Other important predictors include vertical wind shear in ECR, 500-hPa geopotential height anomaly at the TC center, zonal component of TC translation speed in SCR, intensity change of TC 12 or 24 h prior to initial time, and the longitude of TC center in FOR.     

季风低压对台风生成影响的观测分析

选取2007年和2009年发生的4个季风低压个例, 利用FNL资料和CMORPH卫星反演的降水资料, 采用多尺度环流分析法, 对西北太平洋季风环流的多尺度特征进行了分析, 研究季风低压对台风生成的可能影响。分析发现:季风低压生成于季风槽中, 其天气尺度波列的气旋性环流中。虽然以季风槽为特点的低频环流为台风生成提供大尺度气候条件, 但是季风低压通过进一步提供较大的正相对涡度, 可以有效减小Rossby变形半径, 促进热带低压中中尺度对流系统的相互作用和合并, 有利于台风的生成。     

西北太平洋热带气旋强度资料的对比

在获取关岛联合台风警报中心(JTWC)以及中国气象局《台风年鉴》和《热带气旋年鉴》自1949—2004年西北太平洋热带气旋强度(近中心最大风力)资料的基础上,着重比较了两者在时间变化上的差异,结果显示:热带风暴以上近56 a所有样本的平均风速前者小于后者0.81 m.s-1,而这一差异主要的贡献是强台风以上样本。两资料集最显著的特征是热带风暴以上年平均风速随时间变化的差异上,自1970s中期到1990s中期,两者的走势趋向呈相反的态势,前者呈上升趋势,后者呈下降趋势,特别是强台风以上样本表现更为突出。利用资料相对稳定性原则,对JTWC和《台风年鉴》资料进行校正,1990s以来JTWC估计的热带气旋强度可能偏大,1970s之前《台风年鉴》估计的数值也可能偏大。     

Decadal interactions between the western tropical Pacific and the North Atlantic Oscillation

The relationship between interdecadal variations of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) in the last 120 years and circulation anomalies related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is investigated in this study. Using an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM), we confirm observational evidence that variations in the SST gradient in the western tropical Pacific are related to the NAO anomalies on decadal timescale, and may be contributing to the shift towards the positive NAO phase observed in the late 20th century. The role played by the Indian Ocean-NAO teleconnection, advocated in recent studies focused on the last 50 years, is also assessed in the context of the 120-year long record. It is suggested that a positive feedback between the Pacific SST and the hemispheric circulation pattern embedding the decadal NAO signal may act to enhance the internal variability of the coupled ocean–atmosphere system, and justify the stronger teleconnection found in observational data than in SST-forced AGCM experiments.

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西北太平洋热带气旋潜在生成指数的改进

热带气旋潜在生成指数(GPI,Genesis Potential Index)是热带气旋生成可能性大小的空间分布函数,利用大尺度环境场可以应用于热带气旋活动的季节预报,并且可以评估全球气候变化对热带气旋活动的影响。但是目前的GPI基本都是针对全球热带气旋活动构建的,没有考虑到热带气旋不同活动地区及其内部的差异。本研究考虑到南海和西北太平洋热带气旋生成的不同特点,分别构建了适用于南海(5～25°N,100～120°E)和西北太平洋(5～40°N,120～180°E)的热带气旋GPI。改进后的GPI对南海和西北太平洋区域热带气旋生成具有较好的模拟能力,不仅能很好地模拟南海和西北太平洋热带气旋生成频数空间分布的气候特征(相似系数为0.67),而且能够较好地模拟热带气旋生成在年际时间尺度上的空间分布特征。     

Re-examination of tropical cyclone formation in monsoon troughs over the western North Pacific

The monsoon trough(MT) is one of the large-scale patterns favorable for tropical cyclone(TC) formation over the western North Pacific(WNP). This study re-examines TC formation by treating the MT as a large-scale background for TC activity during May–October. Over an 11-year(2000–10) period, 8.3 TC formation events on average per year are identified to occur within MTs, accounting for 43.1% of the total TC formation events in the WNP basin. This percentage is much lower than those reported in previous studies. Further analysis indicates that TC formation events in monsoon gyres were included at least in some previous studies. The MT includes a monsoon confluence zone where westerlies meet easterlies and a monsoon shear line where the trade easterlies lie north of the monsoon westerlies. In this study, the large-scale flow pattern associated with TC formation in the MT is composited based on the reference point in the confluence zone where both the zonal and meridional wind components are zero with positive vorticity. While previous studies have found that many TCs form in the confluence zone, the composite analysis indicates that nearly all of the TCs formed in the shear region, since the shear region is associated with stronger low-level relative vorticity than the confluence zone. The prevailing easterly vertical shear of zonal wind and barotropic instability may also be conducive to TC formation in the shear region, through the development of synoptic-scale tropical disturbances in the MT that are necessary for TC formation.     

AIRS-observed warm core structures of tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific

Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) temperature profiles during the period 2003–2013 are used to examine the warm core structures and evolution characteristics associated with the formation and development of western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclones (TCs). The warm core with a steady 1.5-K warming in the layer of 500–300 hPa occurs 24 h prior to tropical storm formation. Apparent eye warming extends upward to upper troposphere and downward to near surface after tropical storm formation. TC intensity shows a robust positive correlation with the warm core strength and has a weaker but still significant positive correlation with the warm core height (the weaker correlation is primarily attributed to the scattered warm core heights of weak TCs). Future 24-h intensity change of TCs has little correlation with the warm core height while it has a significant negative correlation with the warm core strength. Weak to moderate warm core at 500–200 hPa may be a necessary but not sufficient initial condition for TC rapid intensification. AIRS-observed warm core structures, in combination with other environmental factors, have the potential to improve the prediction of tropical storm formation and rapid intensification of WNP TCs.     

Asymmetric distribution of convection in tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific Ocean

Forecasts of the intensity and quantitative precipitation of tropical cyclones(TCs) are generally inaccurate, because the strength and structure of a TC show a complicated spatiotemporal pattern and are affected by various factors. Among these, asymmetric convection plays an important role. This study investigates the asymmetric distribution of convection in TCs over the western North Pacific during the period 2005–2012, based on data obtained from the Feng Yun 2(FY2)geostationary satellite. The asymmetric distributions of the incidence, intensity and morphology of convections are analyzed.Results show that the PDFs of the convection occurrence curve to the azimuth are sinusoidal. The rear-left quadrant relative to TC motion shows the highest occurrence rate of convection, while the front-right quadrant has the lowest. In terms of intensity, weak convections are favored in the front-left of a TC at large distances, whereas strong convections are more likely to appear to the rear-right of a TC within a 300 km range. More than 70% of all MCSs examined here are elongated systems, and meso-β enlongated convective systems(MβECSs) are the most dominant type observed in the outer region of a TC. Smaller MCSs tend to be more concentrated near the center of a TC. While semi-circular MCSs [MβCCSs, MCCs(mesoscale convective complexes)] show a high incidence rate to the rear of a TC, elongated MCSs [MβECSs, PECSs(persistent elongated convective systems)] are more likely to appear in the rear-right quadrant of a TC within a range of 400 km.     

南海与西北太平洋地区夏季热带气旋潜在生成指数的改进

现阶段使用的热带气旋潜在生成指数(Genesis Potential Index,GPI)在气候场的空间分布上能很好地拟合热带气旋的生成情况,但在热带气旋的年际变化拟合上效果很差。本研究考虑了相对涡度在热带气旋年际变化拟合上的重要作用,并以此为出发点,尝试改善GPI在西北太平洋地区的拟合效果。基于对1979—2011年美国联合飓风警报中心提供的热带气旋最佳路径数据和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料数据集的研究,将之前GPI中的绝对涡度项替换为修正过的相对涡度项。科氏力项仍然保留;将南海(100°～120°E,5°～25°N)与西北太平洋地区(120°～180°E,5°～40°N)热带气旋生成的差异性也纳入了考量,并在这两个区域分别构建GPI公式,改善了对热带气旋生成的气候分布模拟。除此之外,较之已存的GPI指数,改进后的GPI还很大程度提高了GPI对热带气旋生成年际变化的拟合效果,特别是对弱热带气旋年际变化的拟合效果有了显著提升。     

The role of wave energy accumulation in tropical cyclogenesis over the tropical North Atlantic

A hierarchical modeling approach is used to study the process by which interactions of easterly waves with the background flow can result in a reduction in the longitudinal and vertical scale of the waves. Theory suggests that in flows that possess a negative longitudinal gradient (U _x  < 0) there is a reduction of longitudinal and vertical group speeds and an increase in regional wave action density (or “wave energy”). Relative vorticity increases locally leading to an increase in the likelihood of tropical cyclogenesis near the wave axis. Opposite impacts on the structure of the waves is expected in a U _x  > 0 domain. In the simplified framework of a free-surface and divergent shallow water model, Rossby wave properties are tracked through a range of background flow scenarios to determine the important scales of interaction. The importance of wave energy accumulation for tropical cyclogenesis is then studied in a full physics and dynamics model using a nested regional climate model simulation, at 12 km horizontal grid spacing, over the tropical North Atlantic region for the entire 2005 hurricane season. The dynamical environment within which 70% of easterly waves formed tropical cyclones exhibits coherent regions in which easterly winds increase towards the east, consistent with the occurrence of wave energy accumulation.