On the vertical structure of Mediterranean explosive cyclones

An attempt is made to explore the vertical structure of the surface explosive cyclones in the Mediterranean on a climatological basis during the cold period of the year in order to get a better insight in the interaction between the upper and lower levels responsible for the genesis and evolvement of the phenomenon. The vertical profile of the explosive cyclones was examined with the aid of the vertical tracing software of the University of Melbourne Cyclone Tracking Algorithm, using the 1?×?1° spatial resolution of ERA-40 reanalysis data. It was found that about 57?% of the track steps of surface explosive cyclones extend up to 500?hPa. The north-westward tilting of the surface cyclones with height during the stage of explosive cyclogenesis, with a mean distance of 350?km between mean sea and 500?hPa levels, confirms the importance of baroclinicity. About 45?% of the surface explosive cyclones reached their maximum depth before their 500?hPa counterparts, implying the role of surface processes.     

Climatic characteristics of Mediterranean cyclones

Based on the data for the period of 1948?C2004 using the objective methods of automatic identification of cyclones, the main areas of Mediterranean cyclogenesis are revealed, the main regularities of their trajectories are described, and the peculiarities of interseasonal variability of characteristics of the genesis and movement of Mediterranean cyclones are determined. Special attention is paid to the cyclones coming to the European part of Russia and to the territory of CIS countries, i.e., to so-called southern cyclones. The areas of genesis and trajectories of southern cyclones are classified. A trend of the total number of Mediterranean cyclones and of the number of southern cyclones is analyzed and their synchronous relationships with the low-frequency variability of atmospheric circulation are estimated using the indices of major teleconnection systems. It is demonstrated that the significant feedbacks exist between the number of southern cyclones and the NAO and EA2 teleconnection indices, as well as the index of North Asian system.     

On the vertical structure of composite surface cyclones in the Mediterranean region

Summary The average pressure distribution at mean sea level and the vertical structure of synoptic scale surface cyclones (with central pressure less than 1000 hPa) that occur in the Mediterranean region is studied for a 40 year period (1958–1997) on a seasonal and daily basis. The cyclonic occurrences are studied in three regions of enhanced cyclonic activity: gulf of Genoa, Southern Italy and Cyprus. The cyclones are identified with the aid of an objective method based on grid point values, available every 6 hours. The analysis revealed different characteristics of the cyclones that occur in the three regions, reflecting the different mechanisms that are responsible for their occurrence in each region. For the Genoa region the cyclone pressure minimum is located over the gulf, associated with orographic forcing, while surface dynamics occur further south. Over Southern Italy, the pressure minimum covers a wide area, whilst the surface dynamics are found to act in the same region, becoming more important in winter and spring. The pressure minimum of cyclones over Cyprus is located over the land during winter and spring and is influenced by surface dynamics and orography. Received November 7, 2000 Revised July 14, 2001     

Mediterranean warm-core cyclones in a warmer world

Regional climate model projections over the Mediterranean region are analysed for the presence of intense, warm-core lows that share some of the characteristics of tropical cyclones. The results indicate that the number of such systems decreases in a warmer world, particularly in winter. Comparison of the simulated numbers to changes in relevant climate diagnostics suggests that numbers decrease due to an increasingly hostile environment for storm formation, combined with a general poleward shift in the incidence of wintertime lows over western Europe.     

Analysis of conveyor belts in winter Mediterranean cyclones

The relevance of the midlatitude conveyor belt model to Mediterranean cyclones (MCs) is examined using data from two winters. Eight MCs, which exhibit typical midlatitude cyclone structure, were scrutinized and their conveyor belts were examined. The analysis was based on satellite imagery, isentropic wind maps, vertical cross-sections of potential and equivalent potential temperatures, and air back-trajectories. The conveyor belts found in the studied MCs were similar to the common features of midlatitude cyclones, except for three aspects. First, the warm conveyor belt was not associated with massive organized cloudiness in five of the eight cyclones since it consisted of dry air originated from the Saharan desert. Second, the anticyclonic branch of the cold conveyor belt was not found in half of the MCs. Third, the dry air intrusion originated north of the cyclone and extended southward around it, unlike its common midlatitudinal northwest–southeast orientation. This is consistent with the relatively small baroclinic vertical-westward tilt of the cyclones analyzed.     

热带气旋螺旋云带动力不稳定的性质

热带气旋螺旋云带的不对称特征,在热带气旋的路径和强度变化中起着重要作用,对其动力性质的研究是整个热带气旋研究中的重要组成部分.文中分别对一个正压无辐散涡旋模型和正压原始方程涡旋模型进行线性化,采用标准模方法计算扰动的谱点和谱函数,研究扰动在基本流场中的不稳定问题,从而讨论了热带气旋中螺旋云带动力不稳定的性质.将一指定的基流廓线代入这两个模型,均会出现不稳定扰动.前者的流动为涡旋运动,仅在不稳定扰动的两个峰值之间可以看出螺旋状的结构特征,在距涡旋中心140 km的外围,不稳定扰动沿径向没有波动分布,没有螺旋云带状结构.此处相应于涡旋Rossby波的停滞半径(stagnation radius),在此半径之内出现的螺旋结构称为内螺旋云带,而在此半径之外出现的螺旋云带称为外螺旋云带.也就是说前者仅出现了眼壁(最大风速半径之内的最大扰动中心)、内螺旋云带,而后者则出现了眼壁、内螺旋云带和外螺旋云带.这说明滤去重力惯性波的正压无辐散涡旋模型(前者)只适合于解释热带气旋不稳定内螺旋云带的形成和结构,当综合考虑不稳定内、外螺旋云带的形成时,水平辐合、辐散的作用不能忽略,此时必须要用正压涡旋模型(后者).在该模型中因最不稳定扰动随涡旋半径的不同,其分别体现了涡旋Rossby波和重力惯性波的特点,故其是不稳定的涡旋Rossby-重力惯性混合波,其不稳定的性质是非平衡的.由此可知,要同时解释内、外螺旋云带的生成和结构,则非平衡的涡旋Rossby-重力惯性混合波不稳定理论应是更合适的选择.     

Assessing characteristics of Mediterranean explosive cyclones for different data resolution

A comparison of two objective climatologies of explosive cyclones in the Mediterranean region is performed. The results are derived from two different mean sea-level pressure reanalysis data resolutions, but from the same assimilation model, in order to quantify the pure impact of higher resolution on the identification and characteristics of explosive cyclones, when the assimilation model is the same. The explosive cyclones were identified with the aid of the Melbourne University automatic cyclone finding and tracking scheme over a 40-year period, using the 6-hourly analyses of ERA-40 mean sea-level pressure (MSLP) on: (a) 2.5?×?2.5 and (b) 1?×?1 latitude–longitude grid. The comparison of the two datasets revealed the significant role of the increase in spatial resolution of MSLP data on the identification and tracking process, and the number of the explosive cyclones in the high-resolution dataset is almost four times greater than the respective one in the lower resolution dataset. However, the comparison of explosive cyclone characteristics, including spatial and temporal variations of explosive deepening, revealed differences in the geographical distribution of the location of the maximum explosive deepening and average explosive cyclone Laplacian of the central pressure. These differences are due to the identification in the higher resolution set of smaller scale and secondary explosives along the strongly baroclinic northern Mediterranean boundaries, south of the Alps and the Pyrenees. Explosive deepening appears a bias to the daytime period from 12 to 18 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for both datasets, which is more prominent in the LR dataset. Statistically significant difference of pressure tendency between the two datasets appear for the daytime period from 06 to 12 UTC, accounting for better representation of orographic forcing in the HR dataset.     

陆地上爆发性温带气旋的暖锋后弯结构分析

尽管关于温带气旋发展和演变的观点不尽相同,但目前普遍被接受的两种模型是：挪威气旋模型、Shapiro和Keyser模型。以FY-2E卫星云图为基础,先给出8个温带气旋过程实例,然后结合常规高空、地面观测及NCEP的1°×1°再分析场等资料,通过个例分析,对暖锋后弯气旋发生发展的环流背景、结构及成因进行分析。结果表明：(1)卫星云图显示东亚陆地上温带气旋存在T-bone结构和暖锋后弯的事实。(2)温带气旋发生在500 hPa东亚大陆中高纬两脊一槽的背景下,槽加深及下游脊的发展有利于气旋的发展,与经典温带气旋发生发展的环流背景类似。(3) 2012年5月11—13日个例分析表明蒙古气旋中存在锋面波动、锋面断裂、T-bone结构和暖锋后弯、暖核被隔离现象;暖核可从地面向上伸展到600 hPa。(4)在地面气旋初生和发展阶段,地面气旋中心西侧高低层正相对涡度区呈后倾结构;当高低层正涡度区几乎垂直重合时,地面气旋停止发展;气旋中心西侧对流层中低层的锋区一直存在。(5)当高低层涡度平流差值为正、300 hPa正涡度平流引起的辐散叠加到对流层中低层锋区之上,地面气旋才会生成和发展。逐渐增强的暖平流从气旋中心的东部和北部向气旋的西部和西南部输送,从而形成了卫星云图上的T-bone结构和暖锋后弯现象。

     

On the synoptics and dynamics of orographically induced cyclones in the Mediterranean

Summary In the first part of the present paper all cases of orographically induced cyclogeneses in the Western Mediterranean (40 cases) during the whole 13 months of the ALPEX Observing Period (AOP: 1 September 1981–30 September 1982) are investigated statistically to find similarities between them. It can be shown that essentially there exist two different types of such cyclogeneses: the Vorderseiten-type (southwesterly upper-level flow) and the Überströmungs-type (northwesterly upper-level flow). Both types are accompanied by low level blocking of cold air by the Alps. The second part of the paper is concerned with the understanding of the explosive development of an orographically induced cyclone in the Western Mediterranean by means of vorticity dynamics on isentropic surfaces. Budget equations for the shear and curvature vorticity allow us to find out the reasons for the increase of curvature vorticity, locally as well as individually. Such growth rates are caused by corresponding convergences and by transformation from shear into curvature vorticity, respectively. Case studies of some ALPEX-SOP cyclogeneses illustrate the vorticity-dynamical considerations.

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Zur Synoptik und Dynamik orographisch induzierter Zyklogenesen im Mittelmeerraum

Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Studie werden zunächst alle orographisch induzierten Zyklogenesen im westlichen Mittelmeerraum (40 Fälle) während der gesamten 13 monatigen ALPEX-Beobachtungsperiode (AOP: 1. September 1981–30. September 1982) einer statistischen Untersuchung unterzogen, um Gemeinsamkeiten herauszufinden. Dabei zeigte es sich, daß im wesentlichen zwei Typen von derartigen Zyklogenesen auftreten: der Vorderseiten-Typus und der Überströmungs-Typus. In beiden Fällen kommt es dabei in den unteren Luftschichten zur Blockierung der Kaltluft durch die Alpen. Im weiteren wird dann die vielfach explosionsartige Entwicklung der orographisch induzierten Zyklogenese im westlichen Mittelmeer mit Hilfe der Vorticitydynamik auf isentropen Flächen zu verstehen versucht. Die Aufspaltung der Bilanzgleichung für die Vorticity in eine Bilanzgleichung für die Scherungs- und in eine Bilanzgleichung für die Krümmungsvorticity, erlaubt das genaue Wachstumsstudium der Krümmungsvorticity sowohl lokal als auch individuell. Derartige Wachstumsraten kommen durch entsprechende Konvergenzen bzw. durch die Umwandlung von Scherungs- in Krümmungsvorticity zustande Mehrere Fallstudien von ALPEX-SOP veranschaulichen diese wirbeldynamischen Überlegungen.

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Analyzing the genesis, intensity, and tracks of western Mediterranean cyclones

Midlatitude cyclones are analyzed on a selected region covering most of southern Europe and the western part of the Mediterranean Sea (35–50°N, 10°W–25°E). On the basis of mean sea level pressure fields of the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast) Reanalysis Dataset (ERA-40), detailed evaluation of Mediterranean cyclones is accomplished for the period between 1957 and 2002 on a 1° horizontal resolution grid. Cyclone centers are identified and their paths are tracked with a 6-h time step (using 00 UTC, 06 UTC, 12 UTC, and 18 UTC). Decadal, annual, and seasonal statistical analysis of cyclone tracks includes the study of the genesis, frequency, and activity of the Mediterranean cyclones as well as the variability of cyclone tracks. The results suggest that the cyclone frequency in the western Mediterranean region increased in summer and autumn, and decreased in winter and spring. A special belt-shaped area is identified, which plays a special role in cyclogenesis, and also, the cyclone tracks often remain within this belt. An overall decreasing trend is detected in winter and spring in the entire Mediterranean belt, while cyclone frequency increased in autumn. The largest positive and negative trend coefficients are identified in summer.     

The formation of tropical cyclones

Summary This paper attempts a synthesis of new observations and new concepts on how tropical cyclone formation occurs. Despite many worthy observational and numerical modeling studies in recent decades, our understanding of the detailed physical processes associated with the early stages of tropical cyclone formation is still inadequate; operational forecast skill is not very high. Although theoretical ideas cover a wide range of possibilities, results of new observations are helping us to narrow our search into more specific and relevant topic areas.With 33 FiguresPrologueThis paper is dedicated to Professor Herbert Riehl under whom I studied tropical meteorology at the University of Chicago from 1957–1961 and was later associated with at Colorado State University (CSU). Professor Riehl arranged my first aircraft flights into hurricanes in the late 1950s and gave great encouragment to me to explore the secrets of what causes a tropical disturbance to be transformed into a tropical storm.Herbert would persist in asking me nearly every week or so what causes a hurricane to form? I and my graduate students and research colleagues at CSU have been working to uncover the secrets of tropical cyclone formation ever since. The following article gives my current best estimate of the primary physical processes involved with this topic.     

Mesoscale structure of tropical cyclones in the surface wind field

The mesoscale structure of tropical cyclones in the northwest Pacific in 2002–2007 at different stages of evolution (from the genesis to the maximum intensity) is studied using the QuikSCAT satellite data and JRA-25 reanalysis data. It is demonstrated that the genesis of the tropical cyclone was preceded by the formation of the stable disturbance that was observed in the vorticity field on the average 47 hours before the first report. The variability is noted of the mesoscale structure of the cyclone during the process of its formation and evolution: the increase in the intensity of mesovortices, the decrease in their number as a result of the merging, the narrowing of the area occupied by them, and localization of this area near the center at the stage of maximum development. It is shown that the relationship between the mean intensity of mesovortices at the initial disturbance and the tropical cyclone intensity is close to linear and has high correlation coefficients.     

On the bogusing of tropical cyclones in numerical models: The influence of vertical structure

Summary In this study, idealised conditions are used to study the influence of vertical structure of the bogus vortex on its motion in numerical models by comparing the resultant forecast tracks. Two vortices were used: one has a cyclonic circulation throughout the troposphere and the other has an upper tropospheric anticyclone. Both vortices have the same structure in the middle and lower troposphere. The two vortices were inserted into four different environmental flows on a beta-plane: (a) a resting atmosphere; (b) a uniform flow; (c) a horozontal shear flow and (d) a vertical shear flow. The results show that the forecast tracks are very sensitive to the vertical structure of the bogus vortex, especially when the environmental flow is very weak, or is westerly and has a cyclonic horizontal shear. However, this sensitivity is reduced in moderate vertical shear. This motion sensitivity is found to arise from the vertical coupling mechanism by which the upper-and lower-level circulations interact with each other when a horizontal displacement occurs between them.The vertical structure of the bogus vortex can also affect the intensity of the model cyclone, depending on the configuration of the environmental flow. In general, the bogus vortex without an upper-level anticyclone will intensify quicker and will develop more intense than the one with an upper-level anticyclone. The vertical coupling mechanism can result in different asymmetric rainfall pattern in cyclone core region depending on the vertical structure of the bogus vortex. The asymmetric divergent flow associated with these convective asymmetries may in turn further influence the vortex motion. It is suggested that care needs to be taken in determining the vertical structure of the bogus vortex in numerical models.With 14 Figures     

The motion of binary tropical cyclones

Summary When two tropical cyclones are present simultaneously in the same region they show as a rule a counterclockwise rotation around each other. A theoretical explanation of this motion is given. The theory permits the computation of the rate of rotation. A discussion of nine examples with sufficiently reliable and complete observational data gives a satisfactory agreement between theoretical and observed rates of rotation.

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Zusammenfassung Es ist häufig beobachtet worden, daß zwei tropische Zyklonen sich entgegen dem Uhrzeigersinne umeinander bewegen. Eine theoretische Erklärung dieser Bewegung kann gegeben werden auf Grund der Annahme, daß sich jedes Zyklonenzentrum unter dem Einfluß des Windfeldes der anderen Zyklone bewegt; auf Grund dieser Theorie läßt sich die Rotationsgeschwindigkeit des Zyklonenpaares berechnen. An Hand von neun Fällen mit genügend zuverlässigem und vollständigem Beobachtungsmaterial wird gezeigt, daß gute Übereinstimmung zwischen Theorie und Beobachtung besteht.

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Résumé On a souvent observé que deux cyclones tropicaux se meuvent l'un par rapport à l'autre dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre. On peut expliquer le fait en admettant que chaque centre cyclonique se déplace sous l'influence du champ de vent de l'autre. Grâce à cette hypothèse on peut calculer la vitesse de rotation de la paire de cyclones. Neuf exemples richement documentés montrent un bon accord entre la théorie et l'observation.

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With 3 Figures.     

Modeling the evolution of the family of Mediterranean cyclones using the regional model of the atmosphere

Due to the complex orography and the presence of the moisture-saturated air, the Mediterranean region is characterized by the increased baroclinic and convective instability, that leads to the sudden cyclogenesis and the formation of dangerous weather phenomena. The results are given of the investigation of formation mechanisms of Mediterranean cyclones, peculiarities of stages of their evolution and dynamical processes, which occur throughout the atmosphere, using the regional numerical ETA model of the atmosphere by the example of individual cases of the cyclogenesis over the Mediterranean Sea. It is revealed that the cold Arctic air outbreak (the intrusion of the cold Arctic air) to the south of the Western Europe, leading to the formation of the areas of the baroclinic instability and the increased moisture content of the air in the area of the vortex origin, favors the cyclogenesis. The use of the vertical coordinate η in the model enabled to compute more precisely the vertical wind speed, therefore, the influence of the orography on the moisture content and precipitation increase became pronounced. The transformation of the structure of meteorological fields in the course of the development of vortexes is considered. The computation of the helicity is made, and it is shown that this characteristic can be one of the earliest predictors of cyclogenesis.     

The Dynamical Characteristics and Wave Structure of Typhoon Rananim （2004）

Typhoon Rananim (2004) was one of the severest typhoons landfalling the Chinese mainland from 1996 to 2004. It brought serious damage and induced prodigious economical loss. Using a new generation of mesoscale model, named the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system, with 1.667 km grid horizontal spacing on the finest nested mesh, Rananim was successfully simulated in terms of track, intensity, eye, eyewall, and spiral rainbands. We compared the structures of Rananim to those of hurricanes in previous studies and observations to assess the validity of simulation. The three-dimensional (3D) dynamic and thermal structures of eye and eyewall were studied based on the simulated results. The focus was investigation of the characteristics of the vortex Rossby waves in the inner-core region. We found that the Rossby vortex waves propagate azimuthally upwind against the azimuthal mean tangential flow around the eyewall, and their period was longer than that of an air parcel moving within the azimuthal mean tangential flow. They also propagated outward against the boundary layer inflow of the azimuthal mean vortex. Futhermore, we studied the connection between the spiral potential vorticity (PV) bands and spiral rainbands, and found that the vortex Rossby waves played an important role in the formation process of spiral rainbands.     

特大暴风雪动力结构的雷达探测研究

利用牡丹江多普勒天气雷达观测资料对2007年3月4—5日黑龙江省东部地区一次罕见特大暴风雪的雷达回波动力结构特征进行分析。结果表明：高低空急流、风切变、冷暖平流在特大暴风雪过程中特征明显;偏南气流和冷性的东北气流构成的中尺度辐合切变线和西南急流的位置变化对降雪天气的演变过程有重要指示意义;雷达回波反射率因子在15～27dBZ之间,回波面积广,顶高在6km左右,冷暖平流明显,径向速度大,出现＂牛眼＂、速度模糊等现象,可作为暴风雪临近预报的着眼点     

ENSO与西北太平洋强TC相关关系年代际变化研究

利用美国联合台风警报中心(Joint Typhoon Warning Center,JTWC),中国气象局(China Meteorological Administration,CMA)上海台风所,日本气象厅(Japan Meteorological Agency,JMA)的台风最佳路径资料以及美国NCAR/NCEP再分析资料等,深入研究厄尔尼诺—南方涛动(El Ni1o-Southern Oscillation,ENSO)与西北太平洋强热带气旋(Tropical Cyclone,TC),即1 min最大风速大于等于114 kn相关关系的变化。结果表明,ENSO与热带西北太平洋(Western North Pacific,WNP)强TC频数之间的相关关系存在明显年代际变化。在1960—1971年期间(前一阶段),强TC年频数与Ni1o3. 4(11月—次年1月平均)相关性较弱;而在1983—2014年期间(后一阶段)两者的相关性则为强的正相关。并且强TC的年频数、生命史以及生成位置在后一阶段El Ni1o和La Ni1a年之间的差异相比前一阶段都有明显的增大。进一步分析发现:热带太平洋海温异常(Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly,SSTA)的西移是造成后一阶段Ni1o3. 4指数与强TC年频数相关性提高的关键因素。在后一阶段的El Ni1o(La Ni1a)年,SSTA的西移使得WNP东南象限的相对湿度明显增加(减少),从而有利于(不利于) TC在此象限生成。又因为位于东南象限的TC比较容易发展成强TC,因此导致后一阶段的El Ni1o(La Ni1a)年有更多(更少)的强TC在西北太平洋的东南象限生成。