CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF GRAPES SIMULATIONS OF EXTREME PRECIPITATION IN THE WARM SECTOR OVER A COMPLEX OROGRAPHY

A comprehensive observational study on a warm sector torrential rain (WSTR) on 20 May 2016 over south China is presented with a pioneering examination of simulation capabilities based on the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System for Tropical Mesoscale Model (GRAPES_TMM). The results show that the meso-scale convective boundary formed between north wind from mountainous areas and the south wind from plain regions as well as the cold outflows boundary both contribute to the convections over Xinyi, and the convections were blocked and stayed stagnant in the trumpet-shaped topography for about 8 hours which eventually caused the torrential rains. Comparative verifications of the observational studies by simulations showed that GRAPES_TMM had better estimations of large-scale frontal precipitation than the local warm-sector torrential rains. The simulations of local torrential rains in the warm sector showed strong biases in precipitation location and amount. GRAPES_TMM also showed overestimated surface winds and a faster moving speed bias, as well as an overall underestimation of the nocturnal surface temperature during the WSTR. This work may lead to several prospective researches of its model improvements on model physics such as land surface process and PBL parameterization.     

AN OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS OF A TORRENTIAL RAINSTORM IN THE WARM SECTOR OF SOUTH CHINA COASTAL AREAS

On May 20 th 2007, a brief but severe downpour rainstorm occurred in the coastal areas of Maoming and Yangjiang with rainfall of 115 mm per hour. Data from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis with 1°×1° resolution, Doppler weather radar, conventional surface observations, high-altitude radiosonde and wind profiler radar were used to analyze characteristics and contributions of synoptic scale and mesoscale systems during this torrential rainstorm. The results showed that:(1) the storm was caused by a quasi-linear mesoscale convective system(MCS) and the slow-movement of this system was the primary trigger of the torrential downpour;(2) water vapor was abundant, nearly saturated and in steady state throughout the atmosphere before the storm; intrusion of the weak dry and cold air in the middle level and a striking "dry above and wet below " structure had increased the atmospheric instability;(3) low-level southwesterly airflow from a low pressure(trough) at the Beibu Gulf provided abundant water vapor at the onset of the rainstorm; a deep dry layer was formed by dry and cold air behind the high-level trough, which facilitated latent heat release;upper-level divergence and low-level convergence circulations also provided vertical uplift for warm and moist air at the lower level;(4) Topography only played a minor role as the MCS developed and strengthened over relatively flat coastal terrain. Low level density flow induced by convection triggered new convective cell generation at the leading edge of the convective system, thereby playing a key role in the change of temperature gradient at lower layers, and resulting in strengthening atmospheric instability.     

THE INFLUENCE OF CLOUD PARAMETERIZATION ADJUSTMENT USING REFLECTIVITY OF DOPPLER ON NOWCASTING WITH GRAPES MODEL

In this study, we attempted to improve the nowcasting of GRAPES model by adjusting the model initial field through modifying the cloud water, rain water and vapor as well as revising vapor-following rain water. The results show that the model nowcasting is improved when only the cloud water and rain water are adjusted or all of the cloud water, rain water and vapor are adjusted in the initial field. The forecasting of the former （latter） approach during 0-3 （0-6） hours is significantly improved. Furthermore, for the forecast for 0-3 hours, the latter approach is better than the former. Compared with the forecasting results for which the vapor of the model initial field is adjusted by the background vapor with those by the revised vapor, the nowcasting of the revised vapor is much better than that of background vapor. Analysis of the reasons indicated that when the vapor is adjusted in the model initial field, especially when the saturated vapor is considered, the forecasting of the vapor field is significantly affected. The changed vapor field influences the circulation, which in turn improves the model forecasting of radar reflectivity and rainfall.     

Nudging地面加密观测改进数值模式对城市效应及其触发对流的模拟:一次夜间个例试验

城市(热力、动力、人类活动等)效应对城市及周边地区强降水有着重要的影响。由于涉及到多方面因素,在数值模式中合理描述城市效应仍然存在许多困难。采用Nudging地面加密观测间接引入城市效应(Nudg)和使用城市冠层模式直接引入城市效应(Urba)两种方式模拟了2017年5月7日发生在广东广州的一次极端降水过程。结果表明Nudging地面加密观测能够有效地在数值模式中引入城市效应,从而合理地再现出城市热岛及其触发的对流和强降水的时空演变,而使用城市冠层模式未能够模拟出城市热岛及其触发的对流和降水。具体而言,Nudg能够维持城市的热岛,在城市热岛的下风方最先触发了对流,对流快速发展并稳定维持,从而在广州城市下风(西北)方形成了强降水。然而,Urba试验中城市热岛迅速减弱消亡,从而未能在城市下风方触发出对流,导致降水模拟的失败;尽管后期在城市下风方边缘及北部山区有零星的雷达回波,但均未能够发展形成组织化的对流单体或系统。对本次强降水事件对流的触发而言,城市热岛的加热作用较城市的摩擦辐合更重要。提出的Nudging地面加密观测间接地引入城市效应的方法可用于与城市下垫面相关的各类天气事件的模拟研究。      

A STUDY ON THE PREDICT ABILITY OF GRAPES MODEL OVER SOUTH CHINA: COMPARISONS BY TWO INITIALIZATION CONDITIONS BETWEEN ECMWF AND NCEP

This paper aims to assess the performances of different model initialization conditions (ICs) and lateral boundary conditions between two global models (GMs), i.e., the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), on the accuracy of the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES) forecasts for south China. A total of 3-month simulations during the rainy season were examined and a specific case of torrential rain over Guangdong Province was verified. Both ICs exhibited cold biases over south China, as well as a strong dry bias over the Pearl River Delta (PRD). In particular, the ICs from ECMWF had a stronger cold bias over the PRD region but with a more detailed structure than NCEP. In general, the NCEP provided a realistic surface temperature compared to the ECMWF over south China. Moreover, GRAPES initialized by the NCEP had better simulations of both location and intensity of precipitation than by ECMWF. The results presented in this paper could be used as a general guideline to the operational numerical weather prediction that use regional models driven by the GMs.     

THE FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF WARM AND COLD EPISODES IN THE NI?O REGIONS

1 INTRODUCTION The ocean is a very important source of heat and water vapor for the atmosphere. Its changes in state are mainly reflected by SST, which varies in high frequency (or called the ENSO variability) and low frequency (or known as interdecadal variability). Studies[1] have shown that the spatial structure for low frequency is much similar to that for high frequency, which is also known as ENSO-like mode. Called “teleconnection”, the anomalous link between the El Ni?o phen…     

THE FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF WARM AND COLD EPISODES IN THE NI(N)O REGIONS

On the basis of NOAA/CPC data of sea surface temperature anomaly in the Nino regions during Jan. 1950 - Dec. 2003, the wavelet power spectrum of SST were studied with significance and confidence testing at different scales in this paper. It shows that the SST are provided with multi-time scales structure nested one another, and vary on scales of 2 - 7 years, 8 - 20 years and ＞30 years. The most significant variation of the warm and cold episodes is in the 4-year band of period. The power, frequency structure and confidence of the same episode are different in different Nino regions. The intensity of oscillations is increasing at low frequency bands and decreasing at high frequency bands from east to west in the Nino regions, especially after 1970.     

热带气旋对1975-2018年暖季中国极端降水气候态、变化趋势及其与温度关系的影响研究

全球变暖背景下我国极端小时降水和极端日降水(EXHP、EXDP)气候态及变化趋势的区域差异明显,其中热带气旋(TC)的影响尚不明确。利用1975─2018年暖季台站小时降水(P)和热带气旋最佳路径等资料,采用百分位法定义极端小时降水与极端日降水,并将总降水(All)客观分为热带气旋降水与非热带气旋(nonTC)降水,分析热带气旋对中国东部All-P、All-EXHP、All-EXDP的气候态和变化趋势以及极端小时降水随温度变化的影响。主要结论如下：(1) TC-P、TC-EXDP、TC-EXHP占其对应总降水之比均从东南和华南沿海向西北内陆递减,区域平均而言,TC-P占All-P之比与TC-EXHP占All-EXHP之比均约为11%,而TC-EXDP占AllEXDP之比为15.8%;(2)热带气旋和非热带气旋降水变化趋势的空间分布差别较大,热带气旋对长江流域东部总降水增多的贡献高达49%,并一定程度上改变了降水趋势的空间分布;(3) TC-EXHP强度与温度的关系在约21℃发生改变,且截然不同于nonTC-EXHP,华南、东南沿海TC-EXHP强度随温度的变化率明显低于nonTCEXH...     

Niño海区冷暖事件的小波功率谱分析

根据NOAA/CPC发布的1950．1-2003-12期间Nino海区的SSTA资料，采用小波变换方法分析了SST变化的多时间尺度结构及其强度变化。结果表明，Nino各海区的SSTA序列表现出多层次相互嵌套的时频结构，经检验存在着2～7a、8-20a和30a以上尺度的变化周期；10a以上和1a以下时间尺度的周期信号能量较弱。显著性变化周期的能量主要集中在2～7a的周期振荡上；同一事件在不同海区的频率结构也不完全相同，冷暖事件的振荡能量和显著性水平从东向西有低频增大而高频减弱的变化趋势，时域中1970年以后尤为明显。     

NUMERICAL EXPERIMENT OF IMPACT OF SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA AND WARM POOL/WEST PACIFIC ON EAST ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON

By using the NCAR CCM1 model, we have designed six sensitive experiments, which areincreased and decreased SST (sea surface temperature) by 1℃ each in the SCS (South China Sea)and in the West Pacific warm pool, increased and decreased SST by 1℃ in the warm pool withincreased SST by 1℃ in the SCS. All experiments are integrated from April to July. Comparingwith the control experiment, we have analyzed the anomalies of the wind field at the upper andlower layers, the anomalies of the seasonal variability of the monsoon and precipitation for eachexperiment. In the result, we have found that the SST anomaly (SSTA) in the SCS greatly affectsthe seasonal variability of the SCS monsoon and precipitation in China, especially during the coldperiod of SST in the SCS. The impact of SSTA in the warm pool on SCS monsoon is also found.but is weak as compared to the effect of SST anomaly in the SCS. Besides, its impact on rainfall inChina is uncertain.     

AN EVALUATION OF SEVERAL TURBULENCE SCHEMES FOR THE PREDICTION OF MEAN AND TURBULENT FIELDS IN COMPLEX TERRAIN

A prognostic three-dimensional mesoscale model has been developed andused in one- and two-dimensional modes to evaluate ten local turbulenceclosure schemes. The schemes ranged from first-order to the two-equationprognostic schemes. Predictions by the models were compared for aone-dimensional convective boundary layer using mixed layer scaling andmeasurements to interpret the results. Two-dimensional simulations were alsoperformed for a sea-breeze flow and for flow over a hill. The results showedthat for all of the models considered, minor differences were produced in themean meteorological fields and in the vertical scalar fluxes, but majordifferences were apparent in the velocity variances and dissipation rate.Predicted tracer concentrations were very sensitive to the turbulence modelformulation for dispersion from a point source in the convective boundarylayer, particularly for the prediction of maximum concentrations. Predictedtracer concentrations from a surface volume source for the two-dimensionalsimulations were similar for all models, although the degree of mixing in themorning growth period produced some differences. Generally, good results forthe mean meteorological fields can be obtained with first-order schemes, evenif they underpredict the magnitude of turbulence in the convective boundarylayer, and reasonable tracer concentrations can also be obtained with thesemodels provided near-source effects are not important. The two-equationprognostic models performed best for the prediction of turbulence in theconvective boundary layer.     

NUMERICAL EXPERIMENT OF IMPACT OF SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA AND WARM POOL/WEST PACIFIC ON EAST ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON*

By using the NCAR CCM1 model, we have designed six sensitive experiments, which are increased and decreased SST(sea surface temperature) by 1℃ each in the SCS(South China Sea) and in the West Pacific warm pool, increased and decreased SST by 1℃ in the warm pool with increased SST by 1℃ in the SCS. All experiments are integrated from April to July. Comparing with the control experiment, we have analyzed the anomalies of the wind field at the upper and lower layers, the anomalies of the seasonal variability of the monsoon and precipitation for each experiment. In the result, we have found that the SST anomaly(SSTA) in the SCS greatly affects the seasonal variability of the SCS monsoon and precipitation in China, especially during the cold period of SST in the SCS. The impact of SSTA in the warm pool on SCS monsoon is also found.but is weak as compared to the effect of SST anomaly in the SCS. Besides, its impact on rainfall in China is uncertain.