Possible sources of forecast errors generated by the global/regional assimilation and prediction system for landfalling tropical cyclones. Part I: Initial uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone (TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions (“initials”, hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

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. Independent tests are carried out for TCs in 4 yr (2004-2007), with mean absolute errors of the maximum surface wind being 3.0, 5.0, 6.5, 7.3, 7.6, and 7.9 m s-1 for 12- to 72-h predictions at 12-h intervals, respectively. Positive skills are obtained at all leading time levels as compared to the climatology and persistence prediction scheme, and the large skill scores (near or over 20%) after 36 h imply that WIPS performs especially better at longer leading times. Furthermore, it is found that the amendment in TC track prediction and real-time model analysis can significantly improve the performance of WIPS in the SCR and ECR. Future improvements will focus on applying the scheme for weakening TCs and those near the coastal regions.     

Possible Sources of Forecast Errors Generated by the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System for Landfalling Tropical Cyclones. Part Ⅰ: Initial Uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone(TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System(GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions("initials", hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

Sensitivity to Tendency Perturbations of Tropical Cyclone Short-range Intensity Forecasts Generated by WRF

The present study uses the nonlinear singular vector(NFSV) approach to identify the optimally-growing tendency perturbations of the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) model for tropical cyclone(TC) intensity forecasts. For nine selected TC cases, the NFSV-tendency perturbations of the WRF model, including components of potential temperature and/or moisture, are calculated when TC intensities are forecasted with a 24-hour lead time, and their respective potential temperature components are dem...     

A METHOD OF RAPID CLASSIFICATION OF TROPICAL CYCLONE TRACKS OVER CHINA AND ITS APPLICATION

Using data of tropical cyclones making landfall in China between May and October each year during the 1951-2015 period from the Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration (CMA-STI) Tropical Cyclone (TC) Best Track Dataset, we developed a method of rapid classification of TC tracks based on their average movement velocities and noted three types of tracks: a westward type, a northwestward type, and a northward type. We compared the climate characteristics of the westward and northward types and discuss their corresponding causes. The results show that the westward and northward types account for more than 80% of all TCs making landfall in China. Their climate characteristics, such as the frequency, landfall intensity, duration over land, velocity over land, movement distance over land, and other changes, show both similarities and differences. Both TC types show significant increases in their over-land durations, indicating that the effects of these landfalling TCs are increasing. However, the causes of these two TC types are similar and different in certain respects. The changes in large-scale steering flows have significantly affected the frequencies and over-land velocities of the landfalling TCs of the westward and northward types. In addition, differences between the changes in formation locations of the westward and northward types may lead to significant difference in their landfall intensities.     

热带气旋强度与结构研究新进展

主要回顾热带气旋(TC)强度与结构变化的研究发展近况。以往热带气旋的理论研究认为在给定的大气和海洋热状况下,存在着一个TC所能达到的最大可能强度(MPI)。但实际上,海洋生成的热带气旋达到的最大强度普遍要比由MPI理论计算得到最大强度要低。近几年的研究表明,存在着内部和外部的不利因子通过对TC结构的改变来阻碍其加强,从而限制TC的强度。以往认为在诸多因子中,垂直风切变产生的内核区非对称结构与眼墙区下方海水上涌造成的海面冷却是制约TC达到MPI的主要因子。最新的研究进一步指出,产生TC非对称性的中尺度过程对其强度与结构的变化至关重要。中尺度过程包含有对流耦合的涡旋Rossby波、内外圈螺旋雨带、嵌于TC环流内的中尺度涡旋。外部的环境气流也是通过这些眼墙的中尺度过程影响到TC的强度与结构变化。     

基于MTCSWA风场资料对西北太平洋热带气旋风场结构的气候统计特征研究

基于多平台热带气旋表面风场资料（MTCSWA）,研究了2007～2016年6～11月西北太平洋上不同尺度热带气旋（TC）的气候统计特征,TC各级风圈半径在不同象限的变化特征、风场结构的对称度及二者与强度变化之间的相关性。利用7级风圈半径与TC近中心最大持续风速（MSW）来定义TC的尺度和强度。结果表明,西北太平洋上TC的平均尺度为221.9 km,其中小TC平均尺度为96.4 km,大TC平均尺度为346.4 km。大TC活动位置的空间分布较小TC更为集中,整体活动范围较小TC偏北。TC尺度的峰值出现在8月和10月。在TC的风场结构中,7级、10级、12级风圈的平均半径分别为221.9、121.0、77.4 km。TC风圈的对称度的统计结果表明7级风圈的对称度最低,12级风圈的对称度最高。相关分析表明,在TC的生命史中,各级风圈半径与其强度存在一定的正相关关系,其中12级风圈半径与强度的相关性最低;对于同一风圈而言,在TC的不同发展阶段中,不同象限的风圈半径与强度的相关性不同。在TC的风场结构中,风圈的对称度与TC强度的相关性随着风圈强度的增强而减弱,只有7级风圈的对称度在TC的整个生命周期中表现出与TC强度之间的弱的正相关关系。     

Distribution Characteristics of the Intensity and Extreme Intensity of Tropical Cyclones Influencing China

To address the deficiency of climatological research on tropical cyclones(TCs) influencing China, we analyze the distributions of TCs with different intensities in the region, based on the best-track TC data for1949–2011 provided by the Shanghai Typhoon Institute. We also present the distributions of 50- and 100-yr return-period TCs with different intensities using the Gumbel probability distribution. The results show that TCs with different intensities exert distinctive effects on various regions of China and its surrounding waters. The extreme intensity distributions of TCs over these different regions also differ. Super and severe typhoons mainly influence Taiwan Island and coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, while typhoons and TCs with lower intensities influence South China most frequently. The probable maximum TC intensity(PMTI) with 50- and 100-yr return periods influencing Taiwan Island is below 890 hPa; the PMTI with a50-yr return period influencing the coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces is less than 910 hPa, and that with a 100-yr return period is less than 900 hPa; the PMTI with a 50-yr return period influencing the coastal areas of Hainan, Guangdong, and the northern part of the South China Sea is lower than 930 hPa,and that with a 100-yr return period is less than 920 hPa. The results provide a useful reference for the estimation of extreme TC intensities over different regions of China.     

Estimating the Predictability Limit of Tropical Cyclone Tracks over the Western North Pacific Using Observational Data

In this study, the nonlinear local Lyapunov exponent (NLLE) approach was used to quantitatively determine the predictability limit of tropical cyclone (TC) tracks based on observed TC track data obtained from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The results show that the predictability limit of all TC tracks over the whole western North Pacific (WNP) basin is about 102 h, and the average lifetime of all TC tracks is about 174 h. The predictability limits of the TC tracks for short-, medium-, and long-lived TCs are approximately 72 h, 120 h, and 132 h, respectively. The predictability limit of the TC tracks depends on the TC genesis location, lifetime, and intensity, and further analysis indicated that these three metrics are closely related. The more intense and longer-lived TCs tend to be generated on the eastern side of the WNP (EWNP), whereas the weaker and shorter-lived TCs tend to form in the west of the WNP (WWNP) and the South China Sea (SCS). The relatively stronger and longer-lived TCs, which are generated mainly in the EWNP, have a longer travel time before they curve northeastwards and hence tend to be more predictable than the relatively weaker and shorter-lived TCs that form in the WWNP region and SCS. Furthermore, the results show that the predictability limit of the TC tracks obtained from the best-track data may be underestimated due to the relatively short observational records currently available. Further work is needed, employing a numerical model to assess the predictability of TC tracks.     

RESEARCH PROGRESS ON THE STRUCTURE AND INTENSITY CHANGE FOR THE LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES

Landfalling tropical cyclones(LTCs)include those TCs approaching the land and moving across the coast.Structure and intensity change for LTCs include change of the eye wall,spiral rain band,mesoscale vortices,low-layer shear lines and tornadoes in the envelope region of TC,pre-TC squall lines,remote rain bands,core region intensity and extratropical transition(ET)processes,etc.Structure and intensity change of TC are mainly affected by three aspects,namely,environmental effects,inner core dynamics and underlying surface forcing.Structure and intensity change of coastal TCs will be especially affected by seaboard topography,oceanic stratification above the continental shelf and cold dry continental airflow,etc.Rapid changes of TC intensity,including rapid intensification and sudden weakening and dissipation,are the small probability events which are in lack of effective forecasting techniques up to now.Diagnostic analysis and mechanism study will help improve the understanding and prediction of the rapid change phenomena in TCs.     

Autumn Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific during 1949-2016: A Statistical Study

We used tropical cyclone (TC) best track data for 1949–2016, provided by the Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration (CMA-STI), and a TC size dataset (1980-2016) derived from geostationary satellite infrared images to analyze the statistical characteristics of autumn TCs over the western North Pacific (WNP). We investigated TC genesis frequency, location, track density, intensity, outer size, and landfalling features, as well as their temporal and spatial evolution characteristics. On average, the number of autumn TCs accounted for 42.1% of the annual total, slightly less than that of summer TCs (42.7%). However, TCs classified as strong typhoons or super typhoons were more frequent in autumn than in summer. In most years of the 68-yr study period, there was an inverse relationship between the number of autumn TCs and that of summer TCs. The genesis of autumn TCs was concentrated at three centers over the WNP: the first is located near (14°N, 115°E) over the northeastern South China Sea and the other two are located in the vast oceanic area east of the Philippines around (14°N, 135°E) and (14°N, 145°E), respectively. In terms of intensity, the eight strongest TCs during the study period all occurred in autumn. It is revealed that autumn TCs were featured with strong typhoons and super typhoons, with the latter accounting for 28.1% of the total number of autumn TCs. Statistically, the average 34-knot radius (R34) of autumn TCs increased with TC intensity. From 1949 to 2016, 164 autumn TCs made landfall in China, with an average annual number of 2.4. Autumn TCs were most likely to make landfall in Guangdong Province, followed by Hainan Province and Taiwan Island.

     

海南岛附近区域热带气旋低层风场的变化特征

利用1979~2015年JTWC(Joint Typhoon Warning Center)最佳路径资料(2001~2015年资料用于台风风圈结构分析)及ERA-interim(0.5°×0.5°)再分析数据,统计分析我国海南岛附近区域(15.5°N~23.5°N,106°E~116°E)热带气旋(Tropical Cyclone,简称TC)低层风场的变化特征。结果表明:(1)年均5.5个TC于4~12月主要以西偏北路径进入该区域,其中海南岛东南侧海域TC出现频率最高且强TC比例最多,而岛西北区域出现频率最低,强TC比例最少。(2)TC中心位于海南岛不同方位时,其外围低层风场分布具有不同的非对称特征,且大风出现比率也各有差异;TC中心位于海南岛上时出现大风比率最高,位于岛南侧时次之,位于岛北侧时最小。(3)该区域TC平均最大风速半径(RMW)为58.3 km;TC位于岛上时RMW最大,而位于岛西南侧最小。(4)TC近中心最大风速由海上向陆地急剧减小,其高值中心主要位于雷州半岛东侧及西侧海域。(5)研究区域内TC的34节风圈半径在TC环流的东侧大而西侧小,强TC大而弱TC小。(6)不同区域TC变形程度有所差异。平均而言,位于岛西南侧TC变形最大而位于岛东南侧时变形最小。     

Thermodynamic Characteristics of Tropical Cyclones with RapidIntensity Change over the Coastal Waters of China

In order to investigate the different thermodynamic mechanisms between rapid intensifying (RI) and rapid weakening (RW) tropical cyclones (TCs),the thermodynamic structures of two sets of composite TCs are analyzed based on the complete-form vertical vorticity tendency equation and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data.Each composite is composed of five TCs,whose intensities change rapidly over the coastal waters of China.The results show that the maximum apparent heating source Q1 exists in both the upper and lower troposphere near the RI TC center,and Q1 gets stronger at the lower level during the TC intensification period.But for the RW TC,the maximum Q1 exists at the middle level near the TC center,and Q1 gets weaker while the TC weakens.The maximum apparent moisture sink Q2 lies in the mid troposphere.Q2 becomes stronger and its peak-value height rises while TC intensifies,and vice versa.The increase of diabatic heating with height near the TC center in the mid-upper troposphere and the increase of vertical inhomogeneous heating near the TC center in the lower troposphere are both favorable to the TCs' rapid intensification; otherwise,the intensity of the TC decreases rapidly.     

Water Budgets of Tropical Cyclones: Three Case Studies

In this study, three tropical cyclones (TCs) that passed through the Taiwan Strait were analyzed; our results show that precipitation is not directly related to the intensity of TCs. From the perspective of water budget, moisture flux convergence was dominant and contributed ～70% of the moisture for TC precipitation over the ocean and almost all over the land, especially inside the TC circulation. Their spatial distributions were also similar. Evaporation contributed ～30% of the moisture for precipitation over the ocean but changed little with the time. Moisture flux convergence can be divided into two parts: wind convergence and moisture advection. Moisture flux convergence was mostly due to wind convergence, which was dominant in the southwestern quadrants of the TCs. Moisture advection was located in the northern area, and becomes relatively important when the TCs approached the land. The moisture flux convergence and its two parts varied during TC movement, with strengthening and contraction of moisture convergence present near landfall. The vertical structure of the three TC cases all indicated that the moisture convergence was mainly confined to the lower atmosphere under 800 hPa and a weak divergence region was present in the middle troposphere around 550 hPa.     

Current understanding of tropical cyclone structure and intensity changes – a review

Summary Current understanding of tropical cyclone (TC) structure and intensity changes has been reviewed in this article. Recent studies in this area tend to focus on two issues: (1) what factors determine the maximum potential intensity (MPI) that a TC can achieve given the thermodynamic state of the atmosphere and the ocean? and (2) what factors prevent the TCs from reaching their MPIs? Although the MPI theories appear mature, recent studies of the so-called superintensity pose a potential challenge. It is notable that the maximum intensities reached by real TCs in all ocean basins are generally lower than those inferred from the theoretical MPI, indicating that internal dynamics and external forcing from environmental flow prohibit the TC intensification most and limit the TC intensity. It remains to be seen whether such factors can be included in improved MPI approaches.Among many limiting factors, the unfavorable environmental conditions, especially the vertical shear-induced asymmetry in the inner core region and the cooling of sea surface due to the oceanic upwelling under the eyewall region, have been postulated as the primary impediment to a TC reaching its MPI. However, recent studies show that the mesoscale processes, which create asymmetries in the TC core region, play key roles in TC structure and intensity changes. These include the inner and outer spiral rainbands, convectively coupled vortex Rossby waves, eyewall cycles, and embedded mesovortices in TC circulation. It is also through these inner core processes that the external environmental flow affects the TC structure and intensity changes. It is proposed that future research be focused on improving the understanding of how the eyewall processes respond to all external forcing and affect the TC structure and intensity changes. Rapid TC intensity changes (both strengthening and weakening) are believed to involve complex interactions between different scales and to be worthy of future research.The boundary-layer processes are crucial to TC formation, maintenance, and decaying. Significant progress has been made to deduce the drag coefficient on high wind conditions from the measurements of boundary layer winds in the vicinity of hurricane eyewalls by Global Positioning System (GPS) dropsondes. This breakthrough can lead to reduction of the uncertainties in the calculation of surface fluxes, thus improving TC intensity forecast by numerical weather prediction models.     

2018年西北太平洋台风活动特征和预报难点分析

利用1949-2018年中国气象局台风最佳路径、2018年中央气象台的台风路径强度实时预报、ECMWF数值预报以及NCEP逐日高分辨率海温RTG_SST(0.083°×0.083°)等资料,对2018年西北太平洋台风活动的主要特征和预报难点进行了分析.结果 表明:2018年台风生成频数偏多,生成源地偏东,南海台风活跃;...     

A Logistic-growth-equation-based Intensity Prediction Scheme for Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones※

Accurate prediction of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity remains a challenge due to the complex physical processes involved in TC intensity changes. A seven-day TC intensity prediction scheme based on the logistic growth equation (LGE) for the western North Pacific (WNP) has been developed using the observed and reanalysis data. In the LGE, TC intensity change is determined by a growth term and a decay term. These two terms are comprised of four free parameters which include a time-dependent growth rate, a maximum potential intensity (MPI), and two constants. Using 33 years of training samples, optimal predictors are selected first, and then the two constants are determined based on the least square method, forcing the regressed growth rate from the optimal predictors to be as close to the observed as possible. The estimation of the growth rate is further refined based on a step-wise regression (SWR) method and a machine learning (ML) method for the period 1982?2014. Using the LGE-based scheme, a total of 80 TCs during 2015?17 are used to make independent forecasts. Results show that the root mean square errors of the LGE-based scheme are much smaller than those of the official intensity forecasts from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), especially for TCs in the coastal regions of East Asia. Moreover, the scheme based on ML demonstrates better forecast skill than that based on SWR. The new prediction scheme offers strong potential for both improving the forecasts for rapid intensification and weakening of TCs as well as for extending the 5-day forecasts currently issued by the CMA to 7-day forecasts.     

AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH LANDFALLING TROPICAL CYCLONES AFFECTING CHINA

In order to provide an operational reference for tropical cyclone precipitation forecast,this study investigates the spatial distributions of precipitation associated with landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs) affecting China using Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 5(GMS5)-TBB dataset.All named TCs formed over the western North Pacific that made direct landfall over China during the period 2001-2009 are included in this study.Based on the GMS5-TBB data,this paper reveals that in general there are four types of distribution of precipitation related to landfalling TCs affecting China.(a) the South-West Type in which there is a precipitation maximum to the southwestern quadrant of TC;(b) the Symmetrical South Type in which the rainfall is more pronounced to the south side of TC in the inner core while there is a symmetrical rainfall distribution in the outer band region;(c) the South Type,in which the rainfall maxima is more pronounced to the south of TC;and(d) the North Type,in which the rainfall maxima is more pronounced to the north of TC.Analyses of the relationship between precipitation distributions and intensity of landfalling TCs show that for intensifying TCs,both the maximum and the coverage area of the precipitation in TCs increase with the increase of TC intensity over northern Jiangsu province and southern Taiwan Strait,while decreasing over Beibu Gulf and the sea area of Changjiang River estuary.For all TCs,the center of the torrential rain in TC shifts toward the TC center as the intensity of TC increases.This finding is consistent with many previous studies.The possible influences of storm motion and vertical wind shear on the observed precipitation asymmetries are also examined.Results show that the environmental vertical wind shear is an important factor contributing to the large downshear rainfall asymmetry,especially when a TC makes landfall on the south and east China coasts.These results are also consistent with previous observational and numerical studies.     

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.     

Statistical Features of Tropical Cyclones Affecting China and Its Key Economic Zones

Recent trends and variability in tropical cyclone (TC) frequency and intensity are examined for TCs that affected China, with particular focus on those TCs that affected China’s key economic zones (e.g., the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin area). The results show that the frequency of TCs affecting China weakly declined during the 1980s and 2000s, followed by a slight increase. The time series of TC frequency shows insignificant variations at periods of 2–6 yr during the past 60 years; these variations are significantly correlated with ENSO activity. The frequency of TCs affecting the Pearl River Delta area is strongly correlated with the ENSO cycle while the frequency of TCs affecting the Yangtze River Delta is not. The TC frequency varies differently for TCs of different intensities. Tropical storms (TSs) affecting China were small in total number, but have clearly increased in frequency. The frequencies of severe tropical storm (STS), typhoon (TY), severe typhoon (STY), and super typhoon (super TY) affecting China declined significantly during the 1970s and 1980s, but the numbers of STY and super TY have increased over the 2000s. The typical intensity of TCs affecting China declined over the 60-yr timeframe, but increased over the most recent 10 years (2000–2010). This increase in the intensity of TCs has particularly impacted the Yangtze River Delta area, which has experienced increased numbers of STYs and super TYs. These tendencies are observed in changes of the maximum intensity of TCs affecting both China in general and the Yangtze River Delta in particular during both the full 60-yr analysis period and the latest 10-yr period; however, these tendencies are not observed in changes of the average intensity of TCs. By contrast, both the extreme intensity and the average intensity of TCs affecting the Pearl River Delta have decreased throughout the analysis period, including the most recent decade.