Validation of a limited area model over Dome C, Antarctic Plateau, during winter

The limited area model MAR (Modèle Atmosphérique Régional) is validated over the Antarctic Plateau for the period 2004–2006, focussing on Dome C during the cold season. MAR simulations are made by initializing the model once and by forcing it through its lateral and top boundaries by the ECMWF operational analyses. Model outputs compare favourably with observations from automatic weather station (AWS), radiometers and atmospheric soundings. MAR is able to simulate the succession of cold and warm events which occur at Dome C during winter. Larger longwave downwelling fluxes (LWD) are responsible for higher surface air temperatures and weaker surface inversions during winter. Warm events are better simulated when the small Antarctic precipitating snow particles are taken into account in radiative transfer computations. MAR stratosphere cools during the cold season, with the coldest temperatures occurring in conjunction with warm events at the surface. The decrease of saturation specific humidity associated with these coldest temperatures is responsible for the formation of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) especially in August-September. PSCs then contribute to the surface warming by increasing the surface downwelling longwave flux.     

Vortex initialization for typhoon track prediction

Summary A shallow water single level primitive equation model is ideally suited for studying the motion of a tropical cyclone. Three factors seem to be important in the initialization, i.e. the size, intensity and the initial speed and direction of motion of the storm. This study presents the results of sensitivity studies on the above parameters in the definition of a synthetic idealized vortex. The sensitivity studies include results of experimental forecasts for typhoons Betty of 1987 and Dan of 1989. The results of these studies show that the initial size, intensity and direction and speed of motion show considerable sensitivity to the predicted track. Finally a summary of the track forecast errors through 72 hours are presented for these storms.With 8 Figures     

Impact of vortex-removal from environmental flow in cyclone track prediction using Lagrangian advection model

In the present study, a new approach is discussed to find out the residual steering flow from the high-resolution global Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model-forecasted wind fields, which have been used in the Lagrangian advection model to determine the track of tropical cyclones formed in the Indian Ocean. The Lagrangian advection model is newly developed model and conceptually closer to the dynamical models, which utilizes environmental steering flow and the effect due to earth’s rotation (the beta-effect) to determine the motion of cyclone. In this approach, the effect of environmental flow on the cyclone track is examined by removing the existing cyclone vortex from the steering flow which is determined by potential vorticity approach. A new approach based on vortex pattern matching has been used to identify the cyclone vortex and to remove it from the steering flow. The tracks of five tropical cyclones (viz., Nargis, Khai_Muk, Nisha, Aila and Phyan) which were formed in the North Indian basin during the period 2008–2009 have been generated by the Lagrangian advection model using the proposed scheme. The position errors were computed with respect to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) best track analysis positions and compared with that of without-vortex-removal scheme. The results show that the mean track errors for five cyclones are reduced by 6–35?% for 12–72?h forecast in case of vortex-removal scheme as compared to the without-vortex-removal scheme.     

Validation of a limited area model in cases of mediterranean cyclogenesis: Surface fields and precipitation scores

Summary We have examined the performance of a limited-area mesoscale model of our design in cases of winter cyclones over the southern European-central Mediterranean area with particular ticular attention to standard precipitation statistical scores (bias, threat score, false alarms), obtaining results which compare favourably with other state-of-the-art LAM's documented in the literature. The model, which we briefly describe here, uses standard procedures and includes Geleyn's radiation package and Emanuel's moist convective adjustment scheme. We also discuss the model's performance from the viewpoint of individual surface fields, which display a variety of-mesoscale features correctly reproducing, in most cases, those of the observed fields. The latter have been re-analyzed for this purpose using conventional SYNOP data and ECMWF analyses as first guess.With 18 Figures     

一次热带风暴造成辽宁暴雨的数值模拟研究

利用非静力平衡的中尺度模式MM5V3,对1997年8月20日Winnie台风减弱的热带风暴,进行了48h数值模拟。结果表明：MM5不仅比较好地模拟出高空形势场,还成功地模拟出了强降水的时间和强度。应用模拟出的物理量对这次过程进行了诊断分析,并对暴雨形成机制进行了讨论。     

Generalized inversion of a global numerical weather prediction model

Summary We construct the generalized inverse of a global numerical weather prediction (NWP) model, in order to prepare initial conditions for the model at time t=0 hrs. The inverse finds a weighted, least-squares best-fit to the dynamics for –24<t<0, to the previous initial condition att=–24, and to data att=–24,t=–18,t=–12 andt=0. That is, the inverse is a weak-constraint, four-dimensional variational assimilation scheme. The best-fit is found by solving the nonlinear Euler-Lagrange (EL) equations which determine the local extrema of a penalty functional. The latter is quadratic in the dynamical, initial and data residuals. The EL equations are solved using iterated representer expansions. The technique yields optimal conditioning of the very large minimization problem, which has 10⁹ hydrodynamical and thermodynamical variables defined on a 4-dimensional, space-time grid.In addition to introducing the inverse NWP model, we demonstrate it on a medium-sized problem, namely, a study of the impact of reprocessed cloud track wind observations (RCTWO) from the 1990 Tropical Cyclone Motion Experiment (TCM-90). The impact is assessed in terms of the improvement of forecasts in the South China Sea att=+48 hours. The calculation shows that the computations are manageable, the iteration scheme converges, and that the RCTWO have a beneficial impact.     

Spectral analysis method for a limited area using the eigenmodes of the spherical Laplacian operator

We propose a spectral analysis method using the eigenmodes of the spherical Laplacian operator on the limited area domain. Two numerical methods are considered for the horizontal discretization: One uses the half-ranged Fourier series for both longitudinal and latitudinal directions, and the other uses the Fourier finite-element method with piecewise linear basis functions for the latitudinal direction. The field variable for the two numerical algorithms is represented as linear combinations of the eigenvectors of the Laplacian operator on the limited area domain; we define the one-dimensional spectrum with the eigenvector coefficients as a function of the indices equivalent to the total wavenumbers of the Laplacian operator on the global domain. The spatial robustness of this method was verified through the self-consistency test comparing the spectra of isotropic Gaussian bells on the sphere. We used the method in the kinetic energy spectral analysis for a limited area with global atmospheric data, and compared the results for different seasons. The kinetic energy spectra represented the well-known characteristics with scale and different powers with season.     

Improve the prediction of summer precipitation in the Southeastern China by a hybrid statistical downscaling model

We attempt to apply year-to-year increment prediction to develop an effective statistical downscaling scheme for summer (JJA, June–July–August) rainfall prediction at the station-to-station scale in Southeastern China (SEC). The year-to-year increment in a variable was defined as the difference between the current year and the previous year. This difference is related to the quasi-biennial oscillation in interannual variations in precipitation. Three predictors from observations and six from three general circulation models (GCMs) outputs of the development of a European multi-model ensemble system for seasonal to interannual prediction (DEMETER) project were used to establish this downscaling model. The independent sample test and the cross-validation test show that the downscaling scheme yields better predicted skill for summer precipitation at most stations over SEC than the original DEMETER GCM outputs, with greater temporal correlation coefficients and spatial anomaly correlation coefficients, as well as lower root-mean-square errors.     

热带气旋北冕暴雨多普勒雷达分析

分析热带气旋北冕在厦门地区造成的暴雨过程中主要降水时段多普勒雷达资料强度场和速度场的特点。分析表明,这次暴雨是多种天气系统相互作用的结果。第三阶段的短时大暴雨是停滞在厦门上空的强单体直接造成的,对应的速度场上有低层东南风和西南风辐合;单体的合并也起了一定的作用,而且单体的分离合并与低空急流的脉动有关。     

基于风暴尺度模式产品的暴雨最优升尺度概率预报方法研究

基于ARPS3DVAR+WRF (Advanced Regional Prediction and 3-dimensional variational System)快速同化模式对西南地区近几年发生的4次强降水过程进行模拟试验,对12 h降水预报结果采用升尺度方法,计算邻域平均预报、站点概率预报,最终形成邻域概率预报,并细致分析了这三种预报的特点与效果,讨论了升尺度窗区尺度给不同量级降水带来的影响,最后结合AROC评分与邻域空间检验FSS讨论业务概率预报应用的最佳尺度。结果表明:升尺度邻域平均预报在小雨与大暴雨量级降水上表现不稳定,对中雨的预报提高不明显,但是对大雨与暴雨预报有较好的改善效果;站点概率预报具有一定的误导性,而邻域概率预报可以弥补其缺憾,越高分辨率的模式有更多的降水样本,在降水不确定性上能给出更好的概率分级信息;相对邻域平均的升尺度预报TS检验结果,基于邻域概率的FSS和AROC分析有更好的预报技巧指导意义;36 km升尺度窗区既能消除一定程度的强降水预报不确定性,同时也可以保留适当的对流尺度特征,为最佳升尺度窗区。     

Physical parameterizations for limited area models: Some current problems and issues

Summary The current opportunities of progress for short term numerical weather prediction in the domain of physical parametrizations are reviewed. Attention is paid to the fact that many models now resolve very short space and time scales, and the consequences of this situation in terms of physical parametrizations are outlined. It is argued that the most profitable areas of work are currently surface processes and cloud microphysics. The parametrization of deep cumulus convection will probably remain necessary for the next few years, but present operational schemes should be modified to take into account the breakdown of the quasi-equilibrium assumption as space and time resolutions of the models increase.With 13 Figures     

一次快速发展气旋导致的沙尘暴天气过程的初步分析

文章概述了我国北方地区春季沙尘天气的特征,并对影响沙尘暴的天气气候背景、单站地面气象要素、环流形势、冷空气的强度及影响路径、沙尘暴的起沙源地、影响时间和范围等进行了分析。结果表明:此过程是蒙古气旋强烈发展所致。巴丹吉林沙漠和浑善达克沙地是沙尘暴的主要沙尘源区;蒙古气旋的爆发性发展和冷锋后大风是起沙的主要动力;在高空急流出口区左侧,气流辐散强迫形成干对流上升气流,该上升气流与湍流输送是沙尘向高空输送的动力机制。     

Climatology of cloud and radiation fields in a numerical weather prediction model

Summary Satellite-derived datasets are used to verify the cloud cover and radiation field generated by a T62 (horizontal resolution) version of the operational global model at the National Meteorological Centre (NMC). An ensemble of five day forecasts for July 1985 is used, as well as 30 day climatological forecasts for July 1985, October 1985, January 1986, and April 1986.Monthly averages of radiation fields are compared with Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data. For the four months examined, clear-sky outgoing longwave radiation (clear-sky OLR) and absorbed shortwave radiation (clear-sky SW) tend to agree roughly with ERBE. Model global mean OLR, however, exceeds that of ERBE by 10 W m^–2.Comparison of effective cloud cover to corresponding fields cataloged by the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP C1) reveals deficiencies in the amount of supersaturation cloudiness and the vertical distribution of convective clouds. Large inaccuracies in model radiation fields are closely related to deficiencies in the cloud parameterization. An inventory of model cloudiness, in comparison to satellite data, is conducted.With 18 Figures     

Simulations of Cyclone Sidr in the Bay of Bengal with a high-resolution model: sensitivity to large-scale boundary forcing

The predictability of Cyclone Sidr in the Bay of Bengal was explored in terms of track and intensity using the Advanced Research Hurricane Weather Research Forecast (AHW) model. This constitutes the first application of the AHW over an area that lies outside the region of the North Atlantic for which this model was developed and tested. Several experiments were conducted to understand the possible contributing factors that affected Sidr??s intensity and track simulation by varying the initial start time and domain size. Results show that Sidr??s track was strongly controlled by the synoptic flow at the 500-hPa level, seen especially due to the strong mid-latitude westerly over north-central India. A 96-h forecast produced westerly winds over north-central India at the 500-hPa level that were notably weaker; this likely caused the modeled cyclone track to drift from the observed actual track. Reducing the model domain size reduced model error in the synoptic-scale winds at 500?hPa and produced an improved cyclone track. Specifically, the cyclone track appeared to be sensitive to the upstream synoptic flow, and was, therefore, sensitive to the location of the western boundary of the domain. However, cyclone intensity remained largely unaffected by this synoptic wind error at the 500-hPa level. Comparison of the high resolution, moving nested domain with a single coarser resolution domain showed little difference in tracks, but resulted in significantly different intensities. Experiments on the domain size with regard to the total precipitation simulated by the model showed that precipitation patterns and 10-m surface winds were also different. This was mainly due to the mid-latitude westerly flow across the west side of the model domain. The analysis also suggested that the total precipitation pattern and track was unchanged when the domain was extended toward the east, north, and south. Furthermore, this highlights our conclusion that Sidr was influenced from the west side of the domain. The displacement error was significantly reduced after the domain size from the western model boundary was decreased. Study results demonstrate the capability and need of a high-resolution mesoscale modeling framework for simulating the complex interactions that contribute to the formation of tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal region.     

改进的热带气旋路径模糊概率预报方法试验总结

用改进的热带气旋路径模糊概率预报方法对１９９８—２０００年进入预报区并达到起报条件的１３个热带气旋作了４７次预报试验,２４ｈ平均误差为１１６．８ｋｍ,４８ｈ平均误差为２８１．０ｈｍ。其中模糊概率大于７０％的共有８次,２４ｈ平均误差为８７．９ｋｍ,４８ｈ平均误差为２０７．６ｋｍ,均明显小于总平均误差,达到概率越大误差越小的理想效果。同时试验表明方法对路径发生明显转折的热带气旋有较好的预报能力。     

A field study of diffusion around a model cube in a suburban area

To investigate diffusion around a building in a suburban area, a field observation was conducted on a model cube with a centrally located rooftop level source in September 1992 in Sapporo, Japan. The results show that high concentrations were observed both upwind and downwind of the source on the roof, although the mean velocity U was positive. The values of normalized concentration at locations upwind and downwind of the source were lower than those obtained from wind tunnel data conducted at moderated turbulence levels. At ground level, the mean concentrations along the model centre line show the highest value near the cube and decay rapidly in the downstream direction. The relationship between the instantaneous concentrations and instantaneous velocity was investigated using two fast-response concentration detectors and an ultrasonic anemometer. It was found that when reverse flow occurred on the roof, the tracer gas was detected upwind of the source.     

一次江淮气旋暴雪天气过程分析

分析2001年1月6－7日山东出现的大范围暴雪天气过程表明：暴雪天气过程是由江淮气旋和850hPa西南涡共同影响造成的。降水发生在对流稳定而对称不稳定大气中，江淮气旋及强降水区有向对称不稳定区移动的趋势。低空急流是造成暴雪天气的触发条件。     

夏季陆地爆发性气旋的模拟与诊断分析

利用观测资料、FY-2C卫星云图和NCEP再分析资料,对2003年6月22—23日黄河下游的气旋爆发性发展过程进行天气学分析和中尺度数值模拟与诊断,研究这次爆发性气旋的发展特征。结果表明：河套高空槽东移与山东南部的切变线合并产生这次爆发性气旋。MM5数值模式可以很好地模拟夏季陆地爆发性气旋发展过程。夏季陆地爆发性气旋发生在与高度场气旋性弯曲相重合的高空急流出口区,气旋从急流出口区右侧向左侧行进的过程中爆发性发展。气旋爆发性发展需要高空有急流,低空有西南和东南风急流为其提供强的暖平流和水汽通道。气旋的爆发性发展伴随着上升运动强烈发展,上升运动区高层强辐散、低层强辐舍。气旋爆发性发展在高能场中,大气具有强对流性不稳定。