PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS ON THE STRUCTURE AND INTENSITY OF CONCENTRIC DOUBLE-EYE TYPHOONS

Typhoon eye, one of the most outstanding features in the evolution of typhoon, has various complex configurations: circular, elliptic, oval, square, polygonal, or irregular shapes. It is very interesting to note that some typhoons show the concentric double-eyes encircled with two concentric cloud towers.The concentric double-eye structure and intensity of typhoons are investigated and discussed by using reconnaissance aircraft data, radar echo photos and satellite images, 76 double-eye typhoons were observed during 1949－1983. The results indicate that the concentric double-eye structure, generally appearing in intense typhoons over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, is closely related to typhoon’s intensity. This kind of structure has apparent characteristics in geographical and seasonal distributions.Based on the observational data, an idealized structure model for the concentric double-eye typhoons is proposed.     

Effect of Initial Vortex Intensity Correction on Tropical Cyclone Intensity Prediction:A Study Based on GRAPES_TYM

Predicting the intensity of tropical cyclones(TCs)is challenging in operational weather prediction systems,partly due to the difficulty in defining the initial vortex.In an attempt to solve this problem,this study investigated the effect of initial vortex intensity correction on the prediction of the intensity of TCs by the operational numerical prediction system GRAPES_TYM(Global and Regional Assimilation and Prediction System_Typhoon Model)of the National Meteorological Center of the China Meteorological Administration.The statistical results based on experiments using data for major TCs in 2018 show that initial vortex intensity correction can reduce the errors in mean intensity for up to 120-h integration,with a noticeable decrease in the negative bias of intensity and a slight increase in the mean track error.The correction leads to an increase in the correlation coefficient of Vmax(maximum wind speed at 10-m height)for the severe typhoon and super typhoon stages.Analyses of the errors in intensity at different stages of intensity(including tropical storms,severe tropical storms,typhoons,severe typhoons,and super typhoons)show that vortex intensity correction has a remarkable positive influence on the prediction of super typhoons from 0 to 120h.Analyses of the errors in intensity for TCs with different initial intensities indicate that initial vortex correction can significantly improve the prediction of intensity from 24 to 96 h for weak TCs(including tropical storms and severe tropical storms at the initial time)and up to 24 h for strong TCs(including severe typhoons and super typhoons at the initial time).The effect of the initial vortex intensity correction is more important for developing TCs than for weakening TCs.     

Impacts of the Zonal Position of the East Asian Westerly Jet Core on Precipitation Distribution During Meiyu of China

The east-west location change of the East Asian westerly jet （EAWJ） at 200 hPa during Meiyu and the associated spatial distribution variation of precipitation in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River （MLYR） are investigated by using the 40-yr NCEP/NCAR （National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research） pentad mean reanalysis data and daily precipitation observation data from 1958 to 1997. The results show that there are two areas over which the 200-hPa EAWJ center appears most frequently during the Meiyu period： one is the western Pacific （WP） and the other is the East Asian continent （EAC）. During the Meiyu period, the westerly jet over the EAC is weak, and the core of the westerly jet over the WP splits up with reduced intensity and disappears by the end of Meiyu. The changes in the location and intensity of the westerly jet are associated not only with the starting and ending dates of Meiyu, but also with the spatial distribution and intensity of precipitation in the MLYR. It is found that when the westerly jet core in the upper troposphere is located over the WP and is coupled with an 850-hPa southwesterly jet, heavy precipitation accompanied by strong convergence and plenty supply of water vapor, occurs in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. If the 200-hPa westerly jet core is located over the EAC, and without an 850-hPa southwesterly jet, only weak precipitation occurs in the MLYR. Therefore, the longitudinal location of the EAWJ core plays an important role in determining the upper- to lower-level circulation structure and the spatial distribution of heavy precipitation in the MLYR during the Meiyu period.     

EXPERIMENTS OF ENSEMBLE FORECAST OF TYPHOON TRACK USING BDA PERTURBING METHOD

A new method, BDA perturbing, is used in ensemble forecasting of typhoon track. This method is based on the Bogus Data Assimilation scheme. It perturbs the initial position and intensity of typhoons and gets a series of bogus vortex. Then each bogus vortex is used in data assimilation to obtain initial conditions. Ensemble forecast members are constructed by conducting simulation with these initial conditions. Some cases of typhoon are chosen to test the validity of this new method and the results show that: using the BDA perturbing method to perturb initial position and intensity of typhoon for track forecast can improve accuracy, compared with the direct use of the BDA assimilation scheme. And it is concluded that a perturbing amplitude of intensity of 5 hPa is probably more appropriate than 10 hPa if the BDA perturbing method is used in combination with initial position perturbation.     

An Analysis of the Low Moving Speed of Landfalling Typhoon In-Fa in 2021

The movement speed of Typhoon In-Fa (2021) was notably slow, at 10 km h?1 or less, for over 20 hoursfollowing its landfall in Zhejiang, China, in contrast to other typhoons that have made landfall. This study examines thefactors contributing to the slow movement of Typhoon In-Fa, including the steering flow, diabatic heating, vertical windshear (VWS), and surface synoptic situation, by comparing it with Typhoons Yagi (2018) and Rumbia (2018) whichfollowed similar tracks. The findings reveal that the movement speed of Typhoons Yagi and Rumbia is most closelyassociated with their respective 500 hPa environmental winds, with a steering flow of 10–12 m s ?1. In contrast, Typhoon In Fa’s movement speed is most strongly correlated with the 850 hPa environmental wind field, with a steering flow speed ofonly 2 m s ?1. Furthermore, as Typhoon In-Fa moves northwest after landfall, its intensity is slightly greater than that ofTyphoons Yagi and Rumbia, and the pressure gradient in front of Typhoon In-Fa is notably smaller, leading to its slowmovement. Additionally, the precipitation distribution of Typhoon In-Fa differs from that of the other two typhoons,resulting in a weak asymmetry of wavenumber-1 diabatic heating, which indirectly affects its movement speed. Furtheranalysis indicates that VWS can alter the typhoon’s structure, weaken its intensity, and ultimately impact its movement.     

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.     

Spatial and Temporal Variations of Tropical Cyclones at Different Intensity Scales over the Western North Pacific from 1945 to 2005

The tropical cyclone （TC） track data provided by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center （JTWC） of the U.S. Navy over the western North Pacific （including the South China Sea） from 1945 to 2005 are employed to analyze the temporal and spatial variations of TCs of different intensity scales. Most of the TCs occurred between 15° and 25°N, from the northern part of the South China Sea to the eastern part of the Bashi Channel until near 140°E. Most of the severe and super typhoons occurred over waters from the eastern part of the Bashi Channel to about 140°E. The TCs in a weakening or steady state take up a weak majority in the area west of 123°E and north of 20°N; those in an intensifying or steady state are mostly found in the area east of 123°E and south of 20°N. For severe tropical storms, typhoons, severe typhoons, and super typhoons, their average decaying rates are all greater than the respective average growing rates; for tropical storms, however, the average decaying rate is smaller than the average growing rate. Generally speaking, the stronger the TC, the faster the intensification （weakening） is. The percentage of weak TCs is higher in June to August while that of strong TCs is higher in September to November. There are annual, interannual, and interdecadal variations in the observed number （every 6 h） and frequency of TCs at different intensity scales. As far as the long-term trend is concerned, the frequency and observed number of tropical storms have a significant linear increase, but the averaged intensity and number of TCs of other intensity categories do not exhibit such a significant linear trend. In E1 Nifio years, the number and percentage of super typhoons are significantly higher, while the total number of tropical storms, severe tropical storms, typhoons, and severe typhoons is significantly lower, and the mean intensity of TCs is prominently stronger; in La Nifia years, however, the opposite comes true.     

A Study on Typhoon-Induced Rainfalls over Beijing: Statistics and Case Analysis

Based on the Shanghai Typhoon Institute (STI) Typhoon Year Book and typhoon precipitation data, Japan Meteorological Agency satellite TBB data, and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data, the climatic characteristics of rainfalls in Beijing associated with typhoons were analyzed for the period 1949–2006, and two typhoon cases with remarkable differences in rainfall intensity over Beijing were compared and diagnosed. The 58-yr statistical results show that rainfall events associated with typhoons occurred in Beijing about once every three years during June–September. These typhoons were mainly active in the region 20?–50?N, 109?–128?E and most of them moved northwestward while the others turned to the northeast. The typhoon rainfall over Beijing in general sustained for 2–5 days. Typhoon centers were usually located in the areas from Jiangxi to Anhui, the Yellow Sea, or near Beijing, when rainstorms occurred over Beijing. Case study indicates that the 2-day torrential rainfall event that happened in Beijing in 1984 was due to the interaction between Typhoon Freda (8407) and a westerly trough, while only a medium-strength rainfall event occurred in Beijing in 2005 in spite of the dominating cyclonic circulation of Typhoon Matsa (0509) directly over Beijing. It is found that both Freda and Matsa underwent extratropical transition and possessed an asymmetric structure. The rainfall difference was caused by the fact that Beijing was located in different convective development areas of the two typhoons. On the other hand, the lifting conditions were different although plentiful atmospheric moisture and convective unstable energy existed over Beijing during both events. The ascending motion of warm southerly in Beijing was stronger and deeper and a larger vertical wind shear was associated with Typhoon Freda. However, the lifting of water vapor was restrained by the descending motion of northerly cold airflow in Beijing under the impact of Typhoon Matsa. Besides, it is also found that topography played an important role in the typhoon rainfall over Beijing.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF MIDDLE EAST JET STREAM DURING SEASONAL TRANSITION AND ITS RELATION WITH INDIAN SUMMER MONSOON ONSET?

By using the NCEP/NCAR pentad reanalysis data from 1968 to 2009, the variation characteristics of Middle East jet stream(MEJS) and its thermal mechanism during seasonal transition are studied. Results show that the intensity and south-north location of MEJS center exhibit obvious seasonal variation characteristics. When MEJS is strong, it is at 27.5°N from the 67 th pentad to the 24 th pentad the following year; when MEJS is weak, it is at 45°N from the 38 th pentad to the 44 th pentad. The first Empirical Orthogonal Function(EOF) mode of 200-hPa zonal wind field shows that MEJS is mainly over Egypt and Saudi Arabia in winter and over the eastern Black Sea and the eastern Aral Sea in summer. MEJS intensity markedly weakens in summer in comparison with that in winter. The 26th-31 st pentad is the spring-summer transition of MEJS, and the 54th-61 st pentad the autumn-winter transition. During the two seasonal transitions, the temporal variations of the 500-200 hPa south-north temperature difference(SNTD) well match with 200-hPa zonal wind velocity, indicating that the former leads to the latter following the principle of thermal wind. A case analysis shows that there is a close relation between the onset date of Indian summer monsoon and the transition date of MEJS seasonal transition. When the outbreak date of Indian summer monsoon is earlier than normal, MEJS moves northward earlier because the larger SNTD between 500-200 hPa moves northward earlier, with the westerly jet in the lower troposphere over 40°-90°E appearing earlier than normal, and vice versa.     

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INTENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY RAINS IN ZHEJIANG PROVINCE CAUSED BY TYPHOONS HAITANG AND MATSA

Study was carried out on two landfall typhoons Haitang and Matsa, which affected Zhejiang province seriously in 2005. Firstly, the similarity and difference between the two typhoon-induced heavy rains were compared and it was pointed out that both of them brought strong large-scale precipitation and the maximum centers of rainfall were located on the north side of the landfall site. Making landfall on Fujian, Haitang was weaker than Matsa in intensity but surpassed it in rainfall. Then with focus on intensity, moving speed, structure of typhoon, circulation and terrain, the two typhoon-related heavy rains were compared and analyzed. Results show that the asymmetrical distribution of rainfall was closely related to the structure of typhoons themselves, moisture transportation and mesoscale terrain. In contrast to the south side, the north side was hotter and wetter and water vapor was also more abundant. The phenomenon of more rainfall induced by Haitang was in connection with the following reasons. Invading cold air led to rainfall increases, weakened dynamic field and slower movement both benefited precipitation. For the last part, the cold characteristic of air mass over Zhejiang was also a favorable factor for the rain.     

ANOMALOUS VARIATIONS OF GUANGDONG PRECIPITATION IN SUMMER IN RELATION TO MONSOON

The relationship between the variation of precipitation in Guangdong Province is investigated using the correlation analysis and composite comparison methods in conjunction with precipitation data from 36 surface weather stations in the province and reanalyzed 850 hPa data from NCEP, U.S.A. A significant positive correlation is found between the variation of precipitation in summer there and the intensity of the southwesterly over the South China Sea though without being so inconclusive that a strong southwesterly over the sea is accompanied by more rain in Guangdong. For the front-associated flood season in April-June, the former is a carrier of rainwater for Guangdong but with insignificant linkage with the intensity of the southwest monsoon. There is even such a situation in which the precipitation gets stronger though with a weakened southwest monsoon from the tropics in May-June, which is mainly attributable to the increase of monsoon from the subtropics. For the typhoon-associated flood season in July-September, the Guangdong precipitation increases as the southwest monsoon strengthens over the central and northern South China Sea and the subtropical monsoon reduces its effects on the province.     

ANALYSES AND CALCULATION FACTS OF THE BAROCLINIC TERM IN SYNOPTIC-SCALE MOTION OVER TROPICS

Analyses are made of all terms in the vorticity equation for the atmosphere at low latitudes by using the scale analysis theory, with the result that for synotic-scale motion the baroclinic term, i, e. the twisting term and the vorticity vertical-transport term, approximates in order to the relative-vorticity advection, divergence and β term. With intensified atmospheric disturbance ratios of the β term to others become smalte white the others stay in more or less fixed proportions between them. This statement has been confirmed by the results of 22 typhoons calculated covering a targe area in low latitudes. Besides, the baro-clinic term tor the genesis and development of 6 typhoons over 1979-1980 is calculated and the results obtained show that it has significant effect. Finally, the baroclinicity is shown not to be ignored in dealing with synoptics and dynamics of synoptic-scale systems such as typhoons and easterly waves.     

CLIMATOLOGICAL VARIATION FEATURES OF TYPHOON PRECIPITATION INFLUENCING FUJIAN FOR THE PAST 46 YEARS

The results of an analysis of the temporal and spatial distribution of typhoon precipitation influencing Fujian from 1960 to 2005 show that typhoon precipitation in Fujian province occurs from May to November, with the most in August. There has been a decreasing trend since 1960. Typhoon precipitation gradually decreases from the coastal region to the northwestern mainland of Fujian and the maximum typhoon precipitation occurs in the northeast and the south of Fujian. Typhoon torrential rain is one of the extreme rainfall events in Fujian. High frequencies of typhoon torrential rain occur in the coastal and southwest regions of the province. With the impact of Fujian’s terrain, typhoon precipitation occurs more easily to the east of the mountains than to the west. Atmospheric circulation at 500 hPa over Asia and sea surface temperature anomalies of the equatorial eastern Pacific are analyzed, with the finding that they are closely connected with the anomaly of typhoon precipitation influencing Fujian, possibly mainly by modulating the northbound track of typhoons via changing the atmosphere circulation to lead to the anomaly of typhoon precipitation over the province.     

CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TYPHOON PRECIPITATION OVER CHINA

The spatio-temporal characteristics of typhoon precipitation over China are analyzed in this study. The results show that typhoon precipitation covers most of central-eastern China. Typhoon precipitation gradually decreases from the southeastern coastal regions to the northwestern mainland. The maximum annual typhoon precipitation exceeds 700 mm in central-eastern Taiwan and part of Hainan, while the minimum annual typhoon precipitation occurs in parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Sichuan, with values less than 10 mm. Generally, typhoons produce precipitation over China during April – December with a peak in August. The annual typhoon precipitation time series for observation stations are examined for long-term trends. The results show that decreasing trends exist in most of the stations from 1957 to 2004 and are statistically significant in parts of Taiwan, Hainan, coastal Southeast China and southern Northeast China. The anomaly of typhoon precipitation mainly results from that of the general circulation over Asia and the Walker Cell circulation over the equatorial central and eastern Pacific. Typhoon torrential rain is one of the extreme rainfall events in the southeastern coastal regions and parts of central mainland. In these regions, torrential rains are mostly caused by typhoons.     

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 for28.1% 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 of2.4. Autumn TCs were most likely to make landfall in Guangdong Province, followed by Hainan Province and Taiwan Island.     

SUBTROPICAL HIGH, LATENT HEATING BY CONVECTION AND ASSOCIATION WITH DISSIPATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SOUTH CHINA SEA TYPHOONSI

Numerical modeling and experiments are conducted for the South China Sea typhoons Helen (1995) and Willie (1996) with an auto-adaptive mesh model. It is shown that durating the stage of dissipation the typhoons are mainly related with the subtropical high rather than the topography. The high is sensitive to the intensity change of the typhoon so that the former weakens as the latter strengthens and vice versa. Maintaining the typhoon as a main factor, the release of latent heat is in reversed proportion with the subtropical high in terms of the intensity. It is found that the storm tends to be maintained if it moves close to the westerly trough after landfall.     

Seasonal Variation of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet and Its Association with the Heating Field over East Asia

The structure and seasonal variation of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet （EAWJ） and associations with heating fields over East Asia are examined by using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. Obvious differences exist in the westerly jet intensity and location in different regions and seasons due to the ocean-land distribution and seasonal thermal contrast, as well as the dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of the Tibetan Plateau. In winter, the EAWJ center is situated over the western Pacific Ocean and the intensity is reduced gradually from east to west over the East Asian region. In summer, the EAWJ center is located over the north of the Tibetan Plateau and the jet intensity is reduced evidently compared with that in winter. The EAWJ seasonal evolution is characterized by the obvious longitudinal inconsistency of the northward migration and in-phase southward retreat of the EAWJ axis. A good correspondence between the seasonal variations of EAWJ and the meridional differences of air temperature （MDT） in the mid-upper troposphere demonstrates that the MDT is the basic reason for the seasonal variation of EAWJ. Correlation analyses indicate that the Kuroshio Current region to the south of Japan and the Tibetan Plateau are the key areas for the variations of the EAWJ intensities in winter and in summer, respectively. The strong sensible and latent heating in the Kuroshio Current region is closely related to the intensification of EAWJ in winter. In summer, strong sensible heating in the Tibetan Plateau corresponds to the EAWJ strengthening and southward shift, while the weak sensible heating in the Tibetan Plateau is consistent with the EAWJ weakening and northward migration.     

Study on climatic characteristics of China-influencing tropical cyclones

Analysis of the climatic characteristics of the tropical cyclones that affect China yields several interesting features. The frequency of these tropical cyclones tended to decrease from 1951 to 2005, with the lowest frequency in the past ten years. The decrease in the frequency of super typhoons is particularly significant. The main season of tropical cyclone activities is from May to November, with an active period from July to September. There are three obvious sources of these tropical cyclones and they vary with seasons and decades. Their movement has also changed with seasons. On average, these tropical cyclones affect China for 5.6 months annually and the period of influence decreases in the past decades. An analysis of daily data indicates that the days of typhoon influence are shorter in winter and spring and longer in summer. The frequency of tropical cyclones is the largest over southeastern China, decreasing northwestward. Taiwan is the region that is affected by tropical cyclones most frequently. The average annual precipitation associated with tropical cyclones has also decreased gradually northwestward from southeastern China.     

SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE RESPONSE TEMPERATURE TO TYPHOON MORAKOT (2009) AND ITS INFLUENCE

While previous studies indicate that typhoons can decrease sea surface temperature(SST) along their tracks, a few studies suggest that the cooling patterns in coastal areas are different from those in the open sea. However, little is known about how the induced cooling coupled with the complex ocean circulation in the coastal areas can affect tropical cyclone track and intensity. The sea surface responses to the land falling process of Typhoon Morakot(2009) are examined observationally and its influences on the activity of the typhoon are numerically simulated with the WRF model. The present study shows that the maximum SST cooling associated with Morakot occurred on the left-hand side of the typhoon track during its landfall. Numerical simulations show that, together with the SST gradients associated with the coastal upwelling and mesoscale oceanic vortices, the resulting SST cooling can cause significant difference in the typhoon track, comparable to the current 24-hour track forecasting error. It is strongly suggested that it is essential to include the non-uniform SST distribution in the coastal areas for further improvement in typhoon track forecast.     

AN IMPACT STUDY OF A NEW TYPE OF DATA OF ADAPTIVE OR TARGETING OBSERVATION ON TYPHOON FORECAST

There was a new concept of ‘adaptive or targeting observation’ in recent years, which is an additional and targeting observation based on the existing and fixed observing network for the atmosphere on the impacted region. Dropsonde is one of the important observing instruments in the adaptive or targeting observation. In this paper, GRAPES, the next generation of numerical weather prediction system of China has been used. The impacts on the typhoon Dujuan (No.200315) forecast in experiments with dropsonde have been studied and experiments on sensitivity have also been done. It was found that the forecasts of the elements have been improved obviously with the use of dropsonde, such as the path, the center location, and the intensity of typhoon. It was also found in the sensitivity studies that the setting of deviation structure also has obvious impacts on the forecast for typhoons. It is not true that the simulation is better when the proportion of the data of dropsonde is larger in the course to modify the background.