The Earliest Onset Areas and Mechanism of the Tropical Asian Summer Monsoon

The multi-yearly averaged pentad meteorological fields at 850 hPa of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dada and the TBB fields of the Japan Meteorological Agency during 1980-1994 are analyzed. It is found that if the pentad is taken as the time unit of the monsoon onset, then the tropical Asian summer monsoon (TASM) onsets earliest, simultaneously and abruptly over the whole area in the Bay of Bengal (BOB), the Indo-China Peninsula (ICP), and the South China Sea (SCS), east of 90°E, in the 27th to 28th pentads of a year (Pentads 3 to 4 in May), while it onsets later in the India Peninsula (IP) and the Arabian Sea (AS), west of 90°E. The TASM bursts first at the south end of the IP in the 30th to 31st pentads near 10°N, and advances gradually northward to the whole area, by the end of June. Analysis of the possible mechanism depicts that the rapid changes of the surface sensible heat flux, air temperature, and pressure in spring and early summer in the middle to high latitudes of the East Asian continent between 100°E and 120癊are crucially responsible for the earliest onset of the TASM in the BOB to the SCS areas. It is their rapid changes that induce a continental depression to form and break through the high system of pressure originally located in the above continental areas. The low depression in turn introduces the southwesterly to come into the BOB to the SCS areas, east of 90°E, and thus makes the SCS summer monsoon (SCSSM) burst out earliest in Asia. In the IP to the AS areas, west of 90°E, the surface sensible heat flux almost does not experience obvious change during April and May, which makes the tropical Indian summer monsoon (TISM) onset later than the SCSSM by about a month. Therefore, it is concluded that the meridian of 90°E is the demarcation line between the South Asian summer monsoon (SASM, i.e., the TISM) and the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM, including the SCSSM). Besides, the temporal relations between the TASM onset and the seasonal variation of the South Asian high (SAH) are discussed, too, and it is found that there are good relations between the monsoon onset time and the SAH center positions. When the SAH center advances to north of 20°N, the SCSSM onsets, and to north of 25°N, the TISM onsets at its south end. Comparison between the onset time such determined and that with other methodologies shows fair consistency in the SCS area and some differences in the IP area.     

Relative Roles of Intraseasonal and Above-seasonal Components in the South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset

Multi-scale contributions are involved in the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon (SCSSM) onset process. The relative roles of intraseasonal oscillation and above-seasonal component in the year-to-year variation of the SCSSM onset are evaluated in this study. The 30-90-day and above-90-day components are major contributors to the year-to-year variation of the SCSSM onset, and the former contributes greater portion, while the 8-30-day component has little contribution to the onset. In the early onset cases, the 30-90-day westerly winds move and extend eastward from the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) to the SCS monsoon region relatively earlier, and replace the easterly winds over the SCS with the cooperation of the 30-90-day cyclone moving southward from northern East Asia. The westerly anomalies of the above-90-day component in spring jointly contribute to the early SCSSM onset. In the late onset cases, the late eastward expansion of 30-90-day westerly wind over the TIO, accompanied by the late occurrence and weakening of the 30-90-day anticyclone over the SCS, and its late withdraw from the SCS, as well as the persistent easterly anomalies of above-90-day component, suppress the SCSSM onset. However, the SCSSM outbreaks in the obvious weakening stage of 30-90-day easterly anomalies. The easterlies-to-westerlies transition of the 30-90-day 850- hPa zonal wind over the SCS in spring is closely associated with sea surface temperature in the tropical western Pacific in preceding winter and spring, while the interannual variation of the above-90-day zonal wind in April-May is closely related to the decaying stage of the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation events.     

Wavelet transform technique to study the behavior of the 10–20-day and 25–50-day modes during indian summer monsoon onset

Summary Wavelet transform (WT) has been employed to study the behavior of the 10–20-day and 25–50-day modes during Indian monsoon onset. Daily time-series of the zonal and meridional components of surface wind over off the Somali coast and onset dates over south Kerala during 23 years (1954–1976) have been used. In 63% of cases the results of this analysis indicate a link between summer monsoon onset and the 10–20-day and 25–50-day bands expressed by the simultaneously occurrence of fluctuations in these two bands. This suggests the presence of undulatory behavior within the Somali jet whose periods are situated in the 10–20-day and 25–50-day bands during summer monsoon onset.With 6 Figures     

Sources of Subseasonal Prediction Skill for Heatwaves over the Yangtze River Basin Revealed from Three S2S Models

Based on the reforecast data(1999–2010) of three operational models [the China Meteorological Administration(CMA), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction of the U.S.(NCEP) and the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecasts(ECMWF)] that participated in the Subseasonal to Seasonal Prediction(S2S) project, we identified the major sources of subseasonal prediction skill for heatwaves over the Yangtze River basin(YRB). The three models show limited prediction skills in terms of the ...     

Composite patterns of easterly disturbances over West Africa and the tropical Atlantic: a climatology from the 1979–95 NCEP/NCAR reanalyses

 The horizontal and vertical structure of the 3–5-day and 6–9-day easterly waves over West Africa and tropical Atlantic are investigated. NCEP/NCAR reanalyses are used for the period 1979–1995 to produce a 17-year climatology of both 3–5-day and 6–9-day easterly waves. Composite patterns of convection, wind, temperature and vertical velocity are analysed with respect to the following: the modulation by 3–5-day and 6–9-day wave regimes; the contrasts between the ITCZ (5°N–10°N) and the Sahelo-Saharan band (15°N–20°N); the difference between land and ocean, and seasonal variations. Similarities and differences in the characteristics of the two wave regimes are identified. Received: 18 August 1999 / Accepted: 14 March 2001     

North-Eastward propagating 25–50-day mode and its link with Indian summer monsoon activity

Summary Spatio-temporal characteristics of the 25–50-day oscillations are investigated using the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition and spectral analysis with the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM). Daily pressure values over India during 1978 are used in this study. Power spectra of the temporal coefficients of the two leading EOFs show the existence of a low frequency oscillation with a period range 25–50-day over all India. An analysis using extended empirical orthogonal function (EEOF) indicates North-Eastward propagating 25–50-day mode. The analysis EOF has allowed to establish a relationship between the 25–50-day oscillation and the activity of the summer monsoon. The North-Eastward propagation of this mode is also confirmed by the simple EOF analysis.With 9 Figures     

ON THE KEY REGIONS OF 500 hPa GEOPOTENTIAL HEIGHTS OVER NORTHERN HEMISPHERE IN WINTER

Variance analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis methods are applied to analyze the variation of circulation at 500 hPa. In winter, there are three regions (180°E – 150°W, 45°N – 60°N, 70°W – 100 °W，45°N – 75°N, 60°E – 100°E, 65°N – 80°N) whose variations are strong. Those regions are the key regions in which atmospheric circulation can change. Those regions are correlated to some teleconnections and can present a part of variations of 500 hPa to some degree. The linear contemporary correlation between those regions and the height at 500 hPa is significant. Those regions can account for 88 % of variations of concurrent height at 500 hPa. Those regions can present and forecast some variations to some degree in March and April. The longer the time interval, the worse the forecast effect will be. The interannual variations of Q1, Q2 and the SST are weak in the western Pacific.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF ATMOSPHERIC HEAT SOURCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUMMER MONSOON ONSET OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THE POSSIBLE MECHANISM RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS LATE OR EARLY ONSET

The characteristics of atmospheric heat source associated with the summer monsoon onset in the South China Sea (SCS) are studied using ECMWF reanalysis data from 1979 to 1993. A criterion of the SCS summer monsoon onset is defined by the atmospheric hea…     

Probable maximum precipitation for a 2-day duration over the Indian Peninsula

Summary For the purpose of providing information to hydrologists for designing costly and large hydraulic structures, estimates of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for a 2-day duration for stations in the Indian Peninsula lying between 8° N to 20° N were calculated using the Hershfield statistical techniqe. Maximum annual 2-day rainfall data of 80 years from 1901 for 131 stations in the region were used. In order to obtain values of PMP, an enveloping frequency factor (k _m ) curve based on the actual rainfall data of stations in the region was developed. The enveloping curve was then utilised to estimate 2-day PMP values of all the 131 stations. Based on these PMP estimates, a generalised chart showing the spatial distribution of 2-day PMP was prepared. It was found that 2-day PMP estimates over the Indian peninsula varied from 40 to 95 cm and the average ratio of 2-day PMP to the highest observed 2-day rainfall was found to be 1.76.With 2 Figures     

Synoptic Features of the Second Meiyu Period in 1998 over China

1. IntroductionThe Meiyu, translated as plum rain, is a majorannual rainfall event over the Yangtze River Basin inChina and southern Japan in June and July. Theheavy rainfall is mainly caused by a quasi-stationaryfront, known as the Meiyu front, extended from east-ern China to southern Japan (Tao, 1958; Matsumotoet al., 1971; Akiyama, 1990; Gao et al, 1990). Studiesof Zhang and Zhang (1990) and Chen et al. (1998)pointed that the Meiyu front is one of the most signif-icant circulation s…     

Origins of Quasi-Biweekly and Intraseasonal Oscillations over the South China Sea and Bay of Bengal and Scale Selection of Unstable Equatorial and Off-Equatorial Modes

The daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) field in boreal summer shows significant power spectrum peaks on quasi-biweekly (10–20-day) and intraseasonal (20-80-day) timescales over the Indo-western Pacific warm pool, especially over the South China Sea and Bay of Bengal. The quasi-biweekly oscillation (QBWO) originates from off-equatorial western North Pacific, and is characterized by a northwest-southeast oriented wave train pattern, propagating northwestward. The intraseasonal oscillation (ISO), on the other hand, originates from the equatorial Indian Ocean and propagates eastward and northward. Why the equatorial mode possesses a 20–80-day periodicity while the off-equatorial mode favors a 10–20-day periodicity is investigated through idealized numerical experiments with a 2.5-layer atmospheric model. In the off-equatorial region, the model simulates, under a realistic three-dimensional summer mean flow, the most unstable mode that has a wave train pattern with a typical zonal wavelength of 6000 km and a period of 10–20 days, propagating northwestward. This is in contrast to the equatorial region, where a Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) like mode with a planetary (wavenumber-1) zonal scale and a period ranging from 20 to 80 days is simulated. Sensitivity experiments with different initial conditions indicate that the QBWO is an intrinsic mode of the atmosphere in boreal summer in the off-equatorial Indo-western Pacific region under the summer mean state, while the MJO is the most unstable mode in the equatorial region.     

Easterly wave regimes and associated convection over West Africa and tropical Atlantic: results from the NCEP/NCAR and ECMWF reanalyses

 NCEP/NCAR and ECMWF daily reanalyses are used to investigate the synoptic variability of easterly waves over West Africa and tropical Atlantic at 700 hPa in northern summer between 1979–1995 (1979–1993 for ECMWF). Spectral analysis of the meridional wind component at 700 hPa highlighted two main periodicity bands, between 3 and 5 days, and 6 and 9 days. The 3–5-day easterly wave regime has already been widely investigated, but only on shorter datasets. These waves grow both north and south of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ). The two main tracks, noted over West Africa at 5 °N and 15 °N, converge over the Atlantic on latitude 17.5 °N. These waves are more active in August–September than in June–July. Their average wavelength/phase speed varies from about 3000 km/8 m s^-1 north of the jet to 5000 km/12 m s^-1 south of the jet. Rainfall, convection and monsoon flux are significantly modulated by these waves, convection in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) being enhanced in the trough and ahead of it, with a wide meridional extension. Compared to the 3–5-day waves, the 6–9-day regime is intermittent and the corresponding wind field pattern has both similar and contrasting characteristics. The only main track is located north of the AEJ along 17.5 °N both over West Africa and the Atlantic. The mean wavelength is higher, about 5000 km long, and the average phase speed is about 7 m s^-1. Then the wind field perturbation is mostly evident at the AEJ latitude and north of it. The perturbation structure is similar to that of 3–5-days in the north except that the more developed circulation centers, moving more to the north, lead to a large modulation of the jet zonal wind component. South of the AEJ, the wind field perturbation is weaker and quite different. The zonal wind core of the jet appears to be an almost symmetric axis in the 6–9-day wind field pattern, a clockwise circulation north of the AEJ being associated with a counter-clockwise circulation south of the jet, and vice versa. These 6–9-day easterly waves also affect significantly rainfall, convection and monsoon flux but in a different way, inducing large zonal convective bands in the ITCZ, mostly in the trough and behind it. As opposed to the 3–5-day wave regime, these rainfall anomalies are associated with anomalies of opposite sign over the Guinea coast and the Sahelian regions. Over the continent, these waves are more active in June–July, and in August–September over the ocean. GATE phase I gave an example of such an active 6–9-day wave pattern. Considered as a sequence of weak easterly wave activity, this phase was also a sequence of high 6–9-day easterly wave activity. We suggest that the 6–9-day regime results from an interaction between the 3–5-day easterly wave regime (maintained by the barotropic/baroclinic instability of the AEJ), and the development of strong anticyclonic circulations, north of the jet over West Africa, and both north and south of the jet over the Atlantic, significantly affecting the jet zonal wind component. The permanent subtropical anticyclones (Azores, Libya, St Helena) could help initiation and maintenance of such regime over West Africa and tropical Atlantic. Based on an a priori period-band criterion, our synoptic classification has enabled us to point out two statistical and meteorological easterly wave regimes over West Africa and tropical Atlantic. NCEP/NCAR and ECMWF reanalyses are in good agreement, the main difference being a more developed easterly wave activity in the NCEP/NCAR reanalyses, especially for the 3–5-day regime over the Atlantic. Received: 28 May 1998 / Accepted: 2 May 1999     

20–50-day oscillation of summer Yangtze rainfall in response to intraseasonal variations in the subtropical high over the western North Pacific and South China Sea

The spatio-temporal variability in summer rainfall within eastern China is identified based on empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of daily rain-gauge precipitation data for the period 1979–2003. Spatial coherence of rainfall is found in the Yangtze Basin, and a wavelet transform is applied to the corresponding principal component to capture the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) of Yangtze rainfall. The ensemble mean wavelet spectrum, representing statistically significant intraseasonal variability, shows a predominant oscillation in summer Yangtze rainfall with a period of 20–50 days; a 10–20-day oscillation is pronounced during June and July. This finding suggests that the 20–50-day oscillation is a major agent in regulating summer Yangtze rainfall. Composite analyses reveal that the 20–50-day oscillation of summer Yangtze rainfall arises in response to intraseasonal variations in the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH), which in turn is modulated by a Rossby wave-like coupled circulation–convection system that propagates northward and northwestward from the equatorial western Pacific. When an anomalous cyclone associated with this Rossby wave-like system reaches the South China Sea (SCS) and Philippine Sea, the WNPSH retreats northeastward due to a reduction in local pressure. Under these conditions, strong monsoonal southwesterlies blow mainly toward the SCS–Philippine Sea, while dry conditions form in the Yangtze Basin, with a pronounced divergent flow pattern. In contrast, the movement of an anomalous anticyclone over the SCS–Philippine Sea results in the southwestward extension of the WNPSH; consequently, the tropical monsoonal southwesterlies veer to the northeast over the SCS and then converge toward the Yangtze Basin, producing wet conditions. Therefore, the 20–50-day oscillation of Yangtze rainfall is also manifest as a seesaw pattern in convective anomalies between the Yangtze Basin and the SCS–Philippine Sea. A considerable zonal shift in the WNPSH is associated with extreme dry (wet) episodes in the Yangtze Basin, with an abrupt eastward (westward) shift in the WNPSH generally leading the extreme negative (positive) Yangtze rainfall anomaly by a 3/8-period of the 20–50-day oscillation. This finding may have implications for improving extended-range weather forecasting in the Yangtze Basin.     

THE INTRASEASONAL VARIABILITY OF SURFACE WIND AND UPPER LAYER THERMAL STRUCTURE IN THE WESTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC WARM POOL REGION DURING THE WINTER OF 1992～1993

In this paper, the hydrographical and meteorological data observed by the R/Vs "Xiang Yang Hong No. 5", "Experiment No. 3"and "Ke Xue No. 1 "during TOGA-COARE IOP are used to analyze the variability of surface wind and upper layer thermal structure, and to reveal the periods of intraseasonal oscillation of surface wind components and certain layers of sea temperature from November 6, 1992 to February 18, 1993 in the western tropical Pacific warm pool region. It is shown that the variation of the sea surface temperature (SST) was inversely correlated to that of surface wind components. It is also indicated from spectral analysis that the significant periods of intraseasonal oscillation of daily mean zonal wind (MZW) were 30-to 60-day and 8-to 9-day long, and that of mean meridional wind (MMW)was 6-to 7-day long. The fluctuation of daily mean sea temperature (MST) in certain layers from surface to the 250 m layer also had the 30-to 60-day low frequency oscillation except for the 150 m layer,and the fluctuations of the daily MST in 100, 150, 200 and 250 m layers had the same 3-day period,their coherence and phase differences were over 0. 90 and between 319° and 353° respectively, which implies the fluctuations of daily MST from 100 to 250 m layers were in phase with each other in the same 3-day period. The analysis of in situ observations revealed a physical evidence of the westerly wind bursts (WWBs) which trigger off the eastward movement of warm water through intraseasonal oscillation and induce the onset of E1 Nino event.     

Recent trends in observed temperature and precipitation extremes in the Yangtze River basin,China

Summary The present study is an analysis of the observed extreme temperature and precipitation trends over Yangtze from 1960 to 2002 on the basis of the daily data from 108 meteorological stations. The intention is to identify whether or not the frequency or intensity of extreme events has increased with climate warming over Yangtze River basin in the last 40 years. Both the Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test and simple linear regression were utilized to detect monotonic trends in annual and seasonal extremes. Trend tests reveal that the annual and seasonal mean maximum and minimum temperature trend is characterized by a positive trend and that the strongest trend is found in the winter mean minimum in the Yangtze. However, the observed significant trend on the upper Yangtze reaches is less than that found on the middle and lower Yangtze reaches and for the mean maximum is much less than that of the mean minimum. From the basin-wide point of view, significant increasing trends are observed in 1-day extreme temperature in summer and winter minimum, but there is no significant trend for 1-day maximum temperature. Moreover, the number of cold days ≤0 °C and ≤10 °C shows significant decrease, while the number of hot days (daily value ≥35 °C) shows only a minor decrease. The upward trends found in the winter minimum temperature in both the mean and the extreme value provide evidence of the warming-up of winter and of the weakening of temperature extremes in the Yangtze in last few decades. The monsoon climate implies that precipitation amount peaks in summer as does the occurrence of heavy rainfall events. While the trend test has revealed a significant trend in summer rainfall, no statistically significant change was observed in heavy rain intensity. The 1-day, 3-day and 7-day extremes show only a minor increase from a basin-wide point of view. However, a significant positive trend was found for the number of rainstorm days (daily rainfall ≥50 mm). The increase of rainstorm frequency, rather than intensity, on the middle and lower reaches contributes most to the positive trend in summer precipitation in the Yangtze.     

Trends in Extreme Precipitation Events in the Indus River Basin and Flooding in Pakistan

In the absence of a sufficiently dense network of climate stations covering all topographic regions of the Indus River basin and delivering high quality data over the last 30 years or more, daily precipitation data were obtained from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of the Enviornment (NCEP-DOE) Reanalysis 2 dataset for the period 1979 to 2011. The daily precipitation data were transformed into time series of frequency of extreme precipitation events of 1-day and 10-day durations defined in terms of 90th and 99th percentile threshold exceedances. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall trend test was applied to determine whether statistically significant changes in precipitation extremes occurred over time, in due consideration of autocorrelation in the data.

Extreme precipitation showed a high spatial variability, with the highest daily and 10-day precipitation totals, and thus highest 90th and 99th percentiles, in the southeastern lowlands at the foot of the Himalayas and the lowest in the Karakorum. Significantly decreasing trends in extreme precipitation were observed in the western part of the Indus River basin; significantly increasing trends were mainly detected in the very high mountainous regions in the east (Transhimalaya and Himalayas) and in the north (Hindu Kush and Karakorum) of the Indus basin. High precipitation rates are not common in the arid climate of these high mountainous regions. Future flood management plans need to consider the increasing trends in extreme precipitation events in these areas.     

Southern Quebec (Canada) summer-season heat spells over the 1941–2000 period: an assessment of observed changes

Summary Summer-season (May–September) daily maximum temperature (T _max) and daily minimum temperature (T _min) observations and three types of heat spells obtained from these temperature observations at seven weather stations located in southern Quebec (Canada) for the 60-year period from 1941 to 2000 are studied to assess temporal changes in their characteristics (i.e. frequency of occurrence, seasonal hot days and extremal durations of heat spells). Type-A and Type-B heat spells are obtained respectively from T _max and T _min observations and Type-C heat spells from simultaneous joint observations of T _max and T _min using suitable thresholds and spells of duration ≥1-day and ≥3-day. The results of this investigation show that the majority of the selected percentiles (i.e. 5P, 10P, 25P, 50P, 75P, 80P, 90P, 92P, 95P, and 98P) of T _max observations show a negative time-trend with statistically significant decreases (at 10% level) in some of the higher percentiles and in the maximal values at four out of seven stations. Almost all of the selected percentiles (same as for the T _max) and the maximal and minimal values of T _min observations show a positive trend, with statistically significant increases for all seven stations. Examination of frequencies of occurrence of heat spells, seasonal hot days and annual extremes of heat spell durations indicate that many of these characteristics of heat spells have undergone statistically significant changes over time at some of the stations for Type-A and Type-B heat spells as compared to Type-C heat spells. The Type-C heat spells are generally small in number and are found to be relatively temporally stable. More severe Type-C heat spells, i.e. the ones having T _max and T _min values simultaneously above very high thresholds and with duration ≥3-day have been rarely observed in southern Quebec.     

Statistical adjustment,calibration and downscaling of seasonal forecasts: a case-study for Southeast Asia

Climate Dynamics - The present paper is a follow-on of the work presented in Manzanas et al. (Clim Dyn 53(3–4):1287–1305, 2019) which provides a comprehensive intercomparison...     

Intraseasonal variations of the Yangtze rainfall and its related atmospheric circulation features during the 1991 summer

The intraseasonal variations of the Yangtze rainfall over eastern China and its related atmospheric circulation characteristics during the 1991 summer are examined based on the gauge-observed rainfall and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. Wavelet analysis shows that during the 1991 summer, the active and break sequences of rainfall over the middle and lower Yangtze Basin are mainly regulated by an oscillatory mode with a period of 15–35 days. An investigation of the circulation features suggests that the 15–35-day oscillation is associated with an anomalous low-level cyclone (anticyclone) appearing alternatively over the northern South China Sea (SCS) and the Philippine Sea, and related to a northeastward (southwestward) shift of the western Pacific subtropical anticyclone over the SCS, leading to a lower tropospheric divergence (convergence) over the Yangtze Basin. In the upper troposphere, the 15–35-day oscillation exhibits a dipole anomaly characterized by an anomalous cyclone (anticyclone) over eastern China and an anomalous anticyclone (cyclone) over the northern Tibetan Plateau, resulting in a southwestward shrinking (northeastward extending) of the South Asian anticyclone, and forming a convergence (divergence) over eastern China. Such a coupled anomalous flow pattern between the lower and upper troposphere favors large-scale descending (ascending) motion, and hence reduced (enhanced) rainfall over the Yangtze Basin. Dynamically, the intraseasonal variations in the Yangtze rainfall are mainly determined by the coupling between the low-level relative vorticity and the upper-level divergence. In the middle troposphere, the 15–35-day oscillation of the subtropical high is originated over the central North Pacific north of Hawaii, then propagates westward to the SCS-Philippine Sea, and finally modulates the intraseasonal variations of the Yangtze rainfall.     

Validation of Strategies using Clustering Analysis of ECMWF EPS for Initial Perturbations in a Limited Area Model Ensemble Prediction System

One of the main challenges for a skilful Limited Area Model Ensemble Prediction System (LAMEPS) is the generation of appropriate initial perturbations. In most operational LAMEPSs, the initial perturbations are provided by a global Ensemble Prediction System (EPS). Molteni et al. (2001 Marsigli, C., Montani, A., Nerozzi, F., Paccagnella, T., Tibaldi, S., Molteni, F. and Buizza, R. 2001. A strategy for high-resolution ensemble prediction. II: Limited-area experiments in four Alpine flood events. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 127: 2095–2115. (doi:10.1002/qj.49712757613)[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) proposed clustering analysis as an objective selection criterion to choose a member from the global European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)-EPS model as initial perturbations in LAMEPS. In this article, another strategy for using the clustering method is investigated which ensures that initial perturbations are centred on the control analysis. The main purpose of this article is to study the benefit of cluster analysis and to validate the effect of different clustering strategies on the performance of a 17-member LAMEPS. The system used in this study is the operational Aire Limitée Adaptation Dynamique Développement InterNational-Limited-Area Ensemble Forecasting (ALADIN-LAEF) model.

Three experiments were carried out over a 50-day period to validate different clustering strategies: i) representative members of 16 clusters from the 50-member ECMWF-EPS, where initial perturbations are not necessarily centred; ii) representative members from eight clusters and the symmetric pairs from ECMWF singular vector analysis; and iii) eight arbitrarily chosen ECMWF-EPS singular vector pairs. Results of the verified experiments show that the statistical reliability of ALADIN-LAEF improves when clustering is applied, but no clear improvement can be seen in the skill of LAMEPS. A case study of a heavy precipitation event confirms the result of the 50-day verification. The validation shows that none of the clustering strategies outperforms any other.

RÉSUMÉ?[Traduit par la rédaction] L'un des principaux défis d'un système performant de prévisions d'ensemble de modèle à domaine limité (LAMEPS) réside dans la génération de perturbations initiales appropriées. Dans la plupart des LAMEPS opérationnels, les perturbations initiales sont fournies par un système de prévisions d'ensemble (EPS) global. Molteni et coll. (2001 Molteni, F., Buizza, R., Marsigli, C., Montani, A., Nerozzi, F. and Paccagnella, T. 2001. A strategy for high-resolution ensemble prediction. I: Definition of representative members and global-model experiments. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 127: 2069–2094. (doi:10.1002/qj.49712757612)[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) ont proposé l'analyse par groupement comme critère de sélection objectif pour le choix d'un membre du modèle EPS global du Centre européen pour les prévisions météorologiques à moyen terme (ECMWF) comme perturbations initiales dans le LAMEPS. Dans cet article, nous étudions une autre stratégie d'utilisation de la méthode des groupements, qui assure que les perturbations initiales sont centrées sur l'analyse de contrôle. Le but premier de cet article est d’étudier les avantages de l'analyse par groupement et de valider l'effet des différentes stratégies de groupement sur la performance d'un LAMEPS de 17 membres. Le système utilisé dans cette étude est le modèle opérationnel ALADIN–LAEF (Aire limitée, Adaptation dynamique, Développement InterNational – Prévisions d'ensemble à domaine limité).Nous avons mené trois expériences sur une période de 50 jours pour valider différentes stratégies de groupement: i) membres représentatifs de 16 groupements d'un ECMWF–EPS de 50 membres, où les perturbations initiales ne sont pas nécessairement centrées; ii) membres représentatifs de huit groupements et les paires symétriques issues de l'analyse par vecteurs singuliers du ECMWF; et iii) huit paires issues de l'analyse par vecteurs singuliers du ECMWF-EPS choisies au hasard. Les résultats des expériences vérifiées montrent que la fiabilité statistique du ALADIN–LAEF s'améliore lorsqu'un groupement est appliqué, mais on ne perçoit aucune amélioration nette dans l'habileté du LAMEPS. Une étude de cas d'un événement de fortes précipitations confirme le résultat de la vérification de 50 jours. La validation montre qu'aucune des stratégies de groupement ne surpasse les autres.