An assessment of the predictability of the East Asian Subtropical Westerly Jet based on TIGGE data

The predictability of the position, spatial coverage and intensity of the East Asian subtropical westerly jet(EASWJ) in the summers of 2010 to 2012 was examined for ensemble prediction systems(EPSs) from four representative TIGGE centers,including the ECMWF, the NCEP, the CMA, and the JMA. Results showed that each EPS predicted all EASWJ properties well, while the levels of skill of all EPSs declined as the lead time extended. Overall, improvements from the control to the ensemble mean forecasts for predicting the EASWJ were apparent. For the deterministic forecasts of all EPSs, the prediction of the average axis was better than the prediction of the spatial coverage and intensity of the EASWJ. ECMWF performed best, with a lead of approximately 0.5–1 day in predictability over the second-best EPS for all EASWJ properties throughout the forecast range. For probabilistic forecasts, differences in skills among the different EPSs were more evident in the earlier part of the forecast for the EASWJ axis and spatial coverage, while they departed obviously throughout the forecast range for the intensity. ECMWF led JMA by about 0.5–1 day for the EASWJ axis, and by about 1–2 days for the spatial coverage and intensity at almost all lead times. The largest lead of ECMWF over the relatively worse EPSs, such as NCEP and CMA, was approximately 3–4 days for all EASWJ properties. In summary, ECMWF showed the highest level of skill for predicting the EASWJ, followed by JMA.     

基于TIGGE多模式集合的24小时气温BMA 概率预报

利用TIGGE(THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble)单中心集合预报系统(ECMWF、United Kingdom Meteorological Office、China Meteorological Administration和NCEP)以及由此所构成的多中心模式超级集合预报系统24小时地面日均气温预报,结合淮河流域地面观测率定贝叶斯模型平均(Bayesian model averaging,BMA)参数,从而建立地面日均气温BMA概率预报模型.由此针对淮河流域进行地面日均气温BMA概率预报及其检验与评估,结果表明BMA模型比原始集合预报效果好;单中心的BMA概率预报都有较好的预报效果,其中ECMWF最好.多中心模式超级集合比单中心BMA概率预报效果更好,采用可替换原则比普通的多中心模式超级集合BMA模型计算量小,且在上述BMA集合预报系统中效果最好.它与原始集合预报相比其平均绝对误差减少近7%,其连续等级概率评分提高近10%.基于采用可替换原则的多中心模式超级集合BMA概率预报,针对研究区域提出了极端高温预警方案,这对防范高温天气有着重要意义.     

台风路径数值预报实时订正技术及其集成应用

以台风路径数值预报的短时效预报偏差和目标时效（指所需订正的时效）的纬度预报为预报因子,采用多元线性回归方法建立了台风路径预报的偏差预估方程,继而对台风路径预报进行实时订正。本文以12 h为短时效,通过对欧洲中期天气预报中心确定性预报模式（ECMWF-IFS）和集合预报模式（ECMWF-EPS）的台风路径预报的应用,得到以下结论:2018年试报结果表明,24 h、36 h、48 h、60 h、72 h、84 h订正后的ECMWF-IFS台风路径预报的平均距离误差分别比订正前减小了7.3 km、9.3 km、8.9 km、6.5 km、6.9 km、2.6 km,总体来说较强台风（指12 h的台风强度实况≥32.7 m s?1）路径预报的订正效果更好。尝试了先对ECMWF-EPS各成员的台风路径预报进行订正,再进行集成预报,并对比了以下5种方式得到的台风路径预报:“订正后的确定性预报”、“所有集合预报成员集合平均”、“优选集合预报成员集合平均”、“所有集合预报成员先订正再集合平均”和“优选集合预报成员先订正再集合平均”,2018年试报结果表明,对于平均距离误差,24 h和36 h“优选集合预报成员先订正再集合平均”最小,48 h和60 h“所有集合预报成员先订正再集合平均”最小,72 h和84 h“优选集合预报成员集合平均”最小,如果在业务中有针对性地进行应用,有望获得一个在各预报时效表现都较优异的台风路径客观综合预报结果。24 h、36 h、48 h、60 h“优选集合预报成员先订正再集合平均”的平均距离误差分别比“所有集合预报成员集合平均”减小了13.3 km、11.7 km、10.0 km、7.6 km,比中央气象台官方预报（对应的时效为12 h、24 h、36 h、48 h）减小了0.7 km、2.0 km、3.9 km、2.4 km。     

东亚地区冬季地面气温延伸期概率预报研究

利用TIGGE资料中的ECMWF、NCEP、UKMO三个中心集合预报系统以及由此构成的多中心集合预报系统所提供的地面2 m气温10~15 d延伸期集合预报产品,建立贝叶斯模式平均(Bayesian Model Averaging,BMA)概率预报模型,对东亚地区冬季地面气温进行延伸期概率预报研究。采用距平相关系数、均方根误差、布莱尔评分、等级概率评分等指标分别对BMA确定性结果与概率预报进行评估。结果表明,BMA方法明显地改进了原始集合预报结果,预报技巧优于原始集合预报,且多中心BMA预报优于单中心BMA预报,最佳滑动训练期取35 d。BMA预报为气温的延伸期概率预报提供了更合理的概率分布,定量描述了预报的不确定性。     

Improving Multi-Model Ensemble Forecasts of Tropical Cyclone Intensity Using Bayesian Model Averaging

This paper proposes a method for multi-model ensemble forecasting based on Bayesian model averaging (BMA), aiming to improve the accuracy of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity forecasts, especially forecasts of minimum surface pressure at the cyclone center (P_min). The multi-model ensemble comprises three operational forecast models: the Global Forecast System (GFS) of NCEP, the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) models of NCEP, and the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) of ECMWF. The mean of a predictive distribution is taken as the BMA forecast. In this investigation, bias correction of the minimum surface pressure was applied at each forecast lead time, and the distribution (or probability density function, PDF) of P_min was used and transformed. Based on summer season forecasts for three years, we found that the intensity errors in TC forecast from the three models varied significantly. The HWRF had a much smaller intensity error for short lead-time forecasts. To demonstrate the proposed methodology, cross validation was implemented to ensure more efficient use of the sample data and more reliable testing. Comparative analysis shows that BMA for this three-model ensemble, after bias correction and distribution transformation, provided more accurate forecasts than did the best of the ensemble members (HWRF), with a 5%–7% decrease in root-mean-square error on average. BMA also outperformed the multi-model ensemble, and it produced “predictive variance” that represented the forecast uncertainty of the member models. In a word, the BMA method used in the multi-model ensemble forecasting was successful in TC intensity forecasts, and it has the potential to be applied to routine operational forecasting.     

Evaluation of a Regional Ensemble Data Assimilation System for Typhoon Prediction

An ensemble Kalman filter(EnKF) combined with the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model(WRF) is cycled and evaluated for western North Pacific(WNP) typhoons of year 2016. Conventional in situ data, radiance observations, and tropical cyclone(TC) minimum sea level pressure(SLP) are assimilated every 6 h using an 80-member ensemble. For all TC categories, the 6-h ensemble priors from the WRF/EnKF system have an appropriate amount of variance for TC tracks but have insufficient v...     

Ensemble mean forecast skill and applications with the T213 ensemble prediction system

Ensemble forecasting has become the prevailing method in current operational weather forecasting. Although ensemble mean forecast skill has been studied for many ensemble prediction systems(EPSs) and different cases, theoretical analysis regarding ensemble mean forecast skill has rarely been investigated, especially quantitative analysis without any assumptions of ensemble members. This paper investigates fundamental questions about the ensemble mean, such as the advantage of the ensemble mean over individual members, the potential skill of the ensemble mean, and the skill gain of the ensemble mean with increasing ensemble size. The average error coefficient between each pair of ensemble members is the most important factor in ensemble mean forecast skill, which determines the mean-square error of ensemble mean forecasts and the skill gain with increasing ensemble size. More members are useful if the errors of the members have lower correlations with each other, and vice versa. The theoretical investigation in this study is verified by application with the T213 EPS. A typical EPS has an average error coefficient of between 0.5 and 0.8; the 15-member T213 EPS used here reaches a saturation degree of 95%(i.e., maximum 5% skill gain by adding new members with similar skill to the existing members) for 1–10-day lead time predictions, as far as the mean-square error is concerned.     

基于TIGGE资料的地面气温多模式超级集合预报

基于TIGGE资料, 采用均方根误差分别对欧洲中期天气预报中心、日本气象厅、美国国家环境预报中心和英国气象局4个中心集合预报的地面气温场集合平均结果进行检验评估, 比较各中心地面气温的预报效果。并利用超级集合、多模式集合平均和消除偏差集合平均3种方法对4个中心的地面气温预报进行集成, 同时对预报结果进行分析。结果表明: 2007年夏季日本气象厅与欧洲中期天气预报中心在北半球大部分地区预报效果最好, 各中心在不同地区预报效果不同。超级集合与消除偏差集合平均降低了预报误差, 预报效果优于最好的单个中心预报和多模式集合平均。对于较长的预报时效, 消除偏差集合平均表现出了更好的预报性能。     

Ensemble Forecasts of Tropical Cyclone Track with Orthogonal Conditional Nonlinear Optimal Perturbations

This paper preliminarily investigates the application of the orthogonal conditional nonlinear optimal perturbations(CNOPs)–based ensemble forecast technique in MM5(Fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model). The results show that the ensemble forecast members generated by the orthogonal CNOPs present large spreads but tend to be located on the two sides of real tropical cyclone(TC) tracks and have good agreements between ensemble spreads and ensemble-mean forecast errors for TC tracks. Subsequently, these members reflect more reasonable forecast uncertainties and enhance the orthogonal CNOPs–based ensemble-mean forecasts to obtain higher skill for TC tracks than the orthogonal SVs(singular vectors)–, BVs(bred vectors)– and RPs(random perturbations)–based ones. The results indicate that orthogonal CNOPs of smaller magnitudes should be adopted to construct the initial ensemble perturbations for short lead–time forecasts, but those of larger magnitudes should be used for longer lead–time forecasts due to the effects of nonlinearities. The performance of the orthogonal CNOPs–based ensemble-mean forecasts is case-dependent,which encourages evaluating statistically the forecast skill with more TC cases. Finally, the results show that the ensemble forecasts with only initial perturbations in this work do not increase the forecast skill of TC intensity, which may be related with both the coarse model horizontal resolution and the model error.     

热带气旋奇异向量在GRAPES全球集合预报中的初步应用

基于副热带奇异向量的初值扰动方法已应用于GRAPES （Global and Regional Assimilation PrEdiction System）全球集合预报系统,但存在热带气旋预报路径离散度不足的问题。通过分析发现,热带气旋附近区域初值扰动结构不合理导致预报集合不能较好地估计热带气旋预报的不确定性,是路径集合离散度不足的可能原因之一。通过建立热带气旋奇异向量求解方案,将热带气旋奇异向量和副热带奇异向量共同线性组合生成初值扰动,以弥补热带气旋区域初值扰动结构不合理这一缺陷,进而改进热带气旋集合预报效果。利用GRAPES全球奇异向量计算方案,以台风中心10个经纬度区域为目标区构建热带气旋奇异向量求解方案,针对台风“榕树”个例进行集合预报试验,并开展批量试验,利用中国中央气象台最优台风路径和中国国家气象信息中心的降水观测资料进行检验,对比分析热带气旋奇异向量结构特征和初值扰动特征,评估热带气旋奇异向量对热带气旋路径集合预报和中国区域24 h累计降水概率预报技巧的影响。结果表明,热带气旋奇异向量具有局地化特征,使用热带气旋奇异向量之后,热带气旋路径离散度增加,路径集合平均预报误差和离散度的关系得到改善,路径集合平均预报误差有所减小,集合成员更好地描述了热带气旋路径的预报不确定性;中国台风降水的小雨、中雨、大雨、暴雨各量级24 h累计降水概率预报技巧均有一定提高。总之,当在初值扰动的生成中考虑热带气旋奇异向量后,可改进热带气旋初值扰动结果,并有助于改善热带气旋路径集合预报效果。      

2010年8月环流形势的多模式超级集合预报

利用多模式超级集合预报法,以欧洲中期天气预报中心、日本气象厅、德国气象局、中国气象局和中国空军气象中心共5个决定性7 d预报产品为集合成员,对2010年8月500 hPa高度场和850 hPa温度场分别进行固定训练期和滑动训练期超级集合预报。采用均方根误差和相关系数对超级集合预报、单一模式预报和简单集合平均预报进行对比检验,同时对各预报结果的均方根误差空间分布进行对比分析。结果表明:超级集合预报在所有预报结果中最佳,且滑动集合预报对8月后期时段预报要略好于固定集合预报,两者预报效果均好于参与集合预报的各模式,也好于集合平均预报。但随着预报时效的延长,集合平均预报的优势也随之提升。从预报结果均方根误差的空间分布可知,多模式超级集合预报相比于单一模式预报效果提高的区域,500 hPa位势高度场主要位于印度半岛、印度洋、青藏高原及以西地区,而850 hPa温度场则主要位于蒙古、青藏高原、中国新疆及以西地区。     

2009年夏季西太平洋台风路径和强度的多模式集成预报

基于TIGGE资料中的中国气象局、欧洲中期天气预报中心、日本气象厅和英国气象局等四个中心的2009年5月1日-8月31日台风预报资料,利用多模式集合平均、消除偏差集合平均和加权消除偏差集合平均等方法,对2009年8月1-31日预报期的西太平洋的台风路径和强度(中心气压)进行24～ 72 h预报时效的多模式集成预报,并对0907号台风“天鹅”和0908号台风“莫拉克”进行个例分析.结果表明:各中心对于不同时效的预报,预报技巧有明显差异.消除偏差集合平均与加权消除偏差集合平均显著地减小了预报误差,预报效果优于最好的单个中心预报和多模式集合平均.对于24 ～ 72 h预报,加权消除偏差集合平均方法始终表现出最好的预报性能.     

B08RDP区域集合预报温度场质量评估与综合偏差订正

针对B08RDP(The Beijing 2008 Olympics Research and Development Project)5套区域集合预报资料,系统分析了各套集合预报温度场的预报质量。在此基础上运用集合预报的综合偏差订正方法对温度场进行偏差订正,并对其效果进行了分析讨论。结果显示:5套B08RDP区域集合预报中,美国国家环境预报中心(NCEP)区域集合预报温度场的整体预报质量最高,平均预报误差最小,离散度也最为合理,预报可信度和可辨识度均较优;而中国气象科学研究院(CAMS)的温度预报误差过大,预报质量最差。整体上看,除NCEP之外的4套集合预报的温度场均存在集合离散度偏小的问题;综合偏差订正能有效减小各集合预报温度场的集合平均均方根误差,改善集合离散度的质量,显示出综合偏差订正方案对集合预报温度场偏差订正的良好能力。     

A convection-allowing ensemble forecast based on the breeding growth mode and associated optimization of precipitation forecast

A convection-allowing ensemble forecast experiment on a squall line was conducted based on the breeding growth mode (BGM). Meanwhile, the probability matched mean (PMM) and neighborhood ensemble probability (NEP) methods were used to optimize the associated precipitation forecast. The ensemble forecast predicted the precipitation tendency accurately, which was closer to the observation than in the control forecast. For heavy rainfall, the precipitation center produced by the ensemble forecast was also better. The Fractions Skill Score (FSS) results indicated that the ensemble mean was skillful in light rainfall, while the PMM produced better probability distribution of precipitation for heavy rainfall. Preliminary results demonstrated that convection-allowing ensemble forecast could improve precipitation forecast skill through providing valuable probability forecasts. It is necessary to employ new methods, such as the PMM and NEP, to generate precipitation probability forecasts. Nonetheless, the lack of spread and the overprediction of precipitation by the ensemble members are still problems that need to be solved.     

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 demonstrated to have more impact on the TC intensity forecasts.The perturbations coherently show barotropic structure around the central location of the TCs at the 24-hour lead time,and their dominant energies concentrate in the middle layers of the atmosphere.Moreover,such structures do not depend on TC intensities and subsequent development of the TC.The NFSV-tendency perturbations may indicate that the model uncertainty that is represented by tendency perturbations but associated with the inner-core of TCs,makes larger contributions to the TC intensity forecast uncertainty.Further analysis shows that the TC intensity forecast skill could be greatly improved as preferentially superimposing an appropriate tendency perturbation associated with the sensitivity of NFSVs to correct the model,even if using a WRF with coarse resolution.     

基于TIGGE资料的沂沭河流域6小时降水集合预报能力分析

全球多模式集合预报(TIGGE)资料为发展局地水文风险预报方法提供了新基础。对不同预报系统的集合预报资料进行评价与对比,可为综合应用多源资料实现超集合预报提供参考。本文以沂沭河流域内10个站点观测降水作为参照,对2007～2010年7、8、9月中BABJ(北京)、ECMF(欧洲)、EGRR(英国)、RJTD(日本)和KWBC(美国NCEP)五种预报模式的6h集合预报降水做了相关系数、均方根误差、Nash效率系数、TS评分(风险评分)和Brier评分等定量评估和对比。对于各模式集合平均预报,EGRR表现最好,4日预见期内的相关系数达0.48,Nash系数为0.21,BABJ最差,其他三模式预报能力相当。对于确定的控制性预报,4日预见期内RJTD表现最优,相关系数为0.19,Nash系数为0.13,其次为BABJ和EGRR。各模式集合平均与控制性预报相比,预报能力都占绝对优势,而多模式集合平均其预报能力又强于任何单模式集合平均。在4日预见期内,多模式平均的相关系数达0.49,Nash系数达0.24。在不同百分位阈值下TS评分和Brier评分也表明了类似的各模式评比结果,但多模式平均虽然在较低阈值下评分较优,但不占据绝对优势。各中心资料均具有一个随预见时长增加的稳定衰减期,其中EGRR衰减期最长(达9天)且最为稳定,而其他资料则存在不同稳定程度的衰减,稳定衰减期都能持续4天以上。各中心资料对较大降水的预报还存在各自不同的系统性偏差。     

西北太平洋(含南海)热带气旋路径集成预报分析

基于2004—2009 年中国中央气象台、日本气象厅、美国联合台风警报中心、欧洲中心对西北太平洋和南海编号热带气旋主客观预报资料,利用算术平均、多元回归以及历史平均误差等三种集成方法,建立了热带气旋路径集成预报业务化系统。通过2007—2009 年的业务运行结果分析发现,欧洲中心客观预报参与的24、48 和72 h 集成比主观预报三个成员集成预报水平分别提高约2%、3%～5%和3%～5%,减小误差2.5 km左右、6～9 km 和10～12 km。技巧分析发现,24～72 h 集成预报有正技巧,多元回归集成技巧相对稍低,而算术平均和以各成员平均误差的平方倒数为权重系数的集成技巧对于各集成成员来说技巧差异不大。96 h 集成预报对欧洲中心的客观预报没有正技巧。      

基于卡尔曼滤波的中国区域气温和降水的多模式集成预报

利用TIGGE资料集下欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF)、日本气象厅(JMA)、美国国家环境预报中心(NCEP)、中国气象局(CMA)和英国气象局(UKMO)5个模式预报的结果,对基于卡尔曼滤波的气温和降水的多模式集成预报进行研究。结果表明,卡尔曼滤波方法的预报效果优于消除偏差集合平均(BREM)和单模式的预报,但是对于地面气温和降水,其预报效果也存在一定的差异。在中国区域2 m气温的预报中,卡尔曼滤波的预报结果最优。而对于24 h累积降水预报,尽管卡尔曼滤波在所有量级下的TS评分均优于BREM,但随着预报时效增加,其在大雨及以上量级的TS评分跟最佳单模式UKMO预报相当,改进效果不明显。卡尔曼滤波在地面气温和24 h累积降水每个预报时效下的均方根误差均最优,预报效果更佳且稳定。     

北半球中纬度地区地面气温的超级集合预报

基于TIGGE资料中的ECMWF、JMA、NCEP和UKMO四个中心2007年6月1日-8月31日北半球中纬度地区地面气温24～168 h集合预报资料,分别利用固定训练期超级集合(SUP, Superensemble)和滑动训练期超级集合(R-SUP, Running Training Period Superensemble )对2007年8月8-31日预报期24 d进行超级集合预报试验.采用均方根误差对预报结果进行检验评估,比较了两种超级集合方法与最好的单个中心模式预报、多模式集合平均的预报效果.结果表明,SUP预报有效降低了预报误差,24～144 h的预报效果优于多模式集合平均(EMN, Ensemble Mean)和最好的单个中心预报,168 h的预报效果略差于EMN.R-SUP预报进一步改善了预报效果.对于24～168 h的预报,R-SUP预报效果都要优于EMN.尤其对于168 h的预报,R-SUP改进了预报效果,优于EMN.     

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.