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

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

热带气旋强度与结构研究新进展

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

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.     

A NOVEL CLASSIFICATION METHOD FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE INTENSITY CHANGE ANALYSIS BASED ON HIERARCHICAL PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM

Based on the tropical cyclone (TC) observations in the western North Pacific from 2000 to 2008, this paper adopts the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm of evolutionary computation to optimize one comprehensive classification rule, and apply the optimized classification rule to the forecasting of TC intensity change. In the process of the optimization, the strategy of hierarchical pruning has been adopted in the PSO algorithm to narrow the search area, and thus to enhance the local search ability, i.e. hierarchical PSO algorithm. The TC intensity classification rule involves core attributes including 12-HMWS, MPI, and Rainrate which play vital roles in TC intensity change. The testing accuracy using the new mined rule by hierarchical PSO algorithm reaches 89.6%. The current study shows that the novel classification method for TC intensity change analysis based on hierarchic PSO algorithm is not only easy to explain the source of rule core attributes, but also has great potential to improve the forecasting of TC intensity change.     

Tropical cyclones in a regional climate change projection with RegCM4 over the CORDEX Central America domain

The characteristics of tropical cyclones (TCs) over the Central America Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) domain are examined for present and future climate conditions using the regional climate model RegCM4. RegCM4 is first tested in a 22 year (1982–2003) simulation with boundary forcing from the ERA-Interim reanalysis, showing a generally good performance in reproducing the observed TC climatology and over the Atlantic in reproducing the interannual variations of TC counts. Four scenario simulations (1970-2100) are generated using two model configurations and two driving global models (MPI and HadGEM). The simulations employing the Grell convection scheme produce too few TCs, while those using the Emanuel convection scheme reproduce the observed climatology, especially when driven by the MPI global model. The simulation of TCs is thus sensitive to both the model convection scheme and the forcing GCM. Comparison of future and present day TC statistics indicates that the frequency of future TCs decreases over the tropical Atlantic and the East Pacific coastal areas while it increases over the western areas of the East Pacific and the northern areas of the Atlantic. We also find an increase in the frequency of intense TCs and long lasting TCs, along with a northward shift of TC tracks over the Atlantic. Conclusions on the changes in TC activity are not found to be sensitive to the inclusion of SST thresholds in the detection procedure. These findings     

基于卫星资料进行热带气旋强度客观估算

利用日本MTSAT (multi-functional transport satellite) 红外亮温资料,提取热带气旋云团中云顶较高、对流较旺盛的深对流信息,根据提取的对流核数量、对流核距热带气旋中心距离、对流核亮温极值等信息表征热带气旋强弱,初步建立了热带气旋强度估测模型;并根据该估算模型的误差分布对强度 (用最大风速表示) 大于40 m·s-1和小于18 m·s-1的样本结果进行了线性修正,修正后的结果与中国气象局《热带气旋年鉴》热带气旋最佳路径资料比较得到非独立样本和独立样本的强度平均绝对误差分别为5.5 m·s-1和5.9 m·s-1, 均方根误差分别为6.9 m·s-1和7.7 m·s-1;对于热带低压、强台风及以上的估计平均绝对误差分别降至4.9,4.7 m·s-1,准确度较好。试验表明:利用热带气旋云团中的对流核数量、分布、冷暖与其强度建立的统计关系模型是可行的,该算法的估算精度与Dvorak方法、AMSU (advanced microwave sounding unit) 定强算法相当。     

Numerical Simulation of Changes in Tropical Cyclone Intensity Using a Coupled Air-Sea Model

A coupled air-sea model for tropical cyclones （TCs） is constructed by coupling the Pennsylvania State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research mesoscale model （MM5） with the Princeton Ocean Model.Four numerical simulations of tropical cyclone development have been conducted using different configurations of the coupled model on the f-plane.When coupled processes are excluded,a weak initial vortex spins up into a mature symmetric TC that strongly resembles those observed and simulated in prior research.The coupled model reproduces the reduction in sea temperature induced by the TC reasonably well,as well as changes in the minimum central pressure of the TC that result from negative atmosphere-ocean feedbacks.Asymmetric structures are successfully simulated under conditions of uniform environmental flow.The coupled ocean-atmosphere model is suitable for simulating air-sea interactions under TC conditions.The effects of the ocean on the track of the TC and changes in its intensity under uniform environmental flow are also investigated.TC intensity responds nonlinearly to sea surface temperature （SST）.The TC intensification rate becomes smaller once the SST exceeds a certain threshold.Oceanic stratification also influences TC intensity,with stronger stratification responsible for a larger decrease in intensity.The value of oceanic enthalpy is small when the ocean is weakly stratified and large when the ocean is strongly stratified,demonstrating that the oceanic influence on TC intensity results not only from SST distributions but also from stratification.Air-sea interaction has only a slight influence on TC movement in this model.     

Can Adaptive Observations Improve Tropical Cyclone Intensity Forecasts?简

In order to investigate whether adaptive observations can improve tropical cyclone （TC） intensity forecasts,observing system simulation experiments （OSSEs） were conducted for 20 TC cases originating in the western North Pacific during the 2010 season according to the conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation （CNOP） sensitivity,using the fifth version of the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model （MM5） and its 3DVAR assimilation system.A new intensity index was defined as the sum of the number of grid points within an allocated square centered at the corresponding forecast TC central position,that satisfy constraints associated with the Sea Level Pressure （SLP）,near-surface horizontal wind speed,and accumulated convective precipitation.The higher the index value is,the more intense the TC is.The impacts of the CNOP sensitivity on the intensity forecast were then estimated.The OSSE results showed that for 15 of the 20 cases there were improvements,with reductions of forecast errors in the range of 0.12％-8.59％,which were much less than in track forecasts.The indication,therefore,is that the CNOP sensitivity has a generally positive effect on TC intensity forecasts,but only to a certain degree.We conclude that factors such as the use of a coupled model,or better initialization of the TC vortex,are more important for an accurate TC intensity forecast.     

Enhanced western North Pacific tropical cyclone activity in May in recent years

The tropical cyclone (TC) power dissipation index (PDI) in May over the western North Pacific (WNP) region shows a remarkable increase from the pre-1999 years (1979–1999) to the post-1999 years (2000–2011). Both increased TC numbers and enhanced TC intensity contributed to the change in the PDI. The averaged TC number in May increased from 1.05 per year in the pre-1999 years to 1.75 per year in the post-1999 years. In particular, the number of intense typhoon goes up from 0.14 per year to 0.83 per year, implying a sharp increase of TC intensity. Examination of the large scale background circulation in May shows that the epochal increase of TC number is caused by a significant increase of the genesis potential index (GPI), which has increased by about 33 % from the first (1979–1998) to the second (1999–2011) epoch over the TC genesis region (110°E–160°E, 5°N–20°N). The higher TC intensity is related to the increased maximum potential intensity and reduced TC ambient vertical wind shear in the second epoch. These decadal changes in background conditions over the WNP are the results of the enhanced summer monsoon in May over the both South Asia and South China Sea.     

基于气候系统模式FGOALS-g2的热带气旋活动及其影响的动力降尺度模拟

热带气旋是气候模拟关注的重要对象,但是,由于当前的气候系统模式分辨率较低,难以合理再现热带气旋分布特征,因此,动力降尺度就成为一种有效的手段。本文使用区域气候模式RegCM3,对中国科学院大气物理研究所气候系统模式FGOALS-g2的模拟结果进行动力降尺度,基于热带气旋路径追踪法,从热带气旋的路径、强度和降水三个方面,检验了动力降尺度在热带气旋模拟能力上的增值。结果表明,动力降尺度结果大幅提升了热带气旋路径频率的模拟,较之全球模式,其与观测的路径频率分布的空间相关系数从0.57提升至0.74;区域模式模拟的热带气旋强度与观测更为一致,全球模式难以模拟40 m s?1以上风速的热带气旋,区域模式能够模拟风速为60 m s?1的热带气旋;在热带气旋降水方面,降尺度后的热带气旋降水贡献率和平均热带气旋降水强度均有所改善,在西北太平洋区域较之全球模式,区域模式将热带气旋降水贡献率和降水强度提高了10%和4.7 mm d?1。动力降尺度后TC（tropical cyclone）的模拟技巧得到提升的区域为西北太平洋区域,但在中国南海区域,技巧提升的不显著甚至有所下降。关于动力降尺度结果在西北太平洋区域的技巧提升,分析表明能够更好体现CISK（Conditional Instability of the Second Kind）机制是主要原因,区域模式模拟的水汽增多、正涡度增强、上升运动增强而垂直风切变减弱都有显著贡献。     

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.     

STATISTICAL AND COMPOSITE ANALYSIS OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF CONVECTIVE CORES AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TBB WITHIN THE TROPICAL CYCLONE CIRCULATION AND ITS INTENSITY

Based on the data(including radius of maximum winds) from the JTWC(Joint Typhoon Warning Center),the tropical cyclones(TCs) radii of the outermost closed isobar, TCs best tracks from Shanghai Typhoon Institute and the Black Body Temperature(TBB) of the Japanese geostationary meteorological satellite M1 TR IR1, and combining13 tropical cyclones which landed in China again after visiting the island of Taiwan during the period from 2001 to2010, we analyzed the relationship between the number of convective cores within TC circulation and the intensity of TC with the method of convective-stratiform technique(CST) and statistical and composite analysis. The results are shown as follows:(1) The number of convective cores in the entire TC circulation is well corresponding with the outer spiral rainbands and the density of convective cores in the inner core area increases(decreases) generally with increasing(decreasing) TC intensity. At the same time, the number of convective cores within the outer spiral rainbands is more than that within the inner core and does not change much with the TC intensity. However, the density of convective cores within the outer spiral rainbands is lower than that within the inner core.(2) The relationship described above is sensitive to landing location to some extent but not sensitive to the structure of TC.(3) The average value of TBB in the inner core area increases(decreases) generally with increasing(decreasing) of TC intensity, which is also sensitive to landing situation to some extent. At the same time, the average value of TBB within the outer spiral rainbands is close to that within the entire TC circulation, and both of them are more than that within the inner core. However, they do not reflect TC intensity change significantly.(4) The results of statistical composite based on convective cores and TBB are complementary with each other, so a combination of both can reflect the relationship between TC rainbands and TC intensity much better.     

0920号超强台风“卢碧”引起的强海上大气波导成因分析与数值模拟研究

基于中国台湾地区主持的侵台台风之飞机侦察及下投式探空仪观测实验（Dropwindsonde Observations for Typhoon Surveillance near the Taiwan Region,DOTSTAR）获得的高分辨率下投式探空仪探测资料,分析了2003年9月—2012年8月所有发生在中国台湾地区附近海域的台风型大气波导事件,遴选出一次由0920号超强台风“卢碧”引起的强台风型海上大气波导过程作为研究对象。利用欧洲中期数值预报中心（ECMWF）再分析资料（水平分辨率0.125°×0.125°）,对此次波导的生成原因进行了分析;基于WRF模式比较了不同初始化方法对台风强度、尺度和周围台风型大气波导的模拟能力。结果表明,此次强台风型大气波导发生在台风环流西北侧外围的弱下沉运动区,其形成与850 hPa高度附近北方强干空气平流导致湿度随高度锐减密切相关。在数值模拟中运用台风动力初始化方法,可以有效改进台风强度、路径和尺度的模拟效果,进而有利于改善台风型大气波导尤其是波导层所在高度的模拟效果。台风外围出现的大气波导通常以悬空波导为主,模拟效果与台风螺旋雨带和内核尺度的模拟关系密切,而与台风强度和眼墙结构关系不大。中尺度数值模式WRF具有模拟台风型大气波导的能力,是研究台风型大气波导的有力手段。      

Which Features of the SST Forcing Error Most Likely Disturb the Simulated Intensity of Tropical Cyclones?

Among all of the sources of tropical cyclone(TC) intensity forecast errors, the uncertainty of sea surface temperature(SST) has been shown to play a significant role. In the present study, we determine the SST forcing error that causes the largest simulation error of TC intensity during the entire simulation period by using the WRF model with time-dependent SST forcing. The SST forcing error is represented through the application of a nonlinear forcing singular vector(NFSV)structure. For the selected 12 TC cases, the NFSV-type SST forcing errors have a nearly coherent structure with positive(or negative) SST anomalies located along the track of TCs but are especially concentrated in a particular region. This particular region tends to occur during the specific period of the TCs life cycle when the TCs present relatively strong intensity, but are still intensifying just prior to the mature phase, especially within a TC state exhibiting a strong secondary circulation and very high inertial stability. The SST forcing errors located along the TC track during this time period are verified to have the strongest disturbing effect on TC intensity simulation. Physically, the strong inertial stability of TCs during this time period induces a strong response of the secondary circulation from diabatic heating errors induced by the SST forcing error. Consequently, this significantly influences the subsidence within the warm core in the eye region, which,in turn, leads to significant errors in TC intensity. This physical mechanism explains the formation of NSFV-type SST forcing errors. According to the sensitivity of the NFSV-type SST forcing errors, if one increases the density of SST observations along the TC track and assimilates them to the SST forcing field, the skill of TC intensity simulation generated by the WRF model could be greatly improved. However, this adjustment is most advantageous in improving simulation skill during the time period when TCs become strong but are still intensifying just prior to reaching full maturity. In light of this, the region along the TC track but in the time period of TC movement when the NFSV-type SST forcing errors occur may represent the sensitive area for targeting observation for SST forcing field associated with TC intensity simulation.     

西北太平洋热带气旋频次的延伸期动力-统计预报方法和评估

介绍了西北太平洋热带气旋(TC)频次的延伸期预报方法,比较了新构建的动力-统计和统计预报模型的预测技巧,并探讨了预报误差来源及改进方向。动力-统计预报模型是基于动力模式预测的热带季节内振荡(ISO)信号及ISO-TC生成的同期统计关系来进行预报;统计预报模型则是基于TC生成的前兆ISO信号建模预报。预报评估结果显示,动力-统计混合预报模型的预报技巧高于统计预报模型,原因在于影响TC次季节变化的前兆信号并不稳定,且随着预报超前时间迅速消散,无法提供有效且稳定的可预报源;相反地,TC生成与同期的ISO背景场显著相关,动力模式对ISO(预报因子)有较好的预报能力,因此动力-统计相结合的预报方法为TC延伸期预报提供了有效途径。虽然目前动力-统计预报模型的预报技巧可达5～6周,但仍有进一步改进和提高的空间。通过对不同类型TC预报技巧检验和误差分析,研究认为年际和年代际背景场对ISO调控TC活动的影响不可忽略,且热带外ISO信号(如罗斯贝波破碎和西风急流强度等)对TC频次和轨迹也有显著影响,这些因子为TC延伸期预报提供了潜在可预报源。     

What controls early or late onset of tropical North Atlantic hurricane season?

The occurrence of first hurricane in early summer signifies the onset of an active Atlantic hurricane season. The interannual variation of this hurricane onset date is examined for the period 1979-2013. It is found that the onset date has a marked interannual variation. The standard deviation of the interannual variation of the onset day is 17.5 days, with the climatological mean onset happening on July 23.A diagnosis of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis potential index (GPI) indicates that the major difference between an early and a late onset group lies in the maximum potential intensity (MPI). A further diagnosis of the MPI shows that it is primarily controlled by the local SST anomaly (SSTA). Besides the SSTA, vertical shear and mid-tropospheric relative humidity anomalies also contribute significantly to the GPI difference between the early and late onset groups.It is found that the anomalous warm (cold) SST over the tropical Atlantic, while uncorrelated with the Niño3 index, persists from the preceding winter to concurrent summer in the early (late) onset group. The net surface heat flux anomaly always tends to damp the SSTA, which suggests that ocean dynamics may play a role in maintaining the SSTA in the tropical Atlantic. The SSTA pattern with a maximum center in northeastern tropical Atlantic appears responsible for generating the observed wind and moisture anomalies over the main TC development region. A further study is needed to understand the initiation mechanism of the SSTA in the Atlantic.     

数值模式的热带气旋强度预报订正及其集成应用

提供热带气旋强度预报产品的业务数值天气预报模式有很多,并已表现出一定的预报技巧,为提高对模式热带气旋强度预报产品的定量应用能力,分析2010—2012年7个业务数值模式的西北太平洋热带气旋强度预报,发现预报误差不仅受到模式热带气旋初始强度误差的显著影响,还与热带气旋及其所处环境的初始状况有密切关系,包括热带气旋初始强度、尺度、移速、环境气压、环境风切变、热带气旋发展潜势等。根据这些因子与各模式热带气旋强度预报误差之间的相关性,采用逐步回归方法建立热带气旋强度预报误差的统计预估模型,并通过逐个热带气旋滚动式建模来进行独立样本检验。检验结果表明,基于误差预估的模式订正预报比模式直接输出的热带气旋强度预报有显著改进,在此基础上建立的热带气旋强度多模式集成预报方案相对气候持续性预报方法在12 h有28%的正技巧,在24—72 h则稳定在15%—20%,具有业务参考价值。     

The Uncertainty of Tropical Cyclone Intensity and Structure Based on Different Parameterization Schemes of Planetary Boundary Layer

Based on different parameterization schemes of planetary boundary layer (PBL), the uncertainty of intensity and structure of the Super-strong Typhoon Rammasun (1409) is investigated using the WRF model (v3.4) with six PBL parameterization schemes. Results indicate that PBL uncertainty leads to the uncertainty in tropical cyclone (TC) prediction, which increases with forecast time. The uncertainty in TC prediction is mainly reflected in the uncertainty in TC intensity, with significant differences in the TC intensity forecasts using various PBL schemes. The uncertainty in TC prediction is also reflected in the uncertainty in TC structures. Greater intensity is accompanied by smaller vortex width, tighter vortex structure, stronger wind in the near-surface layer and middle and lower troposphere, stronger inflow (outflow) wind at the lower (upper) levels, stronger vertical upward wind, smaller thickness of the eye wall, smaller outward extension of the eye wall, and warmer warm core at the upper levels of eye. PBL height, surface upward heat flux and water vapor flux are important factors that cause the uncertainty in TC intensity and structure. The more surface upward heat flux and water vapor flux and the lower PBL height, the faster TC development and the stronger TC intensity.     

用数值预报释用方法做近海及登陆热带气旋强度预报

这是一个对GFS数值预报产品进行解释应用的方法.将支持向量机(SVM)回归方法应用于近海和登陆热带气旋(TC)的强度预报.从其本身强度,影响范围内气象因子情况,地形因子等三个方面,设计相关因子,建立预报模式,用来预报12、24、36、48、60和72 h的TC强度.总体上模式强度预报结果与中央气象台的预报结果相近,优于气候持续法的预报;趋势预报优势明显,可高出7～12个百分点.表明可以成为台风强度预报的另一个工具,投入业务应用.     

SIMULATION OF TROPICAL CYCLONES OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC AND LANDFALLING IN CHINA BY REGCM4

This study evaluates the performance of the regional climate model RegCM4 in simulating tropical cyclone (TC) activities over the Western North Pacific (WNP) and their landfalling in China. The model is driven by ERA-Interim boundary conditions at a grid spacing of 25 km, with the simulation period as 1991–2010. Results show that RegCM4 performs well in capturing the main structural features of observed TCs, and in simulating the genesis number and annual cycle of the genesis. The model reproduces the general pattern of the observed TC tracks and occurrence frequency. However, significant underestimation of the occurrence frequency as well as the TC intensity is found. Number of the landfalling TCs over China is also much less than the observed. Bias of the model in reproducing the large-scale circulation pattern and steering flow may contribute to the underestimated landfalling TC numbers.