Sub-seasonal Prediction of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset in the NCEP Climate Forecast System Version 2

This study depicts the sub-seasonal prediction of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset(SCSSMO) and investigates the associated oceanic and atmospheric processes, utilizing the hindcasts of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2(CFSv2). Typically, the SCSSMO is accompanied by an eastward retreat of the western North Pacific subtropical high(WNPSH), development of the cross-equatorial flow, and an increase in the east-west sea surface temperat...     

SEASONAL PREDICTIONS FOR SPRING AND AUTUMN SURFACE AIR TEMPERATURES OVER SOUTHERN CHINA BY THE NCEP CFSV2

In this study, we investigate the variations of spring and autumn air temperatures in southern China (SC) and associated atmospheric circulation patterns. During the boreal spring, the SC air temperature is mainly influenced by tropical sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs). On the one hand, the El Ni?o SSTA pattern may induce a stronger-than-normal western Pacific subtropical high, which leads to warming in SC. On the other hand, the warm SSTAs in the tropical Indian Ocean may trigger anomalous Rossby wave trains, which propagate northeastward and result in anomalously high temperature in SC. During the boreal autumn, however, the SC temperature is more likely affected by mid-latitude atmospheric circulation, such as the wave trains forced by the North Atlantic SSTAs. The NCEP Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) is able to capture the climatology of SC air temperatures during both spring and autumn. For interannual variation, the CFSv2 shows a good skill for predicting the SC temperature in spring, due to the model’s good performance in capturing the associated atmospheric circulation anomalies as responses to tropical SSTAs, in spite of the overestimated relationship with the El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, the model has a poor skill for predicting the SC temperature in autumn, primarily due to the unrealistic prediction of its relationship with the ENSO.     

5月华南降雨前期海温信号特征分析

利用国家气象信息中心提供的1983—2013年31 a月平均全国降雨数据、美国国家环境预报中心/国家大气研究中心(NCEP/NCAR)大气再分析资料及美国国家海洋大气管理局(NOAA)的海表面温度资料,分析了华南前汛期(5月)降雨的前期海温信号。结果表明,华南5月份降雨在印度洋和太平洋的早期海温信号于1998年前后有显著的年代际变化。1998年之前,前期海温信号主要是和处于发展位相的厄尔尼诺有关的热带东太平洋和北印度洋的海温异常,它主要通过大气桥作用激发的菲律宾反气旋影响华南5月降雨异常。1998年之后,前期海温信号主要是和中高纬北太平洋的马蹄形海温异常有关,它可以通过影响中纬度瞬变活动调制副热带急流的强度和位置,引起华南降水异常。利用2014年4月的海温信号对5月华南降水的预报结果及5月的大气环流,验证了这种海温信号的存在及其引起华南5月降雨异常的机理,并运用美国国家环境预报中心气候预报系统(CFSv2)的模式预报数据,证实了这两类前期海温信号的存在。本研究表明,这两类前期海温信号能为5月份华南降雨未来的业务预报提供一定参考。     

DYNAMICAL PREDICTION OF WEST CHINA AUTUMN RAINFALL BY THE NCEP CLIMATE FORECAST SYSTEM

This study investigates the variation and prediction of the west China autumn rainfall (WCAR) and their associated atmospheric circulation features, focusing on the transitional stages of onset and demise of the WCAR. Output from the 45-day hindcast by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) and several observational data sets are used. The onset of WCAR generally occurs at pentad 46 and decays at pentad 56, with heavy rainfall over the northwestern China and moderate rainfall over the south. Before that, southerly wind changes into southeasterly wind, accompanied by a westward expansion and intensification of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), favoring rainfall over west China. On the other hand, during the decay of WCAR, a continental cold high develops and the WPSH weakens and shifts eastward, accompanied by a demise of southwest monsoon flow, leading to decay of rainfall over west China. The CFSv2 generally well captures the variation of WCAR owing to the high skill in capturing the associated atmospheric circulation, despite an overestimation of rainfall. This overestimation occurs at all time leads due to the overestimated low-level southerly wind. The CFSv2 can pinpoint the dates of onset and demise of WCAR at the leads up to 5 days and 40 days, respectively. The lower prediction skill for WCAR onset is due to the unrealistically predicted northerly wind anomaly over the lower branch of the Yangtze River and the underestimated movement of WPSH after lead time of 5 days.     

夏季江淮流域持久性旱涝现象的环流特征

基于美国环境预测中心提供的CFSv2模式回报数据以及淮河流域172个气象台站的气温降水观测数据, 评估了该模式对淮河流域夏季气温降水的预测能力。结果表明:模式对气温气候平均态的模拟与实况较为接近, 降水虽然能够反映出南多北少的分布特征, 但气候平均值明显偏小。模式对于气温和降水均方差的模拟均偏小。从频率分布来看, 回报气温的频率分布与实况较为接近, 回报降水不仅存在很大的负偏差, 出现异常降水的频率也比实况明显偏低。对ROC曲线的分析进一步表明模式预测高温事件的能力明显好于低温事件, 预测降水异常事件的能力在不同起报月有差异。从主要模态的时空结构来看, 模式能够反映出其空间结构, 对于增暖的趋势模拟也相当不错, 但增暖的速率高于实况, 虽然模式没有能够反映出降水主要模态的年代际变化特征, 但对于年际变化有较高的预测技巧。这些评估为短期气候预测和模式解释应用提供了参考。

     

NCEP CFSv2对中国2015年夏季月尺度降水和环流预报分析

利用美国环境预报中心的第二代气候预报系统(NCEP CFSv2)提供的1982~2010年历史回报资料和2015年6~8月预报产品、NCEP CFSR再分析资料及中国地面观测降水资料,评估了NCEP CFSv2对2015年(厄尔尼诺发展年)中国夏季月降水和环流形势的预报能力,并分析了影响模式预报技巧高低的可能因子。结果表明:1)模式对降水的预报技巧较低且表现出明显的月变化(7月最高,8月次之,6月最低),但总体水平都不高。预报技巧明显依赖于提前时间的长短。2)CFSv2对影响我国夏季降水的500h Pa关键区环流异常空间模态表现出较高的预报技巧。对全东亚区域,模式基本都可提前5~9天(7月9天,6月6天,8月5天)较为准确的预报出未来一个月高度异常空间模态。3)通过对比分析发现,CFSv2环流预报中选取12个集合成员(滑动3天)可以得到较稳定的预报结果。4)在2015年夏季月尺度环流异常模态预报中,东亚全区的环流预报水平很大程度上取决于中高纬地区的预报。CFSv2对中高纬环流月预报技巧(6~8月都能从提前4天开始就基本稳定维持在较高水平)比热带地区更高更稳定。     

Probabilistic Seasonal Prediction of Summer Rainfall over East China Based on Multi-Model Ensemble Schemes

The skill of probability density function (PDF) prediction of summer rainfall over East China usingoptimal ensemble schemes is evaluated based on the precipitation data from ˉve coupled atmosphere-oceangeneral circulation models that participate in the ENSEMBLES project. The optimal ensemble scheme ineach region is the scheme with the highest skill among the four commonly-used ones: the equally-weightedensemble (EE), EE for calibrated model-simulations (Cali-EE), the ensemble scheme based on multiple linearregression analysis (MLR), and the Bayesian ensemble scheme (Bayes). The results show that the optimalensemble scheme is the Bayes in the southern part of East China; the Cali-EE in the Yangtze River valley,the Yangtze-Huaihe River basin, and the central part of northern China; and the MLR in the eastern partof northern China. Their PDF predictions are well calibrated, and are sharper than or have approximatelyequal interval-width to the climatology prediction. In all regions, these optimal ensemble schemes outperformthe climatology prediction, indicating that current commonly-used multi-model ensemble schemes are ableto produce skillful PDF prediction of summer rainfall over East China, even though more information forother model variables is not derived.     

A Seasonal Prediction Model for the Summer Rainfall in Northeast China Using the Year-To-Year Increment Approach

Using the year-to-year increment approach, this study investigated the relationship of selected climatic elements with the increment time series of the summer rainfall between successive years in Northeast China, including the soil moisture content, sea surface temperature, 500 hPa geopotential height, and sea level pressure in the preceding spring for the period 1981–2008. Two spring predictors were used to construct the seasonal prediction model: the area mean soil moisture content in Northwest Eurasia and the 500 hPa geopotential height over Northeast China. Both the cross-validation and comparison with previous studies showed that the above two predictors have good predicting ability for the summer rainfall in Northeast China.     

Prediction of Wintertime Northern Hemisphere Blocking by the NCEP Climate Forecast System

Daily output from the hindcasts by the NCEP Climate Forecast System version 2(CFSv2) is analyzed to understand CFSv2's skill in forecasting wintertime atmospheric blocking in the Northern Hemisphere.Prediction skills of sector blocking,sector-blocking episodes,and blocking onset/decay are assessed with a focus on the Euro-Atlantic sector(20°W-45°E) and the Pacific sector(160°E-135°W).Features of associated circulation and climate patterns are also examined.The CFSv2 well captures the observed features of longitudinal distribution of blocking activity,but underestimates blocking frequency and intensity and shows a decreasing trend in blocking frequency with increasing forecast lead time.Within 14-day lead time,the Euro-Atlantic sector blocking receives a higher skill than the Pacific sector blocking.Skillful forecast(taking the hit rate of 50%as a criterion) can be obtained up to 9 days in the Euro-Atlantic sector,which is slightly longer than that in the Pacific sector(7 days).The forecast skill of sector-blocking episodes is slightly lower than that of sector blocking in both sectors,and it is slightly higher in the Euro-Atlantic sector than in the Pacific sector.Compared to block onset,the skill for block decay is lower in the Euro-Atlantic sector,slightly higher in the Pacific sector during the early three days but lower after three days in lead time.In both the Euro-Atlantic and the Pacific sectors,a local dipole pattern in 500-hPa geopotential height associated with blocking is well presented in the CFSv2 prediction,but the wave-train like pattern that is far away from the blocking sector can only maintain in the forecast of relative short lead time.The CFSv2 well reproduces the observed characteristics of local temperature and precipitation anomalies associated with blocking.     

基于南海夏季风季节内振荡的降水延伸预报试验

利用代表南海夏季风季节内振荡特征的850 hPa纬向风EOF分解的前两个主成分,定义南海夏季风季节内振荡指数,并利用美国国家环境预测中心第2代气候预报系统 (NCEP Climate Forecast System Version 2, NCEP/CFSv2) 提供的1982—2009年逐日回算预报场计算了南海夏季风季节内振荡指数的预报值,用于我国南方地区持续性强降水的预报试验。试验结果表明:利用南海夏季风季节内振荡实时监测指数与模式直接预报降水量相结合的统计动力延伸预报方法,能够有效提高季节内降水分量的预报效果。同时,该方法能够避免末端数据损失,修正了对模式预报降水直接进行带通滤波而导致的负相关现象,并起到消除模式系统误差的作用。     

An Effective Approach for Improving the Real-Time Prediction of Summer Rainfall over China

This paper has two purposes. One is to evaluate the ability of an atmospheric general circulation model (IAP9L-AGCM) to predict summer rainfall over China one season in advance. The other is to propose a new approach to improve the predictions made by the model. First, a set of hindcast experiments for summer climate over China during 1982-2010 are performed from the perspective of real-time prediction with the IAP9L-AGCM model and the IAP ENSO prediction system. Then a new approach that effectively combines the hind-cast with its correction is proposed to further improve the model’s predictive ability. A systematic evaluation reveals that the model’s real-time predictions for 41 stations across China show significant improvement using this new approach, especially in the lower reaches between the Yellow River and Yangtze River valleys.     

纳沙\

利用1982—2013年海南岛18个自动站日降水量、NCEP/NCAR逐月2.5°×2.5°再分析资料、NOAA海温及CFSv2模式的历史回报数据,分析海南秋季暴雨异常的同期环流特征及其与海温的关系。并利用模式预测较好的与秋季暴雨日数密切相关的环流因子、海温构建秋季暴雨日数预测模型。结果表明：(1)秋季暴雨多寡与环流异常关系密切。秋季暴雨偏多年,海南附近盛行偏东风;热带西太平洋-南海气压偏低,热带系统趋于活跃,且该区为东南风异常,带来充沛水汽;西太平洋纬向风切变偏弱,易形成暖心结构,对应有台风的发生发展。另一方面,海温强迫影响显著,热带中东太平洋海温异常影响着大气环流和热带对流活动,造成秋季降水异常。(2)热带太平洋地区中低层高度场、海平面气压、低层风及纬向风切变与秋季暴雨日数关系密切,且CFSv2模式能较好预测这些环流场上的高影响区。(3)利用最优子集回归构建基于模式有效信息的秋季暴雨日数模型,交叉检验和独立样本试验均表明,该预测方法与模型整体预测效果较好,可为秋季暴雨日数的预测提供参考。

     

中国地区降水持续性的季节变化特征

本文利用我国588个气象站1969-2008年逐12小时的降水资料,分析了中国地区降水持续性的空间分布特征及其季节演变规律。分析结果表明,35°N以南,西部和东部年平均的降水平均持续时间较长,中部略短;35°N以北,西北和内蒙西部最短,东北地区北部略长。将降水事件按持续时间分类自南向北,东南地区、江淮和黄淮地区、东北和华北北部地区短时降水（持续一个时次,12小时）的降水量和降水频率占全年总降水的比例逐渐增加,持续性降水（持续3个时次及以上）的比例减少。降水平均持续时间随季节的变化基本能反映出江南春雨、江淮梅雨、东北和华北夏季雨季、关中盆地和汉水谷地的秋雨以及青藏高原地区和西南地区夏季雨季。同时,东南地区秋冬季节、江淮和黄淮地区10月上旬和西南地区10月下旬存在降水平均持续时间的峰值,与降水量的变化不一致,是由持续性降水频率的增加和短时降水频率的减少造成的。此外,东部三个区域降水平均持续时间的夏季季节内变化对应了季风雨带的“北跳和南撤”过程。     

闽西北5月雨量特多年份环流特征及其成因分析

利用闽西北三明市的11个县、市1961—2014年5月降雨量资料、常规气象观测资料和NCEP 2.5×2.5°再分析资料等对闽西北历史上5月雨量特多年的降雨量时空分布特征和大气环流特征及其成因进行了分析,结果表明:5月区域性、全区性雨量特多年的环流异常特征是500hPa欧亚中高纬度自西向东环流呈"+-+"的波列分布,鄂霍次克海北侧高度正距平区的稳定少动,起到阻挡冷空气东移的作用,冷空气沿乌拉尔山西侧高度正距平中心前的偏北气流不断南下,使萨彦岭一带高度负距平中心加强,其底部不断分裂小槽东移影响闽西北。925hPa华南北部维持一条稳定切变线;对于2014年5月特例的环流形势分析结果可知,500hPa东亚大槽明显偏东,引导冷空气南下与强大副高西北侧西南暖湿气流交绥在闽西北上空。925hPa闽西北处于气旋式辐合区内。北支槽、南支槽均非常活跃,东移影响闽西北,是导致该地5月区域性降雨量特多的主要原因。     

我国南方暴雨的试验与研究

50年以来, 中国气象科学研究院几代科学家致力于暴雨研究, 取得了令人瞩目的成就, 尤其是最近10年, 中国气象科学研究院主持了3个国家级研究项目开展我国南方暴雨研究, 其中包括华南前汛期暴雨的试验与研究, 长江中下游梅雨锋暴雨的试验与研究以及目前正在实施的研究范围更为广泛的我国南方致洪暴雨的试验与研究。通过上述项目的实施, 在华南前汛期暴雨与长江流域梅雨锋暴雨的三维结构、形成机理、遥感监测与探测中尺度暴雨的理论和方法以及自主发展配有三维同化系统的中尺度暴雨数值模式系统等方面均取得重要的研究成果, 有的已经在我国各级业务部门推广应用, 取得良好的经济与社会效益。目前正在实施的国家973项目, 针对引发我国南方致洪暴雨的β-中尺度强对流天气系统开展更为深入的试验与研究, 通过这些努力, 有望在提高我国暴雨的监测与预报、预警能力, 增强我国减灾防灾的总体实力做出更为重要的贡献。     

Verification and Improvement of the Ability of CFSv2 to Predict the Antarctic Oscillation in Boreal Spring

The boreal spring Antarctic Oscillation(AAO) has a significant impact on the spring and summer climate in China. This study evaluates the capability of the NCEP's Climate Forecast System, version 2(CFSv2), in predicting the boreal spring AAO for the period 1983–2015. The results indicate that CFSv2 has poor skill in predicting the spring AAO, failing to predict the zonally symmetric spatial pattern of the AAO, with an insignificant correlation of 0.02 between the predicted and observed AAO Index(AAOI). Considering the interannual increment approach can amplify the prediction signals, we firstly establish a dynamical–statistical model to improve the interannual increment of the AAOI(DY AAOI), with two predictors of CFSv2-forecasted concurrent spring sea surface temperatures and observed preceding autumn sea ice. This dynamical–statistical model demonstrates good capability in predicting DY AAOI, with a significant correlation coefficient of 0.58 between the observation and prediction during 1983–2015 in the two-year-out cross-validation. Then, we obtain an improved AAOI by adding the improved DY AAOI to the preceding observed AAOI. The improved AAOI shows a significant correlation coefficient of 0.45 with the observed AAOI during 1983–2015. Moreover, the unrealistic atmospheric response to March–April–May sea ice in CFSv2 may be the possible cause for the failure of CFSv2 to predict the AAO. This study gives new clues regarding AAO prediction and short-term climate prediction.     

CFSv2对2018年浙江梅雨降水多尺度预测的性能评估

从梅雨预测的业务需求出发,系统开展了CFSv2模式对2018年浙江梅雨期降水预报能力的多时间尺度评估。结果发现3月1日—5月31日的起报结果整体上未能较准确地预测6月浙江大部降水偏少的趋势、仅5月31日的预测结果与实况相符;在延伸期尺度上,CFSv2预测的梅雨期总降水量较实况偏少30%左右;基于相关系数、均方根误差和新定义的综合预报技巧指数等指标分析模式的延伸期预报性能,发现对梅雨期总降水量、逐日区域平均降水量和逐日全省各站降水量的预报技巧有限,对浙江梅雨区的预报水平总体高于浙江全省。评估结果表明CFSv2预报产品表现出显著的系统性干偏差;在延伸期尺度上,随着预报时效的缩短,预报效果并非逐步提升、而是客观存在一个最佳预报时效,各起报日也分别对应着不同的最优预报时段,整体而言梅雨降水的延伸期预测可能对初值并不敏感。     

利用ARGO资料改进ENSO和我国夏季降水气候预测

全球海洋ARGO资料的获取为气候预测的研究提供了前所未有的海洋资料。该文首先利用ARGO资料改进次表层参数化方案后的Zebiak-Cane海洋模式, 与统计大气模式耦合, 建立了热带动力海洋-统计大气耦合模式。通过比较应用和未应用ARGO资料改进的海洋模式, 进行了耦合模式的长期回报试验。结果表明:ARGO资料的应用极大地改善了耦合模式对热带太平洋海面温度异常的预测能力, 提前3个月和6个月的回报结果都有很大的改进, 基本上回报出了Niño3.4区海面温度异常的演变特征, 对厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜都能够给出较准确的回报, 回报结果与观测之间的相关性在整个热带太平洋区域明显提高。该文还利用国家气候中心 (NCC) 全球海气耦合模式, 对我国夏季降水进行了个例和多年季度回报模拟试验, 探讨了包含和不包含ARGO观测资料的同化资料作为初始场对我国夏季降水预测的影响, 表明采用带有ARGO观测资料的海洋同化初始场, 回报的我国夏季降水分布形式与观测更一致, 回报结果与观测之间的正相关区域变大, 对我国夏季降水的回报水平比采用没有ARGO观测资料的海洋同化初始场时有明显提高。     

索马里急流与我国西南地区5月降水的联系及其年代际变化

利用1951~2010年的NECP/NCAR再分析资料和GPCC(Global Precipitation Climatology Centre)降水资料,分析了索马里急流强度与西南降水的联系。研究结果表明:索马里急流与西南降水在初夏5月有很好的正相关关系,当索马里急流偏强时,西南地区降水偏多;反之,索马里急流偏弱时,西南地区降水偏少。进一步的分析发现,两者的联系存在明显的年代际变化,事实上,西南地区5月降水与索马里急流之间的关系在1980年代以后显著加强。低层风场辐合是西南地区5月降水的关键环流配置特征,在1980年之前,5月索马里急流强度仅仅与从孟加拉湾到我国东部地区的低层西南风场相关;但在1980年之后,其与我国西南地区以西的西南风和其以东的东北风均有密切的联系。索马里急流强度与中国西南初夏降水关系的加强,主要是由于索马里急流作用的东伸加强,这可能与印度洋对东亚季风影响作用的加强有关。     

Utilization of Specific Attenuation for Rainfall Estimation in Southern China

This study uses rain gauge observations to assess the performance of different radar estimators R(ZH), R(KDP)and R(A) in estimating precipitation based on the observations of an S-band polarimetric radar over southern China during a typical convective storm and an extremely severe typhoon, i. e., Typhoon Manghkut. These radar estimators were derived from observations of a local autonomous particle size and velocity(Parsivel) unit(APU) disdrometer. A key parameter, alpha(α), which is the ratio of specific attenuation A to specific differential phase K_(DP) with three fixed values(α=0.015 dB deg~(-1), α=0.0185 dB deg~(-1) and α=0.03 dB deg~(-1)) was examined to test the sensitivity of the R(A) rain retrievals. The results show that:(1) All radar estimators can capture the spatio-temporal patterns of two precipitation events, R(A) with α =0.0185 dB deg~(-1) is well correlated with gauge measurement via higher Pearson's correlation coefficient(CC) of 0.87, lower relative bias(RB) of 16%, and lower root mean square error(RMSE) of 17.09 mm in the convective storm while it underestimates the typhoon event with RB of 35%;(2) R(A) with α=0.03 dB deg~(-1) shows the best statistical scores with the highest CC(0.92), lowest RB(7%) and RMSE(25.74 mm) corresponding to Typhoon Manghkut;(3) R(A) estimates are more efficient in mitigating the impact of partial beam blockage. The results indicate that α is remarkably influenced by the variation of drop size distribution. Thus, more work is needed to establish an automated and optimized α for the R(A) relation during different rainfall events over different regions.