Possible sources of forecast errors generated by the global/regional assimilation and prediction system for landfalling tropical cyclones. Part I: Initial uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone (TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions (“initials”, hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

Possible Sources of Forecast Errors Generated by the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System for Landfalling Tropical Cyclones. Part Ⅰ: Initial Uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone(TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System(GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions("initials", hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

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...     

Uncertainty in Tropical Cyclone Intensity Predictions due to Uncertainty in Initial Conditions

Focusing on the role of initial condition uncertainty, we use WRF initial perturbation ensemble forecasts to investigate the uncertainty in intensity forecasts of Tropical Cyclone(TC) Rammasun(1409), which is the strongest TC to have made landfall in China during the past 50 years. Forecast results indicate that initial condition uncertainty leads to TC forecast uncertainty, particularly for TC intensity. This uncertainty increases with forecast time, with a more rapid and significant increase a...     

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.     

2018年西北太平洋台风活动特征和预报难点分析

利用1949-2018年中国气象局台风最佳路径、2018年中央气象台的台风路径强度实时预报、ECMWF数值预报以及NCEP逐日高分辨率海温RTG_SST(0.083°×0.083°)等资料,对2018年西北太平洋台风活动的主要特征和预报难点进行了分析.结果 表明:2018年台风生成频数偏多,生成源地偏东,南海台风活跃;...     

Ensemble Based Diagnosis of the Track Errors of Super Typhoon Mangkhut(2018)

Super Typhoon Mangkhut(2018)was the most high-impact typhoon in 2018 because of its long lifespan and significant intensity.The operational track forecasts in the short-to-medium range(deterministic and probabilistic forecast)showed a great uncertainty and the forecast landing points varied with different lead times.This study applied ensembles of high-resolution ECMWF forecasts to investigate the major factors and mechanisms of the bias production of the Mangkhut forecast track.The ensembles with the largest track bias were analyzed to examine the possible bias associated factors.The results suggested that environmental steering flows were the main cause for the erroneous southward track error with a variance contribution of 72%.The tropical cyclone(TC)size difference and the interaction of the TC with the subtropical high(SH)were other two key factors that contributed to the track error.Particularly,larger TCs may have led to a stronger erosion of the southern part of the SH,and thus induced significant changes in the large-scale environment and eventually resulted in an additional northward movement of TC.     

Ensemble Based Diagnosis of the Track Errors of Super Typhoon Mangkhut (2018)

Super Typhoon Mangkhut (2018) was the most high-impact typhoon in 2018 because of its long lifespan and significant intensity. The operational track forecasts in the short-to-medium range (deterministic and probabilistic forecast) showed a great uncertainty and the forecast landing points varied with different lead times. This study applied ensembles of high-resolution ECMWF forecasts to investigate the major factors and mechanisms of the bias production of the Mangkhut forecast track. The ensembles with the largest track bias were analyzed to examine the possible bias associated factors. The results suggested that environmental steering flows were the main cause for the erroneous southward track error with a variance contribution of 72%. The tropical cyclone (TC) size difference and the interaction of the TC with the subtropical high (SH) were other two key factors that contributed to the track error. Particularly, larger TCs may have led to a stronger erosion of the southern part of the SH, and thus induced significant changes in the large-scale environment and eventually resulted in an additional northward movement of TC.

     

Effects of a Dry-Mass Conserving Dynamical Core on the Simulation of Tropical Cyclones

The accurate forecasting of tropical cyclones(TCs) is a challenging task. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a dry-mass conserving(DMC) hydrostatic global spectral dynamical core on TC simulation. Experiments were conducted with DMC and total(moist) mass conserving(TMC) dynamical cores. The TC forecast performance was first evaluated considering 20 TCs in the West Pacific region observed during the 2020 typhoon season. The impacts of the DMC dynamical core on forecasts o...     

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.     

Impacts of New Implementing Strategies for Surface and Model Physics Perturbations in TREPS on Forecasts of Landfalling Tropical Cyclones

To improve the ensemble prediction system of the tropical regional atmosphere model for the South China Sea(TREPS) in predicting landfalling tropical cyclones(TCs), the impacts of three new implementing strategies for surface and model physics perturbations in TREPS were evaluated for 19 TCs making landfall in China during 2014–16. For sea surface temperature(SST) perturbations, spatially uncorrelated random perturbations were replaced with spatially correlated ones. The multiplier f, which is u...     

Environmental Conditions Determining the Timing of the Lifetime Maximum Intensity of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific and Their Frequency of Occurrence

Environmental conditions determining the timing of the lifetime maximum intensities of tropical cyclones (TCs) are investigated for the TCs over the western North Pacific during the period 2008-2017. The results show that the land controls the timings of the lifetime maximum intensities in 42% of the TCs over this basin, indicating that accurate track forecasts are beneficial for TC intensity forecasts. With respect to other TCs that are not affected by the land (i.e., Ocean-TCs), the timings of their lifetime maximum intensities are determined by multiple oceanic factors. In particular, interactions between TCs and cold-core eddies occur in a large proportion (nearly 60%) of Ocean-TCs at or shortly after the times of their lifetime maximum intensities, especially in strong TCs (categories 4 and 5), suggesting that a consideration of the above interactions is necessary for improving TC intensity forecasting skills. In addition, unfavorable oceanic heat content conditions become common as the latitude increases over 25°N, influencing half of the Ocean-TCs. Strong vertical wind shear contributes detrimentally to the atmospheric environment in 17% of the TCs over this basin, especially in moderate and weak TCs. In contrast, neither the maximum potential intensity nor the humidity in the middle level of the atmosphere plays dominant roles when TCs turn from their peak intensities to weakening.     

登陆热带气旋路径和强度预报的效益评估初步研究

近年来有关热带气旋(TC)灾情的评估指标和方法的研究取得明显进展,但较少涉及TC预报对减少灾害损失的贡献(即效益)分析。基于中央气象台的TC实时路径和强度预报,针对登陆中国大陆的TC,初步分析了TC的路径和强度预报误差与其造成的直接经济损失之间的可能关系,并在此基础上建立了包含TC路径和强度预报误差的TC直接经济损失的预估模型。TC登陆前后24 h的路径和强度预报误差与TC所致直接经济损失均呈正相关关系;对于单个登陆TC而言,若24 h TC路径预报误差每减小1 km可减少因灾直接经济损失约0.97亿元,若强度预报每减小1 m/s可减少因灾直接经济损失约3.8亿元(以2014年为基准年)。可见,提高TC路径和强度预报精度对于减灾的效益巨大,且当前尤以提高强度预报能力的效益为佳。      

Assimilation of All-sky Geostationary Satellite Infrared Radiances for Convection-Permitting Initialization and Prediction of Hurricane Joaquin (2015)

Intensity forecasting is one of the most challenging aspects of tropical cyclone(TC) forecasting. This work examines the impact of assimilating high-resolution all-sky infrared radiance observations from geostationary satellite GOES-13 on the convection-permitting initialization and prediction of Hurricane Joaquin(2015) with an ensemble Kalman filter(EnKF)based on the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) model. Given that almost all operational global and regional models struggled to capture Hu...     

An Evaluation of Tropical Cyclone Genesis Forecast over the Western North Pacificand the South China Sea from the CMA-TRAMS

Tropical cyclone (TC) genesis forecasting is essential for daily operational practices during the typhoon season.The updated version of the Tropical Regional Atmosphere Model for the South China Sea (CMA-TRAMS) offersforecasters reliable numerical weather prediction (NWP) products with improved configurations and fine resolution. Whiletraditional evaluation of typhoon forecasts has focused on track and intensity, the increasing accuracy of TC genesisforecasts calls for more comprehensive evaluation methods to assess the reliability of these predictions. This study aims toevaluate the effectiveness of the CMA-TRAMS for cyclogenesis forecasts over the western North Pacific and South ChinaSea. Based on previous research and typhoon observation data over five years, a set of localized, objective criteria has beenproposed. The analysis results indicate that the CMA-TRAMS demonstrated superiority in cyclogenesis forecasts, pre dicting 6 out of 22 TCs with a forecast lead time of up to 144 h. Additionally, over 80% of the total could be predicted 72 hin advance. The model also showed an average TC genesis position error of 218.3 km, comparable to the track errors ofoperational models according to the annual evaluation. The study also briefly investigated the forecast of Noul (2011). Theforecast field of the CMA-TRAMS depicted thermal and dynamical conditions that could trigger typhoon genesis, con sistent with the analysis field. The 96-hour forecast field of the CMA-TRAMS displayed a relatively organized three dimensional structure of the typhoon. These results can enhance understanding of the mechanism behind typhoon genesis,fine-tune model configurations and dynamical frameworks, and provide reliable forecasts for forecasters.     

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.     

Tropical cyclone track and intensity prediction with a structure adjustable balanced vortex

A new Tropical Cyclone (TC) initialization method with the structure adjustable bogus vortex was applied to the forecasts of track, central pressure, and wind intensity for the 417 TCs observed in the Western North Pacific during the 3-year period of 2005–2007. In the simulations the Final Analyses (FNL) with 1° × 1° resolution of National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) were incorporated as initial conditions. The present method was shown to produce improved forecasts over those without the TC initialization and those made by Regional Specialized Meteorological Center Tokyo. The average track (central pressure, wind intensity) errors were as small as 78.0 km (11.4 hPa, 4.9 m s^?1) and 139.9 km (12.4 hPa, 5.5 m s^?1) for 24-h and 48-h forecasts, respectively. It was found that the forecast errors are almost independent on the size and intensity of the observed TCs because the size and intensity of the bogus vortex can be adjusted to fit the best track data. The results of this study indicate that a bogus method is useful in predicting simultaneously the track, central pressure, and intensity with accuracy using a dynamical forecast model.     

T213与T639模式热带气旋预报误差对比

应用国家气象中心全球谱模式T213L31(简称T213) 及其升级版本T639L60(简称T639) 对2009—2010年西北太平洋热带气旋数值预报的结果进行对比。结果表明:T213与T639模式24～120 h预报平均距离误差基本相近,但由于T639模式分辨率较高,T639模式的热带气旋强度预报明显好于T213模式。从分类误差来看,T639模式对于西北行登陆及转向热带气旋的路径预报好于T213模式,但对西行及北上热带气旋预报误差偏大。对于异常路径热带气旋预报,T639模式能较好预报环流形势的突然调整,对路径突变的热带气旋预报比T213模式有明显优势;从登陆类热带气旋预报的移向误差来看,T213模式存在东北偏北向系统性偏差,T639模式存在东北偏东向系统性偏差。     

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...     

基于随机物理过程扰动的BMJ积云参数化方案对降水集合预报的影响

基于ARPS模式和随机物理过程参数化扰动(stochastically perturbed parameterization)方法,通过10个2018年6—7月间的降水个例,讨论了针对BMJ积云降水参数化方案下不同参数化扰动方式对降水预报的影响。扰动方式包括扰动BMJ方案的温湿倾向和扰动BMJ方案的温湿参考廓线。试验的结果表明BMJ方案在华东区域的降水预报中存在湿偏差,即预报的降水事件多于相应的观测事件。这一偏差在系统性增加参考廓线湿度后仍然存在。BMJ方案对不同扰动方式的响应存在较大差异。扰动BMJ方案的温湿倾向对降水预报的影响较小,且集合离散度低。扰动BMJ方案的温湿参考廓线对降水预报影响显著,能够大幅增加集合离散度,其中对称的BMJ参考廓线扰动对预报技巧评分改进有限,原因是小雨的湿偏差有所增加,而非对称的BMJ参考廓线扰动(扰动均值大于1.0)能够有效提高预报技巧评分并降低湿偏差。此外,非对称扰动大幅改善了BMJ降水预报初期(0～3 h)的空间分布形态,并且改进了夜间降水预报的强度。非对称扰动评分较高的原因是减少了原BMJ方案在降水预报初期的的大范围虚假预报,避免了大气湿度的大范...