Northwest Pacific tropical cyclone activity and July rainfall over India

Summary In 2002, India had experienced one of the most severe droughts. The severe drought conditions were caused by the unprecedented deficient rainfall in July 2002, in which only 49% of the normal rainfall was received. One of the major circulation anomalies observed during July 2002, was the active monsoon trough over Northwest (NW) Pacific and enhanced typhoon activity over this region. The present study was designed to examine the long-term relationships between Tropical Cyclone (TC) activity over NW Pacific and monsoon rainfall over India in July. A statistically significant negative correlation between TC days over NW Pacific and July rainfall over India was observed. Spatial dependence of the relationship revealed that TCs forming over NW Pacific east of 150° E and moving northwards have an adverse effect on Indian monsoon rainfall. It was observed that TCs forming over the South China Sea and moving westwards may have a positive impact on monsoon rainfall over India. Enhanced TC activity over NW Pacific during July 2002 induced weaker monsoon circulation over the Indian region due to large-scale subsidence.     

Persistence in rainfall occurrence over Tropical south-east Asia and equatorial Pacific

Summary Daily rainfall observations during the principal rainy seasons over a large part of Tropical Asia and the equatorial Pacific are analysed for persistence by fitting Markov chains of various order. Daily rainfall data of 98 stations from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand falling in the monsoonal regime and 9 stations in the non-monsoonal regime of the equatorial Pacific are examined.The appropriate order of Markov chain is determined by analyzing wet and dry spell length characteristics and by applying the Schwarz Baysian Criterion to the arbitrary sequences of 5-day length. Markov chains of order greater than 1 are found to characterize the persistence in rainfall over India and to some extent over wet zones of Sri Lanka and central equatorial Pacific. Simple Markov chains are suggested for Thailand, the dry zone of Sri Lanka and the stations of central equatorial Pacific lying some what away from the equator.With 5 Figures     

Tropical cyclone environments over the northeastern Pacific, including mid-level dry intrusion cases

Summary This study uses a 1°×1° lat/long dataset, extracted from ECMWF re-analyses for the 15-year period 1979–1993 (ERA-15), to diagnose the synoptic-scale kinematic, thermodynamic and moisture environments in the vicinity of named tropical cyclones (TCs) in the eastern North Pacific. Based on the NCDC best track dataset, TCs are partitioned into one of three categories: weak (W), strong (S) or intensifying (I). In total, 63TCs are examined: 8Ws and 20Is at point A (maximum intensification) and 11Ws, 13Ss and 11Is at point B (maximum frequency). Composite maps are compiled for all five groups, and six individual case studies are examined, four for extreme TC cases and two for cases involving dry air intrusions.For the most part, peak values and patterns of composited ERA-15 variables display circulation, thermodynamic and moisture characteristics that are compatible with the strength represented by a groups classification. Intercomparison between Ws and Is at points A and B yielded larger conditional instability of low-level air parcels and upper-level outflow within the region of maximum intensification (point A).The intrusions of dry versus moist mid-level air are addressed for each storm with the assistance of 72-hour backward trajectories. Trajectory density maps indicate two preferred paths of air parcels that reach the environment of W storms at point A on the 700 and 500hPa levels. The first one crossed Central America in the region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the second one south of the Central American mountains. Several storms revealed that these trajectories were associated with dry air intrusions into the larger storm area, and this might be one reason for their weak status at point A. One documented example is Kevin (1985). By the time it reached point B, the dry air was replaced by air that was moist and Kevin intensified, although it remained a W system. In contrast, Narda (1989) received a dry air intrusion from Central Mexico at 500hPa as a weak storm at point B and did not intensify. Despite possible analyses problems, the documentation in this study of mid-level dry air intrusions into eastern Pacific TCs from the Mexican-Central American region suggests a hitherto unexploited forecast potential. Received January 15, 2002; revised November 28, 2002; accepted December 19, 2002 Published online: May 8, 2003     

Tropical cyclone genesis potential index over the western North Pacific simulated by CMIP5 models

Tropical cyclone(TC) genesis over the western North Pacific(WNP) is analyzed using 23 CMIP5(Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) models and reanalysis datasets. The models are evaluated according to TC genesis potential index(GPI). The spatial and temporal variations of the GPI are first calculated using three atmospheric reanalysis datasets(ERA-Interim, NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis-1, and NCEP/DOE Reanalysis-2). Spatial distributions of July–October-mean TC frequency based on the GPI from ERA-interim are more consistent with observed ones derived from IBTr ACS global TC data. So, the ERA-interim reanalysis dataset is used to examine the CMIP5 models in terms of reproducing GPI during the period 1982–2005. Although most models possess deficiencies in reproducing the spatial distribution of the GPI, their multimodel ensemble(MME) mean shows a reasonable climatological GPI pattern characterized by a high GPI zone along 20?N in the WNP. There was an upward trend of TC genesis frequency during 1982 to 1998, followed by a downward trend. Both MME results and reanalysis data can represent a robust increasing trend during 1982–1998, but the models cannot simulate the downward trend after 2000. Analysis based on future projection experiments shows that the GPI exhibits no significant change in the first half of the 21 st century, and then starts to decrease at the end of the 21 st century under the representative concentration pathway(RCP) 2.6 scenario. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, the GPI shows an increasing trend in the vicinity of20?N, indicating more TCs could possibly be expected over the WNP under future global warming.     

Tropical cyclone genesis frequency over the western North Pacific simulated in medium-resolution coupled general circulation models

This study examines the tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency over the western North Pacific simulated in atmosphere–ocean coupled general circulation models from the World Climate Research Programme’s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3. We first evaluate performances of eight models with atmospheric horizontal resolution of T63 or T106 by analyzing their daily-mean atmospheric outputs of twentieth-century climate simulations available from the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison database. The genesis frequency is validated against the best-track data issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Five of the eight models reproduce realistic horizontal distribution of the TC genesis with a large fraction over the 10°–20°N, 120°–150°E area. These five high-performance models also realistically simulate the summer–winter contrast of the frequency. However, detailed seasonal march is slightly unrealistic; four of the models overestimate the frequency in the early season (May–June) while all of them underestimate the frequency in the mature season (July–September). Reasons for these biases in the seasonal march for the five high-performance models are discussed using the TC genesis potential (GP) index proposed by Emanuel and Nolan (in Am Meteor Soc, pp 240–241, 2004). The simulated GP has seasonal biases consistent with those of the TC genesis frequency. For all five models, the seasonal biases in GP are consistent with those in environmental lower-tropospheric vorticity, vertical wind shear, and relative humidity, which can be attributed to the simulated behavior of monsoon trough. The observed trough migrates northward from the equatorial region to reach the 10°–20°N latitudinal band during the mature season and contributes to the TC frequency maximum, whereas the simulated trough migrates northward too rapidly and reaches this latitude band in the early season, leading to the overestimation of the TC genesis frequency. In the mature season, the simulated trough reaches as far as 15°–25°N, accompanied by a strong vertical shear south of the trough, providing an unfavorable condition for TC genesis. It is concluded that an adequate simulation of the monsoon trough behavior is essential for a better reproduction of the TC frequency seasonal march.     

Outgoing long-wave radiation over the Tropical Pacific and Atlantic Ocean and Indian summer monsoon rainfall

Summary In this paper, the interannual variability of satellite derived outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) is examined in relation to the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (June to September total rainfall; ISMR). Monthly grid point OLR field over the domain i.e. the tropical Pacific and Atlantic region (30°N to 30°S, 110°E to 10°W) and the ISMR for the period 1974–2001 are used for the study. A strong and significant north–south dipole structure in the correlation pattern is found between the ISMR and the OLR field over the domain during January. This dipole is located over the west Pacific region with highly significant negative (positive) correlations over the South China Sea and surrounding region (around north-east Australia). The dipole weakens and moves northwestward during February and disappears in March. During the month of May, the OLR over the central Atlantic Ocean shows a significant positive relationship with the ISMR. These relationships are found to be consistent and robust during the period of analysis and can be used in the prediction of the ISMR.A multiple regression equation is developed, using the above results, for prediction of the ISMR and the empirical relationships are verified using an independent data set. The results are encouraging for the prediction of the ISMR. The composite annual cycle of the OLR, over the west Pacific regions during extreme ISMR is found to be useful in the prediction of extreme summer monsoon rainfall conditions over the Indian subcontinent.     

Tropical cyclone Dera, the unusual 2000/01 tropical cyclone season in the South West Indian Ocean and associated rainfall anomalies over Southern Africa

Summary Austral summer 2000/01 in the southern African region was unusual in several respects. Tropical cyclone activity in the southwest Indian Ocean was substantially less than average despite large areas of this region showing anomalously warm sea surface temperatures (SST) for much of the season. Many areas of southern Africa experienced above average rainfall with local flooding in parts of Mozambique. In the tropical southeast Atlantic, a large warm SST anomaly evolved off the coast of Angola and northern Namibia in late summer suggesting a Benguela Ni?o event. During the late summer (February–April 2001), three particularly widespread and intense wet spells occurred over tropical southern Africa, one of which coincided with tropical cyclone Dera. This study considers the generation and evolution of the middle wet spell of late summer 2001 and its relationship with tropical cyclone Dera. This storm was generated in the northwestern part of the Mozambique Channel and then tracked more or less due south through the Channel and into the subtropical southwest Indian Ocean. Rainfall associated with Dera contributed to the ongoing floods over central Mozambique that arose from rains earlier in the season. Dera occurred in early March following a relatively long period of no tropical cyclone activity in the southwest Indian Ocean. A build up of favorable conditions during the preceding weeks contributed towards the storm whereas an anticyclonic anomaly east of Madagascar led to the northerly steering current and the southward track of tropical cyclone Dera out of the Mozambique Channel.     

Three Types of Tropical Waves Related to Tropical Cyclogenesis over the Western North Pacific

The present study applies a space-time filter to identify three dominant types of tropical waves： Madden-Julian oscillations （MJOs）, equatorial Rossby （ER） waves, and tropical depression （TD）-type disturbances. The impacts of these waves on tropical cyclones （TCs） were investigated based on 131 observations during the period 2000-07. The results suggest that 72% of TC geneses were related to the joint impacts of more than one type of wave. The composites for cases in different categories reveal that TCs related to the concurrence of the three types of waves have strong and large initial vortices at the time of TC genesis. In the absence of the MJO, ER- and TD-related TC genesis, embedded in easterly flow, exhibits a relatively fast initiation process and gives rise to a relatively small scale vortex. In contrast, without the ER wave contribution, TCs associated with ER and TD waves did not require strong convection at the time of genesis because an initial vortex can rapidly develop in the MJO active phase through persistent energy transfer. The MJO-related TC geneses were scattered in geographic distribution, as opposed to the clustered and eastward shift observed for genesis cases without contributions from MJOs.     

西北太平洋热带气旋强度资料的对比

在获取关岛联合台风警报中心(JTWC)以及中国气象局《台风年鉴》和《热带气旋年鉴》自1949—2004年西北太平洋热带气旋强度(近中心最大风力)资料的基础上,着重比较了两者在时间变化上的差异,结果显示:热带风暴以上近56 a所有样本的平均风速前者小于后者0.81 m.s-1,而这一差异主要的贡献是强台风以上样本。两资料集最显著的特征是热带风暴以上年平均风速随时间变化的差异上,自1970s中期到1990s中期,两者的走势趋向呈相反的态势,前者呈上升趋势,后者呈下降趋势,特别是强台风以上样本表现更为突出。利用资料相对稳定性原则,对JTWC和《台风年鉴》资料进行校正,1990s以来JTWC估计的热带气旋强度可能偏大,1970s之前《台风年鉴》估计的数值也可能偏大。     

Impact of the Western Pacific Tropical Easterly Jet on Tropical Cyclone Genesis Frequency over the Western North Pacific

Although it is well known that the tropical easterly jet(TEJ)has a significant impact on summer weather and climate over India and Africa,whether the TEJ exerts an important impact on tropical cyclone(TC)activity over the western North Pacific(WNP)remains unknown.In this study,we examined the impact of the TEJ on the interannual variability of TC genesis frequency over the WNP in the TC season(June-September)during 1980-2020.The results show a significant positive correlation between TC genesis frequency over the WNP and the jet intensity in the entrance region of the TEJ over the tropical western Pacific(in brief WP_TEJ),with a correlation coefficient as high as 0.66.The intensified WP_TEJ results in strong ageostrophic northerly winds in the entrance region and thus upper-level divergence to the north of the jet axis over the main TC genesis region in the WNP.This would lead to an increase in upward motion in the troposphere with enhanced low-level convergence,which are the most important factors to the increases in low-level vorticity,mid-level humidity and low-level eddy kinetic energy,and the decreases in sea level pressure and vertical wind shear in the region.All these changes are favorable for TC genesis over the WNP and vice versa.Further analyses indicate that the interannual variability of the WP_TEJ intensity is likely to be linked to the local diabatic heating over the Indian Ocean-western Pacific and the central Pacific El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation.     

东北太平洋一次强爆发性气旋发展的机制分析

使用FNL Analysis全球格点资料,对东北太平洋一次强爆发性气旋的特殊性进行了分析,发现气旋对其西北部低压系统的吸收合并是其爆发性发展过程中的典型特征,斜压强迫对其快速发展的作用较弱,与西北太平洋爆发性气旋的发展过程存在显著差异。同时,使用Zwack-Okossi诊断方程,从影响爆发性发展的动力和热力因子方面,对其发展机制作了深入的探讨。研究表明,正涡度平流、暖平流和非绝热加热的共同作用使气旋开始爆发性发展,由潜热释放导致的非绝热加热的贡献最大,非绝热加热是其快速发展的主导因子,其中正涡度平流贡献主要来自于中高层,暖平流的贡献主要来自于中低层和高层,而非绝热加热主要发生在中低层,这为东北太平洋爆发性气旋的发展机制提供了一个新的认识。     

New statistical models for long-range forecasting of southwest monsoon rainfall over India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has been issuing long-range forecasts (LRF) based on statistical methods for the southwest monsoon rainfall over India (ISMR) for more than 100 years. Many statistical and dynamical models including the operational models of IMD failed to predict the recent deficient monsoon years of 2002 and 2004. In this paper, we report the improved results of new experimental statistical models developed for LRF of southwest monsoon seasonal (June–September) rainfall. These models were developed to facilitate the IMD’s present two-stage operational forecast strategy. Models based on the ensemble multiple linear regression (EMR) and projection pursuit regression (PPR) techniques were developed to forecast the ISMR. These models used new methods of predictor selection and model development. After carrying out a detailed analysis of various global climate data sets; two predictor sets, each consisting of six predictors were selected. Our model performance was evaluated for the period from 1981 to 2004 by sliding the model training period with a window length of 23 years. The new models showed better performance in their hindcast, compared to the model based on climatology. The Heidke scores for the three category forecasts during the verification period by the first stage models based on EMR and PPR methods were 0.5 and 0.44, respectively, and those of June models were 0.63 and 0.38, respectively. Root mean square error of these models during the verification period (1981–2004) varied between 4.56 and 6.75% from long period average (LPA) as against 10.0% from the LPA of the model based on climatology alone. These models were able to provide correct forecasts of the recent two deficient monsoon rainfall events (2002 and 2004). The experimental forecasts for the 2005 southwest monsoon season based on these models were also found to be accurate.     

Climatology of cyclones over the southwest Pacific: 1992–2001

Summary The Australian east coast is subject to a range of synoptic/mesoscale weather systems ranging from low-pressure troughs, small explosive low-pressure systems near the Australian east coast, to synoptic scale maritime low-pressure systems, and both tropical and extra-tropical cyclones. These systems vary dynamically in intensity and structure across a spectrum that includes both weak and intense cold-cored systems, to warm-cored tropical cyclones and “hybrid” systems. A preliminary 10 year climatology, from 1992 to 2001, is presented that concentrates on those cyclones in open waters that threaten life and property as a result of heavy coastal rain or the combined effects of wind, sea state and swell, including both long fetch and storm surges. There are 28 systems in the 10-year climatology. In terms of their development, the most numerous were the 50% of storms that occurred as systems within an easterly trough, followed by 21% that occurred as circulations on decaying Tasman Sea cold fronts. In addition, a numerical weather prediction (NWP) modelling case study of the ‘hybrid’ sub-tropical cyclone system of March 2001 was carried out using archived real-time data. Operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) model forecasts of this system, which was not named in accordance with Australian classification policy, were all poor except for the US MRF model, which provided marginally useful guidance. None of the operational global and regional models available to forecasters predicted an intense cyclone, and only the US MRF model predicted landfall. A high-resolution forecast using all available data produced significantly improved predictions over the operational models up to four days before landfall.     

Contribution of Winter SSTA in the Tropical Eastern Pacific to Changes of Tropical Cyclone Precipitation over Southeast China

Tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) accounts for 10％–40％ of the boreal summer precipitation that occurs over Southeast China (SEC), causing flood disasters and...     

西北太平洋一次爆发性气旋的诊断分析和敏感性试验

利用美国国家环境预报中心（NCEP）的FNL格点资料和大气数值模式WRF,对2012年1月11—13日发生于西北太平洋上的一次爆发性气旋过程进行诊断分析和数值模拟。气旋于1月11—12日在日本以东海域爆发性发展,经历2次转向后于13日在堪察加半岛附近减弱。研究表明,气旋发展中存在明显锋面结构,对流层高层的高位涡下传对气旋发展非常有利,气旋发展过程中伴随着一支低空急流的生成和发展,使辐合抬升更加明显。利用WRF模式对10日1800 UTC至13日0000 UTC气旋过程进行海温敏感性试验。结果表明,海温变化对气旋发展强度影响明显,但对气旋路径影响较小。     

北京地区两次极端特大暴雨过程中短时强降水环境条件对比分析

针对北京地区2012年7月21日(简称“7.21”过程)和2016年7月20日(简称“7.20”过程)极端特大暴雨中的短时强降水,对短时强降水实况、环流形势、地形影响及环境的动力、水汽和热力条件进行了分析,并结合较长时段的历史资料,从单点和区域角度对环境动力、水汽和潜在热力条件的极端性进行了对比分析。结果表明:(1)尽管两次过程中的短时强降水实况差异显著,但均出现在非常有利的天气形势下。(2)针对短时强降水环境的单点动力、水汽和热力条件对比显示,两次过程中的850 hPa动力抬升和整层可降水量(PWAT)均极端偏强,但抬升指数(LI)表征的热力条件差异差别巨大,2012年“7.21”过程中为偏强,2016年“7.20”过程中为偏弱。(3)针对长时间序列资料的标准化偏差异常(SD)显示,两次过程中850 hPa风场和PWAT的SD均超过了3σ,为极端偏强,LI表征的潜在热力条件方面,2012年“7.21”过程中低于-1σ,2016年“7.20”过程中与历史同期持平,表明热力条件的差异是导致两次极端暴雨过程中短时强降水强度巨大差异的重要原因。     

Trends in the annual extreme rainfall events of 1 to 3 days duration over India

Summary In this paper, the annual extreme rainfall series in the time scale of 1 to 3 days duration at 316 stations, well distributed over the Indian region, covering 80-years of rainfall data from 1901 to 1980 were analysed for trend and persistence using standard statistical tests. It has been found that the annual extreme rainfall records of most stations are free from trend and persistence. However, the extreme rainfall series at stations over the west coast north of 12°N and at some stations to the east of the Western Ghats over the central parts of the Peninsula showed a significant increasing trend at 95% level of confidence. Stations over the southern Peninsula and over the lower Ganga valley have been found to exhibit a decreasing trend at the same level of significance. The data series of the stations which showed trends were subjected to a 10-year moving average and the resulting smoothed series have been discussed. It may be said that this increasing or decreasing trend in the annual extreme rainfall events at a few places will have tremendous implications in the hydrologic studies and dam design projects.With 9 Figures     

Re-examination of Trends Related to Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Western North Pacific Basin

In order to re-examine some trends related to tropical cyclones（TCs） over the western North Pacific since 1949,the unreliable maximum sustained wind(V_max) recorded in the 1949-1978 TC best-track data from the Shanghai Typhoon Institute was modified based on the wind-pressure relationships（WPRs） in this study. Compared to the WPR scheme based on the cyclostrophic balance,the WPR scheme based on the gradient balance could give a better fit to TCs under higher wind speeds and could introduce smaller estimated errors for TCs locating at higher latitudes as well as TCs landing on the continent.After the V_max modification based on minimum sea-level pressure and TC center latitude,the revised annual number of category 4-5 typhoons shows no long-term trend,while the potential destructiveness measured by power-dissipation index decreases slightly,and this trend is not significant in the period 1949-2008.