THE EFFECTS OF STATION NETWORK DENSITY ON STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF TROPICAL CYCLONE PRECIPITATION

In this paper, 1416 conventional ground-based meteorological observation stations on the mainland of China were subdivided into groups of differing spatial density. Data from each subgroup were then used to analyze variations in the tropical cyclone (TC) precipitation statistics derived from each subgroup across the mainland of China (excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao), as well as in two regions (east China and south China) and three provinces (Guangdong, Hainan, and Jiangxi) between 1981 and 2010. The results showed that for the mainland of China, total precipitation, mean annual precipitation, mean daily precipitation, and its spatial distribution were the same regardless of the spatial density of the stations. However, some minor differences were evident with respect to precipitation extremes and their spatial distribution. Overall, there were no significant variations in the TC precipitation statistics calculated from different station density schemes for the mainland of China. The regional and provincial results showed no significant differences in mean daily precipitation, but this was not the case for the maximum daily precipitation and torrential rain frequency. The maximum daily precipitation calculated from the lower-density station data was slightly less than that based on the higher-density station schemes, and this effect should be taken into consideration when interpreting regional climate statistics. The impact of station density on TC precipitation characteristics was more obvious for Hainan than for Guangdong or Jiangxi provinces. In addition, the effects were greater for south China (including Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces) than east China (including Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Fujian, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces). Furthermore, the analysis proved that the statistical climatic characteristics began to change significantly when the station spacing was between 40 and 50 km, which are close to the mean spacing for all stations across the mainland of China. Moreover, TC areal precipitation parameters, including mean total areal precipitation and mean daily areal precipitation, also began to change significantly when the spacing was between 40 and 50 km, and were completely different when it was between 100 and 200 km.     

Possible relationship between NAO and tropical cyclone genesis frequency in the western North Pacific

This study examined a strong positive correlation between the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index during June and the total tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency in the western North Pacific during July and August. To investigate a possible cause for this relation, the mean difference between highest positive NAO years and lowest negative NAO years was analyzed by dividing into when the El Niño and La Niña years were included and when the El Niño and La Niña years were not included.When the El Niño and La Niña years were included, for positive NAO years, the TCs mostly occurred in the northwestern region of tropical and subtropical western Pacific, and showed a pattern that migrate from the sea northeast of the Philippines, pass the East China Sea, and move toward the mid-latitudes of East Asia. In contrast, for negative NAO years, the TCs mostly occurred in the southeastern region of tropical and subtropical western Pacific, and showed a pattern that migrate westward from the sea southeast of the Philippines, pass the South China Sea, and move toward the southern coast of China and Indochinese peninsula. These two different TC migration patterns affect the recurving location of TC, and for positive NAO years, the recurving of TC was averagely found to take place in the further northeast. In addition, the migration patterns also affect the TC intensity, and the TCs of positive NAO years had stronger intensity than the TCs of negative NAO years as sufficient energy can be absorbed from the ocean while moving north in the mid-latitudes of East Asia. The TCs of negative NAO years showed weak intensity as they weaken or disappear shortly while landing on the southern coast of China and Indochinese peninsula. On the other hand, the above result of analysis is also similarly observed when the El Niño and La Niña years were not included.     

Simulated sensitivity of tropical cyclone track to the moisture in an idealized monsoon gyre

In this study, the sensitivity of tropical cyclone (TC) track to the moisture condition in a nearby monsoon gyre (MG) is investigated. Numerical simulations reveal that TC track is highly sensitive to the spatial distribution of relative humidity (RH). In an experiment conducted with higher (lower) RH in the eastern (western) semicircle of an MG, the TC experiences a sharp northward turning. In contrast, when the RH pattern is reversed, the simulated TC does not show a sharp northward turning. The RH distribution modulates the intensity and structure of both the TC and MG, so that when the TC is initially embedded in a moister environment, convection is enhanced in the outer core, which favors an expansion of the outer core size. A TC with a larger outer size has greater beta-effect propagation, favoring a faster westward translational speed. Meanwhile, higher RH enhances the vorticity gradient within the MG and promotes a quicker attraction between the TC and MG centers through vorticity segregation process. These cumulative effects cause the TC to collocate with the MG center. Once the coalescence process takes place, the energy dispersion associated with the TC and MG is enhanced, which rapidly strengthens southwesterly flows on the eastern flanks. The resulting steering flow leads the TC to take a sharp northward track.     

基于改进的累积气旋能量指数评估西北太平洋TC活动与ENSO的关系

采用1977—2008年日本气象厅(JMA)TC最佳路径集资料和美国气候预测中心(CPC)的ENSO资料,设计了一个考虑热带气旋(TC)尺度信息的累积气旋能量指数(SACE),据此分析了西北太平洋TC活动与ENSO之间的关系。结果表明:相比于不考虑尺度效应的ACE,引入TC尺度信息的SACE增加了较大强度、较大尺度TC活动水平的权重,能够更加准确地刻画TC强度及其影响,其与Ni1o指数的相关性进一步增强。SACE能够更好地表征西北太平洋TC活动与ENSO年际变化的关系,其对ENSO位相的依赖性相对于ACE更为敏感,是一个能更好预测ENSO状态的因子。TC强度、生命史、频数以及尺度均对SACE有一定的贡献,但生命史的贡献最大,这一方面说明ENSO主要通过调制TC生命史来影响SACE,另一方面也说明相对于强度、频数和尺度而言,TC生命史更能影响SACE中的ENSO信号。     

CFSv2模式产品在汛期海南热带气旋频数预测模型中的应用

利用1982—2014年汛期影响海南的热带气旋频数、NCEP/NCAR逐月再分析资料和CFSv2模式历史回报数据,分析了热带气旋频数特征及同期环流特征,并利用逐步回归构建基于模式有效预测信息的热带气旋频数预测模型。结果表明:汛期影响海南热带气旋频数的异常与同期大尺度环流变化密切相关,且CFSv2模式对其环流影响关键区具有较好的预测技巧,包括南海到热带太平洋的海平面气压、500 h Pa位势高度场、低层风及热带太平洋纬向风切变。据此,利用逐步回归构建热带气旋频数预测模型,其26 a交叉检验中实况与预测相关为0.88,距平同号率达88%;6 a预测试验仅2 a预测与观测反号,可见模型具有良好的稳定性和预测技巧,可为汛期热带气旋频数预测提供依据。     

西太平洋暖池对西北太平洋季风槽和台风活动影响过程及其机理的最近研究进展

本文回顾和综述了近年来关于西太平洋暖池对西北太平洋热带气旋和台风（TCs）活动影响过程及其机理的研究进展。文中首先简单回顾了近年来关于西太平洋暖池热状态和菲律宾周围对流活动变化特征及其对与TCs活动有关的南海夏季风爆发和西太平洋副热带高压的季节内、年际变异的影响过程和机理的研究;然后,本文系统地回顾了近年来关于西太平洋暖池热状态通过西北太平洋季风槽影响TCs活动年际和年代际变化的影响过程及其机理的研究。此外,文中还指出了关于西太平洋暖池对西北太平洋上空季风槽和TCs活动变异的热力和动力作用需进一步深入研究的科学问题。     

A spatiotemporal analysis of tropical cyclone tracks in the Atlantic Basin and their relationship to El Niño-Southern Oscillation

There has been an enhanced focus on Atlantic tropical cyclone climatologies with the significant cyclones of the past decade and the associated loss of life and property. This study examines the geographic location of cyclone tracks and their relationship to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The average annual cyclone track latitude and longitude correlate positively with hurricane-season El Niño indices, indicating that during El Niño conditions, tropical cyclone tracks are shifted northward and eastward. June–November indices explain 11–22% and 3–11% of the variance in cyclone track latitude and longitude, respectively. Examination of the strongest and weakest El Niño years yields similar results. Higher sea level pressure over North America, a slight contraction of the Bermuda High, and a slight decrease in 500 mb heights during El Niño years helps to explain the observed northward and eastward movement of tropical cyclone tracks during El Niño years. Additionally, weaker easterly and stronger southerly winds on the western side of the North Atlantic Basin exist during El Niño years. Although future tropical cyclone track projection is beyond the scope of this research, these results may provide insight into forecast improvement and ultimately better responses for coastal communities.     

热带气旋闪电活动特征研究综述

针对热带气旋（tropical cyclone,TC）闪电已有研究,首先从闪电活动分布特征、眼壁闪电爆发对TC强度和路径的指示、外雨带闪电活动与雨带对流结构的关系三个方面进行了总结;其次从动力一微物理方面对TC闪电的形成原因和特征机理进行了梳理;最后提出当前研究中存在的两个关键问题,并对后续研究内容进行了展望。基于地基和空基相结合的综合闪电探测得到的闪电属性特征参量,有望建立一个明确的、具有代表性的闪电活动一TC强度变化关系。利用沿海地区架设的三维闪电定位系统结合地基双偏振霄达,针对登陆台风强对流过程开展的综合观测研究,将有助于推进闪电观测资料在台风中小尺度强对流监测、预警和资料同化中的应用。     

2020年秋季海洋天气评述

2020年秋季(9—11月)大气环流特征表现为,北半球极涡呈单极型分布,中高纬环流呈4波型。9—11月,欧亚大陆中高纬环流经向度不断加大,冷空气势力增强。西太平洋副热带高压较历史平均偏强,热带气旋活动频繁。我国近海出现了19次8级以上大风过程,其中冷空气大风过程6次,台风大风过程4次,入海气旋大风过程1次,冷空气与热带气旋共同影响的大风过程7次,冷空气和温带气旋共同影响的大风过程1次。西北太平洋和南海共生成13个热带气旋,其中10月共有7个热带气旋生成,追平10月热带气旋生成数的历史最高纪录;全球其他海域共生成热带气旋26个。我国近海未出现2 m以上大浪过程的天数仅有12 d,约占秋季总日数的13％。秋季,我国近海海域呈明显降温过程,北部海域的降温幅度明显大于南部海域,受连续北上影响我国北部海域的热带气旋活动影响,9月黄海东部及东海东部的海面温度较气候态明显偏低。     

Structure of the Potential Vorticity of an Explosive Cyclone over the Eastern Asian Region in Late November 2013

An explosive extratropical cyclone(EC)over the Eastern Asian region that caused two shipwrecks is analyzed using ERA-Interim reanalysis data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.Analyses of the evolution of the EC reveal that the positive potential vorticity(PV)at the upper-tropospheric level displays a hook-shaped structure during the mature period of the cyclone.The PV distribution forms a vertically coherent PV structure called a PV tower.The vertical distribution of the PV can induce and strengthen cyclonic circulation from the lower-to upper-levels of troposphere,which is an important deepening mechanism of explosive cyclone.The PV tower occurs approximately ten hours prior to the development of surface occlusion in the cyclone.The evolution of surface fronts closely follows the development of the horizontal upper-tropospheric PV.This tandem development is largely attributed to the ability of the positive upper-tropospheric PV and the PV tower to induce cyclonic circulation simultaneously.The kinematic wrap-up process of cyclonic circulation also accelerates the formation of warm occlusion.A conceptual model of the distributions of positive PV and potential temperature combining the perspectives of dynamic tropopause folding,PV tower,and atmospheric stability,including westward tilting and baroclinicity,is proposed.This model can illustrate the explosive deepening mechanism of ECs.The regions of convective instability and rainfall determined by this model are consistent with those identified from the actual observation.