Making sense of censuses and dealing with missing data: trends in pup counts of Cape fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus for the period 1972–2004

Trends in the population of Cape fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus were estimated from counts of pups on aerial photographs of colonies taken between 1972 and 2004 to determine trends in the overall population and subpopulations. Incomplete coverage resulted in missing data in some years. Various methods of determining proxy values for missing data were assessed, and it was concluded that different methods were applicable to Namibian and South African colonies. This reflected variation in trends of pup counts between the countries, which was associated with differences in productivity between the southern and northern Benguela ecosystems. In Namibia, temporal changes in pup numbers were non-linear in some years and there was correspondence in fluctuations at most colonies. This appeared to be on account of an effect of periodic, wide-scale prey shortages that reduced birth rates. There was a northward shift in the distribution of seals in the northern Benguela system. In South Africa, pup counts were much less variable between years, probably on account of a relative stability of food supply. A linear approach was therefore suitable for determining proxy values for missing data at South African colonies. Pup counts suggest that there has been little change in the overall population of the Cape fur seals since 1993, when it was estimated at about two million animals.     

CAPE values and hailstorms on northwestern Spain

A study has been carried out in León (in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula) on atmospheric convection during summer periods, by analyzing the values of the Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) around 07:00 UTC. The project analyzed the data provided by a network of voluntary observers, a hailpad network, and a meteorological station on a sample of 224 days. The CAPE values found were not high: they never reached 2000 J/kg, not even on hail days, i.e. on days with high convective activity. These values are much lower than the ones measured in convective situations in tropical regions, but they are within the usual values found in Europe. The same happens with the wet bulb potential temperature measured in León. The frequency distribution of the CAPE values shows a clear prevalence of very low or zero values. The group of days with the lowest CAPE value is that which included days with no storm. The mean value increases on storm days, and it is even higher for the days with recorded hailfalls. All these differences are significantly marked. Nevertheless, the differences across the years are not significant enough to be able to speak of an influence of the climatic change on the CAPE. The correlation of the CAPE with some of the variables previously used for hail forecasts was analyzed, and the correlation found was higher for the lifted index. The possible use of the CAPE as a thunderstorm and hailstorm forecasting method was considered. The results were encouraging, especially for hail forecasting, although the CAPE should not be used as the only variable, but combined with other parameters. Moreover, the relationships between the CAPE and the wet bulb potential temperature and between the CAPE and the physical parameters of the hailstones were also analyzed. A relationship was observed with the parameters of the hailstone size distribution. Nonetheless, these results are provisional, and they should be confirmed by analyzing a more representative sample. With a more detailed analysis of these and other relationships, the present forecast model used by the Laboratory for Atmospheric Physics at the University of León is expected to be greatly improved by including the CAPE in this model.     

Agriculture and Tornadoes on the Canadian Prairies: potential impact of increasing atmospheric CO2 on Summer Severe Weather

On the Canadian Prairies, a significantportion of the transpiration is derived from a ratherhomogenous agro-ecosystem comprised of springwheat and other annual C₃ field crops with similar water use patterns. The seasonal pattern oftranspiration is determined, to alarge extent, by crop phenology. By increasing thespecific humidity of the atmospheric boundarylayer, regional transpiration has a large positive effect on themagnitude of the potential energy available fordeep convection and thus, on the likelihood of occurrence andintensity of severe thunderstorms. Acomparison of the average wheat phenologycurve, for a representative aridgrassland and for a representativetransitional grassland site, with theaverage number of tornado days per week inthe entire eco-climatic zone demonstrated that the twoare linked. With increasing atmospheric concentrations ofCO₂, the physiological response of C₃ cropsmight lower transpiration rates and climate warming may advance cropseeding dates. The former would reduce the specifichumidity of the convective boundary layer, and thereby, reducethe potential energy available for deep convection.Thus, future summer severe weather seasons might, on average,be more benign and occur earlier in the seasonthan at present. This conclusion is far from certain as there are amultitude of complex feedback mechanisms. What ismore certain is that global circulation models (GCMs) mustadequately handle the inter-action between theatmosphere and the agro-ecosystem of the Canadian Prairies beforethey can correctly simulate the thermodynamic propertiesof the convective boundary layer and determine the impactof increasing atmospheric concentrations of CO₂ onfuture summer severe weather.     

CAPE等环境参数在华北罕见秋季大暴雨中的应用

采用中尺度数值模式MM5(V3)对2003年10月10～12日发生在华北地区的一次大暴雨过程进行模拟,利用模拟结果计算分析了对流有效位能(CAPE)、风暴相对螺旋度(SRH)、能量螺旋度指数(EHI),结果表明,以上3个参数对这次大暴雨的发生发展有较好的指示作用:在大暴雨发生前能量得到充分积累,大气处于强不稳定状态,强对流天气爆发后,不稳定能量逐渐释放减弱;大暴雨中心位于低层局地螺旋度大值中心南部等值线密集区。低层局地螺旋度大值中心轴线与切变线和地面倒槽辐合线走向一致,高层局地螺旋度与高空急流相对应;大暴雨过程主要发生在高风暴相对螺旋度结合低对流有效位能的环境中(SRH>200m2·s-2,CAPE<1500J·kg-1)。     

一次暴雨天气过程的物理量分析

对2002年发生在闽东的一次暴雨天气过程进行分析。结果表明：螺旋度和对流有效位能对暴雨的预报有指示意义，暴雨产生在低层正螺旋度中心与高层负螺旋度中心相配合和中低层有不稳定能量储存的高能区。在暴雨强盛期，螺旋度呈中低层正值，高层负值的上下配置，最大值位于700hPa。对流有效位能大值区与暴雨中心相对应，对流有效位能的时空变化能较好地反映暴雨的时空演变特征。利用中尺度数值模式输出的结果对不稳定能量场进行分析表明，位势不稳定能量的释放是暴雨产生发展的可能机制之一。     

2003年4月江西一次强对流天气过程的诊断分析

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、TBB资料、探空资料及多普勒雷达资料等对2003年4月12日发生在江西以及福建北部的强对流天气过程进行了诊断分析。结果表明:此次强对流天气过程是在高空槽和低层低涡切变线的有利形势下产生的, 这种下层暖湿、上层干冷的对流不稳定层结非常有利于强对流天气的产生; 强对流天气发生发展伴有多个中尺度对流云团东移南压的演变过程; 多普勒雷达资料分析表明, 冰雹发生时可观测到79 dBz的反射率因子极值并伴有弓状回波; 对流有效位能积累、释放随时间的演变过程, 对于此次强对流天气过程有很好的指示意义; 强对流天气发生前高层的干冷空气倾斜状向下侵入到对流层中低层附近, 对此次强对流天气的发生发展起了非常重要的作用; 能量锋区及锋区上强的垂直涡柱为该次强对流天气过程提供了有利的热力和动力学条件。     

陕西东南部一次伴有雷暴的暴雪天气分析

利用常规观测、多普勒天气雷达和ERA—Interim再分析资料(0.25°×0.25°),对2016年11月22日陕西东南部地区一次伴有雷暴的暴雪天气过程进行诊断分析。结果表明:(1)此次暴雪是在低层东路回流冷空气与中层暖湿气流共同作用下形成的,700 hPa存在强的风向风速辐合,辐合区前部16 m/s的西南急流,为暴雪产生提供了有利的动力和水汽条件。急流加强是降雪增幅的主要原因。(2)冷季、强的锋区和低空急流、冷垫、逆温层、锋区之上湿的中性到条件不稳定层结、强切变低CAPE、雷达带状回波是此类天气预报中需要关注的特征。(3)整体层状云降水中,局地对流性云团旺盛发展,是此次暴雪的云系特征,暴雪发生在对流云团加强西伸、移速减缓的时段;与本地暖季相比,暴雪对流云团的面积较小,最大反射率因子所在的高度较高。(4)由动力锋生产生的次级环流上升支促使冷垫之上的暖湿气流快速上升,触发条件对称不稳定能量释放,使气块在逆温层之上获得正浮力,是暴雪发生并伴有雷暴的主要物理机制。     

台风远外围大范围强对流天气成因综合分析

为加深对台风外围发生的强对流天气的认识，提高对华南地区强对流天气潜势预报和预警的能力，利用广东中尺度天气监测网的多普勒雷达、自动站资料和NCAR／NCEP的再分析资料等对2004年8月发生在台风云娜外围一次强对流天气的天气形势背景、水汽、CAPE、SI、WI、垂直速度和海风辐合等进行了综合分析。结果表明：华南前期受副热带高压和云娜外围下沉气流作用，地面连续高温，使低层大气内能不断积蓄；台风云娜向西北移动的过程中，华南上空的副热带高压和下沉气流减弱，在其外围弱低压槽、海风辐合和干线共同作用下触发了强对流；台风外围的稳定度具有明显的波动性，强对流在台风外围螺旋云带末端的高温、不稳定和相对高湿舌发生；风指数WI用于华南地区雷雨大风预报比其它指数更有效。     

大气环境条件对夜间飑线影响的敏感性试验

利用CM1数值模式,以2017年8月7日发生在长江三角洲地区的一次夜间飑线过程为例,开展弱切变背景下中层相对湿度、低层风切变和对流有效位能的敏感性试验。结果表明:中层相对湿度升高,有利于夜间飑线雷达回波面积、回波强度和地面降温幅度增大。湿度降低,虽导致夜间飑线的雷达回波宽度变窄,但有利于夜间飑线结构和强度的维持。中层相对湿度的改变对夜间飑线成熟阶段的地面最大风速的影响并不十分明显,但是中层相对湿度的降低会增大地面最大风速的波动;低层风切变的增大使夜间飑线雷达回波强度增强、面积增大、移速变慢,也使飑线冷池强度增强,而对成熟飑线的冷池厚度和地面最大风速影响不大,但是更弱的环境风垂直切变更容易出现脉冲风暴地面强风。低层风切变的减小不利于夜间飑线的发展以及成熟夜间飑线结构和强度的维持;对流有效位能越大,越有利于夜间飑线雷达回波强度和回波面积以及冷池强度和厚度的增大,也有利于夜间飑线地面降温幅度和地面最大风速的增大。中等大小的对流有效位能更有利于成熟夜间飑线强度和结构的维持。低对流有效位能不利于夜间飑线发展,但在中层湿环境条件下依然能发展成为成熟的夜间飑线。该研究揭示了中层相对湿度、低层风切变和对流有效位能等大气环境条件对夜间飑线发生、发展的影响机制,为夜间飑线的预报提供了参考依据。      

黔西南州冰雹时空分布及春夏冰雹环境条件分析

使用1961—2008年48年黔西南州8个县市气象站逐月冰雹日资料以及周边4个探空站资料,分析该州冰雹日数时空分布特征和冰雹天气发生的环境条件。结果表明,近48年来该州冰雹日数总体呈逐年减少趋势,其地区差异较大,大致是北多南少;全州一年12个月均有冰雹出现,春季冰雹日数最多,冬季次之,夏季再次之,秋季最少,4月冰雹最多,9月冰雹日数最少;该州年均冰雹日数与海拔高度呈较好的正相关,相关系数达0.934;通过对2004—2009年春夏冰雹天气发生前的CAPE值和垂直风切变分析发现,春季冰雹发生前,要求700hPa到200hPa垂直风切变达到0.002s-1以上,而对CAPE值要求不高,多在800J·kg-1以下;夏季冰雹发生前,一般要求CAPE值在700～2000J·kg-1之间,而垂直风切变大多在0.002s-1以下。