A prediction scheme with genetic neural network and Isomap algorithm for tropical cyclone intensity change over western North Pacific

A western North Pacific tropical cyclone (TC) intensity prediction scheme has been developed based on climatology and persistence (CLIPER) factors as potential predictors and using genetic neural network (GNN) model. TC samples during June–October spanning 2001–2010 are used for model development. The GNN model input is constructed from potential predictors by employing both a stepwise regression method and an Isometric Mapping (Isomap) algorithm. The Isomap algorithm is capable of finding meaningful low-dimensional architectures hidden in their nonlinear high-dimensional data space and separating the underlying factors. In this scheme, the new developed model, which is termed the GNN-Isomap model, is used for monthly TC intensity prediction at 24- and 48-h lead times. Using identical modeling samples and independent samples, predictions of the GNN-Isomap model are compared with the widely used CLIPER method. By adopting different numbers of nearest neighbors, results of sensitivity experiments show that the mean absolute prediction errors of the independent samples using GNN-Isomap model at 24- and 48-h forecasts are smaller than those using CLIPER method. Positive skills are obtained as compared to the CLIPER method with being above 12 % at 24 h and above 14 % at 48 h. Analyses of the new scheme suggest that the useful linear and nonlinear prediction information of the full pool of potential predictors is excavated in terms of the stepwise regression method and the Isomap algorithm. Moreover, the GNN is built by integrating multiple individual neural networks with the same expected output and network architecture is optimized by an evolutionary genetic algorithm, so the generalization capacity of the GNN-Isomap model is significantly enhanced, indicating a potentially better operational weather prediction.