Urban effects and summer thunderstorms in a tropical cyclone affected situation over Guangzhou city

Urban effects and summer thunderstorms in a tropical cyclone affected situation over Guangzhou city

With data mainly from Guangzhou mesonet Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), Guangzhou Doppler Radar and satellite T _BB data, characteristics and evolution of the urban heat island (UHI) over Guangzhou City were analyzed in a tropical cyclone affected situation for early August 2005. In particular, two thunderstorms occurring during this period respectively at the night of 4 August and in the afternoon of 7 August were investigated to study the relationships between the development of thunderstorms and the UHI. Results showed that two thunderstorms were associated with the UHI effects. UHI induced local air convergence and initiated the thunderstorm convections. Both cases showed a general agreement in time and space for the locations of maximum UHI, convergence, convection, and precipitation. Convection was found to be more favorable to developing in time periods and locations with stronger intensity of UHI. Analysis also showed that, due to the urban effects, both thunderstorms got strengthened when moving over Guangzhou City, with maximum radar echoes observed right over the urban area and precipitation located within the city. All these features reveal that two thunderstorms were urban-induced storms. Supported jointly by the R&D Infrastructure and Facility Developemnt Program (2003DIB4J145) from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Urban Meteorological Science Research Fund (UMRF200504) and the Open Research Fund from the State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences