The mean kinematic and thermodynamic structures of tropical cyclones(TCs) making landfall in China's Mainland are examined by using sounding data from 1998 to 2009. It is found that TC landfall is usually accompanied with a decrease in low-level wind speed, an expansion of the radius of strong wind, weakening of the upper-level warm core, and drying of the mid-tropospheric air. On average, the warm core of the TCs dissipates 24 h after landfall. The height of the maximum low-level wind and the base of the stable layer both increase with the increased distance to the TC center; however, the former is always higher than the latter. In particular, an asymmetric structure of the TC after landfall is found. The kinematic and thermodynamic structures across various areas of TC circulation differ, especially over the left-front and right-rear quadrants(relative to the direction of TC motion). In the left-front quadrant, strong winds locate at a smaller radius, the upper-level temperature is warmer with the warm core extending into a deep layer,while the wet air occupies a shallow layer. In the right-rear quadrant, strong wind and wet air dwell in an area that is broader and deeper, and the warmest air is situated farther away from the TC center.
The effects of vertical wind shear on tropical cyclone(TC) intensity change are examined based on the TC data from the China Meteorological Administration and the NCEP reanalysis daily data from 2001 to 2006.First,the influence of wind shear between different vertical levels and averages in different horizontal areas are compared.The results indicate that the effect of wind shear between 200 and 850 hPa averaged within a 200-800 km annulus on TC intensity change is larger than any other calculated vertical wind shear.High-latitude and intense TCs tend to be less sensitive to the effects of VWS than low-latitude and weak TCs.TCs experience time lags between the imposition of the shear and the weakening in TC intensity.A vertical shear of 8-9 m/s(9-10 m/s) would weaken TC intensity within 60 h(48 h).A vertical shear greater than 10 m/s would weaken TC intensity within 6 h.Finally,a statistical TC intensity prediction scheme is developed by using partial least squares regression,which produces skillful intensity forecasts when potential predictors include factors related to the vertical wind shear.Analysis of the standardized regression coefficients further confirms the obtained statistical results.
The operational track and intensity forecast errors of tropical cyclones(TCs) over the western North Pacific in 2015 were evaluated on the basis of RSMC-Tokyo's "best-track" dataset. The results showed that position errors for each official agency were under 80 km, 130 km, 180 km, 260 km and 370 km at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hr lead time. Stepped decreases in the values of each quantile were made at every lead times and have been made by global models from 2010 to 2015, especially for long lead time. The results of the Track Forecast Integral Deviation(TFID) show a clearly decreasing trend for most global models, indicating that the TC forecast tracks became increasingly similar to the observations. In 2015, the intensity forecast skill scores for both global and regional models were almost negative. However, the skill of EPSs' intensity forecasting has made significant progress in the past year.
Guomin ChenXiaotu LEIXiping ZHANGPeiyan CHENHui YURijin WAN
The forecasts of tropical cyclones(TC) in 2016 from 5 official guidances, 5 global models, 3 regional models and 6 ensemble systems were assessed to study the current capabilities of track and intensity forecasts for the western North Pacific. In 2016, the position errors for each official agency were under 85, 150 and 250 km at the lead times of 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively,indicating the performance of track forecasts was a little worse than that in 2015. For each lead time, decreases were seen for each quantile value of the global models from 2010 to 2015; however, this progress in forecasts was stagnated or was reversed in 2016, especially for long lead times.A new error tracking tool,called a "Track Error Rose",was used to visualize the spatial distributions of the track forecast error relative to the observed TC center. The results show that as lead time increases, the moving speed of most global model TC forecasts becomes slower than those of the observations, and the largest track error often appears to the south of the observation position. In 2016, JMA-GSM, NCEP-GFS, STI-GRAPES and UKMO-MetUM made considerable progress in their intensity forecasts at lead times of 24 and 48 h, and the EPS intensity forecasts made significant progress compared to those of 2015.
Severe typhoon Fitow(1323)brought persistent and heavy rainfall to Zhejiang and the Shanghai area after it made landfall at Fujian Province of China in October 2013,breaking the rainfall records of several counties and districts in Zhejiang.In this paper,we provide an overview of the characteristics of Fitow’s landfall,including its track,intensity,structural evolution,heavy rainfall,and wind.We also describe some of the associated disastrous impacts.Finally,we provide verifications of operational forecasts of its track,intensity and rainfall.Though the track and intensity is well predicted,the rainfall persistence and enhancement in the second stage in Shanghai and north Zhejiang areas are not predicted out at all.The analysis presented in this paper provides forecasters and researchers with some valuable information on Fitow,which could form a useful basis for further studies.
Based on NCEP/CFSR 0.5° reanalysis data and the best track data from the Japan Tokyo Typhoon Center,composite and comparative analyses demonstrate the asymmetrical structures of the temperature and humidity in tropical cyclones over the Western North Pacific and the South China Sea from 1979 to 2010.The results are shown as follows.(1) With intensifying tropical cyclones,the flow field tends to become gradually more axisymmetric;however,the asymmetry of the specific humidity in the outer regions is more obvious.(2) In general,tropical cyclones have a non-uniform,vertical, "double warm-core" structure.The "warm-cores" in the lower level of weak tropical cyclones and in the higher level of strong tropical cyclones are the stronger of the two.(3) The distribution area of a "warm-core" is enhanced with cyclone intensification and tends to become more axisymmetric.At 200 hPa,the "warm-core" of a weak cyclone has a weak anticyclone in the center,whereas that of a strong cyclone has a weak cyclone in the center.(4)The "wet-core" of a tropical cyclone is primarily located in the lower level(700-850 hPa).With the cyclone's intensification,the intensity of the "wet-core" increases and the scope of the 0.8 g kg^(-1) specific humidity anomaly tends to expand to higher levels.(5) With the cyclone's deepening,the pseudo-equivalent potential temperature at different levels in different regions increases.In addition,the largest warming rates at each intensity level in the different regions occur in the core area,followed in turn by the envelope and outer areas.
