2019 Vol. 25, No. 1
2019, 25(1): 1-10.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.001
Abstract:
In this study, coastal gales and rainfall attributed to the landfall of Typhoon Soudelor (2015) are analyzed based on observational dense automatic weather stations data, advanced scatterometer-retrieved 10-m ocean surface wind data and simulations using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. This study focuses on gale bands in the right-front quadrant of the typhoon and associated coastal winds over Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces in China before the landfall of the typhoon. The results are summarized as follows. (1) 10-m surface wind data from automatic weather stations over land and islands, advanced scatterometer-retrieved 10-m ocean surface wind data, and the WRF simulation indicate similar mesoscale offshore gales. (2) The model simulation with a 333-m grid mesh indicates a gale zone over the right-front quadrant of the typhoon; the gale is “broken” over the coastal areas, and formed an inhomogeneous gale band. (3) The model-simulated winds agree well with the island observations. (4) Non-uniform gales over boundary layers result in horizontal wind-speed gradients and strong convergence that favors the development of convection and the maintenance of ocean surface gales.
In this study, coastal gales and rainfall attributed to the landfall of Typhoon Soudelor (2015) are analyzed based on observational dense automatic weather stations data, advanced scatterometer-retrieved 10-m ocean surface wind data and simulations using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model. This study focuses on gale bands in the right-front quadrant of the typhoon and associated coastal winds over Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces in China before the landfall of the typhoon. The results are summarized as follows. (1) 10-m surface wind data from automatic weather stations over land and islands, advanced scatterometer-retrieved 10-m ocean surface wind data, and the WRF simulation indicate similar mesoscale offshore gales. (2) The model simulation with a 333-m grid mesh indicates a gale zone over the right-front quadrant of the typhoon; the gale is “broken” over the coastal areas, and formed an inhomogeneous gale band. (3) The model-simulated winds agree well with the island observations. (4) Non-uniform gales over boundary layers result in horizontal wind-speed gradients and strong convergence that favors the development of convection and the maintenance of ocean surface gales.
2019, 25(1): 11-23.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.002
Abstract:
In this study, we employed National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis data and records from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Yearbook of Tropical Cyclones to investigate three factors: sea-surface temperature (SST), vertical wind shear (VWS), and the density of the core convection (DCC), which are responsible for the rapid intensification (RI) of 1949-2013 offshore typhoons. Our analysis results of these composite factors show that in the environmental wind field the typhoons are far away from the outer strong VWS; in the SST field they are in the high SST area; and the core convective activity is robust and takes a bimodal pattern. The difference in RI between typhoons over the East China Sea (ECS) and the South China Sea (SCS) is a smaller VWS for the ECS typhoons, which may be one of the reasons why typhoons in the ECS are more intense than those in the SCS. Our study results indicate that SST, VWS, and DCC can result in an RI after a certain time interval of 36 h, 24 h to 30 h, and 24 h, respectively. The RI indicates a lag in the atmospheric response to oceanic conditions. This lag characteristic makes it possible to predict RI events. In summary, where the SST is high (? 28 °C), the VWS is small, and the DCC is high, an RI will occur. Where mid-range SSTs occur (26 °C?SST?28 °C), with small VWS, and high DCC, the RI of typhoons is also likely to occur.
In this study, we employed National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis data and records from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Yearbook of Tropical Cyclones to investigate three factors: sea-surface temperature (SST), vertical wind shear (VWS), and the density of the core convection (DCC), which are responsible for the rapid intensification (RI) of 1949-2013 offshore typhoons. Our analysis results of these composite factors show that in the environmental wind field the typhoons are far away from the outer strong VWS; in the SST field they are in the high SST area; and the core convective activity is robust and takes a bimodal pattern. The difference in RI between typhoons over the East China Sea (ECS) and the South China Sea (SCS) is a smaller VWS for the ECS typhoons, which may be one of the reasons why typhoons in the ECS are more intense than those in the SCS. Our study results indicate that SST, VWS, and DCC can result in an RI after a certain time interval of 36 h, 24 h to 30 h, and 24 h, respectively. The RI indicates a lag in the atmospheric response to oceanic conditions. This lag characteristic makes it possible to predict RI events. In summary, where the SST is high (? 28 °C), the VWS is small, and the DCC is high, an RI will occur. Where mid-range SSTs occur (26 °C?SST?28 °C), with small VWS, and high DCC, the RI of typhoons is also likely to occur.
2019, 25(1): 24-33.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.003
Abstract:
Typhoon Usagi (1319) was simulated by using the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting numerical model (WRF) with different horizontal resolution to understand the impact of horizontal resolution on the intensity and characteristics of typhoon’s microstructures (including dynamic and microphysical structure). The simulated results show that the improvement of horizontal resolution from 5 km to 1 km has little impact on the track which is comparable to real results, but has a significant impact on the intensity and microstructures, and especially, the impact on wind speed at 10 m height, the vertical movement and precipitation intensity is the greatest. When the resolution is increased to 1 km, the intensity and characteristics of typhoon’s microstructures can be simulated better. In lower resolution simulations, some structural characteristics, including more asymmetrical and more outward tilted eyewall, and less water vapor flux on sea surface, work together to weaken typhoon intensity.
Typhoon Usagi (1319) was simulated by using the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting numerical model (WRF) with different horizontal resolution to understand the impact of horizontal resolution on the intensity and characteristics of typhoon’s microstructures (including dynamic and microphysical structure). The simulated results show that the improvement of horizontal resolution from 5 km to 1 km has little impact on the track which is comparable to real results, but has a significant impact on the intensity and microstructures, and especially, the impact on wind speed at 10 m height, the vertical movement and precipitation intensity is the greatest. When the resolution is increased to 1 km, the intensity and characteristics of typhoon’s microstructures can be simulated better. In lower resolution simulations, some structural characteristics, including more asymmetrical and more outward tilted eyewall, and less water vapor flux on sea surface, work together to weaken typhoon intensity.
2019, 25(1): 34-44.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.004
Abstract:
The atmospheric and oceanic conditions before the onset of EP El Niño and CP El Niño in nearly 30 years are compared and analyzed by using 850 hPa wind, 20°C isotherm depth, sea surface temperature and the Wheeler and Hendon index. The results are as follows: In the western equatorial Pacific, the occurrence of the anomalously strong westerly winds of the EP El Niño is earlier than that of the CP El Niño. Its intensity is far stronger than that of the CP El Niño. Two months before the El Niño, the anomaly westerly winds of the EP El Niño have extended to the eastern Pacific region, while the westerly wind anomaly of the CP El Niño can only extend to the west of the dateline three months before the El Niño and later stay there. Unlike the EP El Niño, the CP El Niño is always associated with easterly wind anomaly in the eastern equatorial Pacific before its onset. The thermocline depth anomaly of the EP El Niño can significantly move eastward and deepen. In addition, we also find that the evolution of thermocline is ahead of the development of the sea surface temperature for the EP El Niño. The strong MJO activity of the EP El Niño in the western and central Pacific is earlier than that of the CP El Niño. Measured by the standard deviation of the zonal wind square, the intensity of MJO activity of the EP El Niño is significantly greater than that of the CP El Niño before the onset of El Niño.
The atmospheric and oceanic conditions before the onset of EP El Niño and CP El Niño in nearly 30 years are compared and analyzed by using 850 hPa wind, 20°C isotherm depth, sea surface temperature and the Wheeler and Hendon index. The results are as follows: In the western equatorial Pacific, the occurrence of the anomalously strong westerly winds of the EP El Niño is earlier than that of the CP El Niño. Its intensity is far stronger than that of the CP El Niño. Two months before the El Niño, the anomaly westerly winds of the EP El Niño have extended to the eastern Pacific region, while the westerly wind anomaly of the CP El Niño can only extend to the west of the dateline three months before the El Niño and later stay there. Unlike the EP El Niño, the CP El Niño is always associated with easterly wind anomaly in the eastern equatorial Pacific before its onset. The thermocline depth anomaly of the EP El Niño can significantly move eastward and deepen. In addition, we also find that the evolution of thermocline is ahead of the development of the sea surface temperature for the EP El Niño. The strong MJO activity of the EP El Niño in the western and central Pacific is earlier than that of the CP El Niño. Measured by the standard deviation of the zonal wind square, the intensity of MJO activity of the EP El Niño is significantly greater than that of the CP El Niño before the onset of El Niño.
2019, 25(1): 45-53.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.005
Abstract:
In this study, the observed CMORPH precipitation data from 1998 to 2015 are used to analyze diurnal variation of global precipitation. The results reveal that the strong diurnal signals of precipitation occur over equatorial continental areas where the annual precipitation centers are located. The phase of diurnal variation of global precipitation reveals a distinct land-sea contrast with nocturnal peaks at sea and afternoon maxima over continents. The analysis of six selected area reveals that precipitation peak over equatorial land areas occur in afternoon and maximum diurnal signals appear in autumn or winter. Eastern equatorial Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) barely shows diurnal signals in the entire year. Precipitation over Sichuan Basin and northwestern Pacific shows nocturnal peak and the maximum diurnal amplitude in summer. Precipitation over coastal areas off eastern China shows an afternoon peak and the largest diurnal amplitude in summer.
In this study, the observed CMORPH precipitation data from 1998 to 2015 are used to analyze diurnal variation of global precipitation. The results reveal that the strong diurnal signals of precipitation occur over equatorial continental areas where the annual precipitation centers are located. The phase of diurnal variation of global precipitation reveals a distinct land-sea contrast with nocturnal peaks at sea and afternoon maxima over continents. The analysis of six selected area reveals that precipitation peak over equatorial land areas occur in afternoon and maximum diurnal signals appear in autumn or winter. Eastern equatorial Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) barely shows diurnal signals in the entire year. Precipitation over Sichuan Basin and northwestern Pacific shows nocturnal peak and the maximum diurnal amplitude in summer. Precipitation over coastal areas off eastern China shows an afternoon peak and the largest diurnal amplitude in summer.
2019, 25(1): 54-62.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.006
Abstract:
The Maritime Continent (MC) is an important region where the Tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean interact with each other via “the atmospheric bridge” and a key region for the interaction between the Asian and Australian monsoons. Using the NCEP/NCAR and CMAP monthly mean reanalysis over the period of 1979–C2012, the interdecadal variations of diabatic forcing over the key region of the Maritime Continent and its possible relations with the East Asian summer monsoon have been investigated in the present paper. Our results show that climate variations in the Maritime Continent is particularly significant in the area of 95–C145oE, 10oS–C10oN, which is thus defined as the key area of the MC (i.e., KMC area). Without the input of latent heat release in the atmosphere, distinct interdecadal change of diabatic heating is found to exist from 1979 to 2012; it intensified before 1980s and peaked in the late 1980s and weakened after this period. By analyzing each individual component that contributes to the diabatic heating in the KMC area, surface latent heat flux and net long-wave radiation in the atmosphere are found to be the two dominant components. With negative diabatic heating anomalies over KMC, there will be more precipitation on islands and less precipitation over sea, and more rainfall around the equator, which is in correspondence with the convergence center around the equator in the KMC area. Along the meridional-vertical section averaged between 115–C120oE, the well-defined vertical circulation anomalies are observed with the ascending branches over KMC and the area around 30oN respectively, and the descending branch over the South China Sea. Water vapor transports from the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea to eastern China to benefit the positive precipitation anomalies. The meridional-vertical circulation in East Asia plays a critical role in linking the interdecadal variability of diabatic heating over the KMC and East Asian summer monsoon anomalies.
The Maritime Continent (MC) is an important region where the Tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean interact with each other via “the atmospheric bridge” and a key region for the interaction between the Asian and Australian monsoons. Using the NCEP/NCAR and CMAP monthly mean reanalysis over the period of 1979–C2012, the interdecadal variations of diabatic forcing over the key region of the Maritime Continent and its possible relations with the East Asian summer monsoon have been investigated in the present paper. Our results show that climate variations in the Maritime Continent is particularly significant in the area of 95–C145oE, 10oS–C10oN, which is thus defined as the key area of the MC (i.e., KMC area). Without the input of latent heat release in the atmosphere, distinct interdecadal change of diabatic heating is found to exist from 1979 to 2012; it intensified before 1980s and peaked in the late 1980s and weakened after this period. By analyzing each individual component that contributes to the diabatic heating in the KMC area, surface latent heat flux and net long-wave radiation in the atmosphere are found to be the two dominant components. With negative diabatic heating anomalies over KMC, there will be more precipitation on islands and less precipitation over sea, and more rainfall around the equator, which is in correspondence with the convergence center around the equator in the KMC area. Along the meridional-vertical section averaged between 115–C120oE, the well-defined vertical circulation anomalies are observed with the ascending branches over KMC and the area around 30oN respectively, and the descending branch over the South China Sea. Water vapor transports from the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea to eastern China to benefit the positive precipitation anomalies. The meridional-vertical circulation in East Asia plays a critical role in linking the interdecadal variability of diabatic heating over the KMC and East Asian summer monsoon anomalies.
2019, 25(1): 63-81.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.007
Abstract:
Some intelligent algorithms (IAs) proposed by us, including swarm IAs and single individual IAs, have been applied to the Zebiak-Cane (ZC) model to solve conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) for studying El Niño –C Southern Oscillation (ENSO) predictability. Compared to the adjoint-based method (the ADJ-method), which is referred to as a benchmark, these IAs can achieve approximate CNOP results in terms of magnitudes and patterns. Using IAs to solve CNOP can avoid the use of an adjoint model and widen the application of CNOP in numerical climate and weather modeling. Of the proposed swarm IAs, PCA-based particle swarm optimization (PPSO) obtains CNOPs with the best patterns and the best stability. Of the proposed single individual IAs, continuous tabu search algorithm with sine maps and staged strategy (CTS-SS) has the highest efficiency. In this paper, we compare the validity, stability and efficiency of parallel PPSO and CTS-SS using these two IAs to solve CNOP in the ZC model for studying ENSO predictability. The experimental results show that CTS-SS outperforms parallel PPSO except with respect to stability. At the same time, we are also concerned with whether these two IAs can effectively solve CNOP when applied to more complicated models. Taking the sensitive areas identification of tropical cyclone adaptive observations as an example and using the fifth-generation mesoscale model (MM5), we design some experiments. The experimental results demonstrate that each of these two IAs can effectively solve CNOP and that parallel PPSO has a higher efficiency than CTS-SS. We also provide some suggestions on how to choose a suitable IA to solve CNOP for different models.
Some intelligent algorithms (IAs) proposed by us, including swarm IAs and single individual IAs, have been applied to the Zebiak-Cane (ZC) model to solve conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) for studying El Niño –C Southern Oscillation (ENSO) predictability. Compared to the adjoint-based method (the ADJ-method), which is referred to as a benchmark, these IAs can achieve approximate CNOP results in terms of magnitudes and patterns. Using IAs to solve CNOP can avoid the use of an adjoint model and widen the application of CNOP in numerical climate and weather modeling. Of the proposed swarm IAs, PCA-based particle swarm optimization (PPSO) obtains CNOPs with the best patterns and the best stability. Of the proposed single individual IAs, continuous tabu search algorithm with sine maps and staged strategy (CTS-SS) has the highest efficiency. In this paper, we compare the validity, stability and efficiency of parallel PPSO and CTS-SS using these two IAs to solve CNOP in the ZC model for studying ENSO predictability. The experimental results show that CTS-SS outperforms parallel PPSO except with respect to stability. At the same time, we are also concerned with whether these two IAs can effectively solve CNOP when applied to more complicated models. Taking the sensitive areas identification of tropical cyclone adaptive observations as an example and using the fifth-generation mesoscale model (MM5), we design some experiments. The experimental results demonstrate that each of these two IAs can effectively solve CNOP and that parallel PPSO has a higher efficiency than CTS-SS. We also provide some suggestions on how to choose a suitable IA to solve CNOP for different models.
2019, 25(1): 82-91.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.008
Abstract:
Based on the measurements obtained at 64 national meteorological stations in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region between 1970 and 2013, the potential evapotranspiration (ET0) in this region was estimated using the Penman–Monteith equation and its sensitivity to maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), wind speed (Vw), net radiation (Rn) and water vapor pressure (Pwv) was analyzed, respectively. The results are shown as follows. (1) The climatic elements in the BTH region underwent significant changes in the study period. Vw and Rn decreased significantly, whereas Tmin, Tmax and Pwv increased considerably. (2) In the BTH region, ET0 also exhibited a significant decreasing trend, and the sensitivity of ET0 to the climatic elements exhibited seasonal characteristics. Of all the climatic elements, ET0 was most sensitive to Pwv in the fall and winter and Rn in the spring and summer. On the annual scale, ET0 was most sensitive to Pwv, followed by Rn, Vw, Tmax and Tmin. In addition, the sensitivity coefficient of ET0 with respect to Pwv had a negative value for all the areas, indicating that increases in Pwv can prevent ET0 from increasing. (3) The sensitivity of ET0 to Tmin and Tmax was significantly lower than its sensitivity to other climatic elements. However, increases in temperature can lead to changes in Pwv and Rn. The temperature should be considered the key intrinsic climatic element that has caused the "evaporation paradox" phenomenon in the BTH region.
Based on the measurements obtained at 64 national meteorological stations in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region between 1970 and 2013, the potential evapotranspiration (ET0) in this region was estimated using the Penman–Monteith equation and its sensitivity to maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), wind speed (Vw), net radiation (Rn) and water vapor pressure (Pwv) was analyzed, respectively. The results are shown as follows. (1) The climatic elements in the BTH region underwent significant changes in the study period. Vw and Rn decreased significantly, whereas Tmin, Tmax and Pwv increased considerably. (2) In the BTH region, ET0 also exhibited a significant decreasing trend, and the sensitivity of ET0 to the climatic elements exhibited seasonal characteristics. Of all the climatic elements, ET0 was most sensitive to Pwv in the fall and winter and Rn in the spring and summer. On the annual scale, ET0 was most sensitive to Pwv, followed by Rn, Vw, Tmax and Tmin. In addition, the sensitivity coefficient of ET0 with respect to Pwv had a negative value for all the areas, indicating that increases in Pwv can prevent ET0 from increasing. (3) The sensitivity of ET0 to Tmin and Tmax was significantly lower than its sensitivity to other climatic elements. However, increases in temperature can lead to changes in Pwv and Rn. The temperature should be considered the key intrinsic climatic element that has caused the "evaporation paradox" phenomenon in the BTH region.
2019, 25(1): 92-101.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.009
Abstract:
Since the solution of elliptic partial differential equations continuously depends on the boundary condition, the Euler equation derived from variational method cannot be solved without boundary condition. It is often difficult to provide the exact boundary condition in the practical use of variational method. However, in some application problems such as the remote sensing data assimilation, the values can be easily obtained in the inner region of the domain. In this paper, the boundary condition is tried to be retrieved by using part solutions in the inner area. Firstly, the variational problem of remote sensing data assimilation within a circular area is established. The Klein-Gordon elliptic equation is derived from the Euler method of variational problems with assumed boundary condition. Secondly, a computer-friendly Green function is constructed for the Dirichlet problem of two-dimensional Klein-Gordon equation, with the formal solution according to Green formula. Thirdly, boundary values are retrieved by solving the optimal problem which is constructed according to the best approximation between formal solutions and high-accuracy measurements in the interior of the domain. Finally, the assimilation problem is solved on substituting the retrieved boundary values into the Klein-Gordon equation. It is a type of inverse problem in mathematics. The advantage of this method lies in that it overcomes the inherent instability of the inverse problem of Fredholm integral equation and alleviates the error introduced by artificial boundary condition in data fusion using variational method in the past.
Since the solution of elliptic partial differential equations continuously depends on the boundary condition, the Euler equation derived from variational method cannot be solved without boundary condition. It is often difficult to provide the exact boundary condition in the practical use of variational method. However, in some application problems such as the remote sensing data assimilation, the values can be easily obtained in the inner region of the domain. In this paper, the boundary condition is tried to be retrieved by using part solutions in the inner area. Firstly, the variational problem of remote sensing data assimilation within a circular area is established. The Klein-Gordon elliptic equation is derived from the Euler method of variational problems with assumed boundary condition. Secondly, a computer-friendly Green function is constructed for the Dirichlet problem of two-dimensional Klein-Gordon equation, with the formal solution according to Green formula. Thirdly, boundary values are retrieved by solving the optimal problem which is constructed according to the best approximation between formal solutions and high-accuracy measurements in the interior of the domain. Finally, the assimilation problem is solved on substituting the retrieved boundary values into the Klein-Gordon equation. It is a type of inverse problem in mathematics. The advantage of this method lies in that it overcomes the inherent instability of the inverse problem of Fredholm integral equation and alleviates the error introduced by artificial boundary condition in data fusion using variational method in the past.
2019, 25(1): 102-113.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.010
Abstract:
Based on an in-homogeneity adjusted dataset of the monthly mean temperature, minimum and maximum temperature, this paper analyzes the temporal characteristics of Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity at Wuhan Station, and its impact on the long-term trend of surface air temperature change recorded during 1961–C2015 by using an urban-rural method. Results show that UHI effect is obvious near Wuhan Station in the past 55 years, especially for minimum temperature. The strongest UHI intensity occurs in summer and the weakest in winter. For the period 1961–C2004, UHI intensity undergoes a significant increase near the urban station, with the increase especially large for the period 1988–C2004, but the last 10 years witness a significant decrease, with the decrease in minimum temperature being more significant than that of maximum temperature. The annual mean urban warming and its contribution to overall warming are 0.18?C/10yr and 48.8% respectively for the period 1961–C2015, with a more significant and larger urbanization effect seen in Tmin than Tmax. Thus, a large proportion warming, about half of the overall increase in annual mean temperature, as observed at the urban station, can be attributed to the rapid urbanization in the past half a century.
Based on an in-homogeneity adjusted dataset of the monthly mean temperature, minimum and maximum temperature, this paper analyzes the temporal characteristics of Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity at Wuhan Station, and its impact on the long-term trend of surface air temperature change recorded during 1961–C2015 by using an urban-rural method. Results show that UHI effect is obvious near Wuhan Station in the past 55 years, especially for minimum temperature. The strongest UHI intensity occurs in summer and the weakest in winter. For the period 1961–C2004, UHI intensity undergoes a significant increase near the urban station, with the increase especially large for the period 1988–C2004, but the last 10 years witness a significant decrease, with the decrease in minimum temperature being more significant than that of maximum temperature. The annual mean urban warming and its contribution to overall warming are 0.18?C/10yr and 48.8% respectively for the period 1961–C2015, with a more significant and larger urbanization effect seen in Tmin than Tmax. Thus, a large proportion warming, about half of the overall increase in annual mean temperature, as observed at the urban station, can be attributed to the rapid urbanization in the past half a century.
2019, 25(1): 114-128.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.011
Abstract:
This study investigates the variation and prediction of the west China autumn rainfall (WCAR) and their associated atmospheric circulation features, focusing on the transitional stages of onset and demise of the WCAR. Output from the 45-day hindcast by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) and several observational data sets are used. The onset of WCAR generally occurs at pentad 46 and decays at pentad 56, with heavy rainfall over the northwestern China and moderate rainfall over the south. Before that, southerly wind changes into southeasterly wind, accompanied by a westward expansion and intensification of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), favoring rainfall over west China. On the other hand, during the decay of WCAR, a continental cold high develops and the WPSH weakens and shifts eastward, accompanied by a demise of southwest monsoon flow, leading to decay of rainfall over west China. The CFSv2 generally well captures the variation of WCAR owing to the high skill in capturing the associated atmospheric circulation, despite an overestimation of rainfall. This overestimation occurs at all time leads due to the overestimated low-level southerly wind. The CFSv2 can pinpoint the dates of onset and demise of WCAR at the leads up to 5 days and 40 days, respectively. The lower prediction skill for WCAR onset is due to the unrealistically predicted northerly wind anomaly over the lower branch of the Yangtze River and the underestimated movement of WPSH after lead time of 5 days.
This study investigates the variation and prediction of the west China autumn rainfall (WCAR) and their associated atmospheric circulation features, focusing on the transitional stages of onset and demise of the WCAR. Output from the 45-day hindcast by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) and several observational data sets are used. The onset of WCAR generally occurs at pentad 46 and decays at pentad 56, with heavy rainfall over the northwestern China and moderate rainfall over the south. Before that, southerly wind changes into southeasterly wind, accompanied by a westward expansion and intensification of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), favoring rainfall over west China. On the other hand, during the decay of WCAR, a continental cold high develops and the WPSH weakens and shifts eastward, accompanied by a demise of southwest monsoon flow, leading to decay of rainfall over west China. The CFSv2 generally well captures the variation of WCAR owing to the high skill in capturing the associated atmospheric circulation, despite an overestimation of rainfall. This overestimation occurs at all time leads due to the overestimated low-level southerly wind. The CFSv2 can pinpoint the dates of onset and demise of WCAR at the leads up to 5 days and 40 days, respectively. The lower prediction skill for WCAR onset is due to the unrealistically predicted northerly wind anomaly over the lower branch of the Yangtze River and the underestimated movement of WPSH after lead time of 5 days.
2019, 25(1): 129-140.
doi: 10.16555/j.1006-8775.2019.01.012
Abstract:
Temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of sea surface wind in Guangdong's coastal areas were analyzed with data from four offshore observational stations between 2012 and 2015. The results are shown as follows: (1) The probability distribution of wind speed was basically consistent with Gaussian distribution characteristics; winds of Beaufort force 6 or higher were observed mainly in far offshore stations from October to March. (2) The probability distribution of wind direction was represented well by Weibull distribution. The deviation of wind direction of far station was relatively small for it was mainly controlled by monsoon over the South China Sea, while the near offshore station had a relatively large diurnal variation because of the influence of local synoptic systems such as sea-land breeze. (3) There were significant seasonal differences in wind speed and direction observed by different offshore observational stations. In strong wind seasons, the deviation of wind direction was relatively small while the deviation of wind speed was relatively large, and vice versa. In contrast with Class I station, the other three stations exhibited approximately normal distribution of wind direction and wind speed deviations. (4) Wind direction diurnal variation was moderate in windy periods, while it was obvious in relatively lower speed conditions. The deviation of wind speed in windy periods was generally greater because it was influenced by mesoscale weather systems for 10-20 h, and the influence was complicated, resulting in greater local differences in wind speed.
Temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of sea surface wind in Guangdong's coastal areas were analyzed with data from four offshore observational stations between 2012 and 2015. The results are shown as follows: (1) The probability distribution of wind speed was basically consistent with Gaussian distribution characteristics; winds of Beaufort force 6 or higher were observed mainly in far offshore stations from October to March. (2) The probability distribution of wind direction was represented well by Weibull distribution. The deviation of wind direction of far station was relatively small for it was mainly controlled by monsoon over the South China Sea, while the near offshore station had a relatively large diurnal variation because of the influence of local synoptic systems such as sea-land breeze. (3) There were significant seasonal differences in wind speed and direction observed by different offshore observational stations. In strong wind seasons, the deviation of wind direction was relatively small while the deviation of wind speed was relatively large, and vice versa. In contrast with Class I station, the other three stations exhibited approximately normal distribution of wind direction and wind speed deviations. (4) Wind direction diurnal variation was moderate in windy periods, while it was obvious in relatively lower speed conditions. The deviation of wind speed in windy periods was generally greater because it was influenced by mesoscale weather systems for 10-20 h, and the influence was complicated, resulting in greater local differences in wind speed.
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