THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AIR-SEA HEAT FLUX EXCHANGE DURING THE GENERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL TYPHOONS OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

A South China Sea (SCS) local TC (SLT) is defined as a tropical cyclone (TC) that forms within the SCS region and can reach the grade of tropical storm (TS) or above. The statistical features of the SLTs from 1985 to 2007 are analyzed first. It is found that over the SCS about 68% of the TCs can develop into TSs. The SLT intensity is relatively weak and associated with its genesis latitude as well as its track. The SLT monthly number presents a seasonal variation with two peaks in May and July to September. Based on the daily heat flux data from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution_Objectively Analyzed air-sea Fluxes (WHOI_OAFlux) in the same period, the air-sea exchange during the process of generation and development of the SLT is studied. Results show that the heat fluxes released to the atmosphere increase significantly day by day before cyclogenesis. The ocean to the south to the TC center provides the main energy. Along with the development of SLT, the regions with large heat fluxes spread clockwise to the north of TC, which reflects the energy dispersion property of vortex Rossby waves in the periphery of the TC. Once the SLT forms the heat fluxes are not intensified as much. During the whole process, the net heat, latent heat and sensible heat flux display a similar evolution, while the latent heat flux makes a main contribution to the net heat flux. The maximum air-sea heat exchange always occurs at the left side of the TC moving direction, which may reflect the influence of the SCS summer monsoon on TC structure.ed response of the ocean to the atmospheric wind field.