A CLIMATOLOGY OF DEEP CONVECTION OVER SOUTH CHINA AND THE ADJACENT WATERS DURING SUMMER

ZHENG Yong-guang; CHEN Jiong

Abstract:

Due to the higher temporal and spatial resolution and the better integrality of long-term satellite infrared (IR) Brightness Temperature (TBB) data, a climatology of deep convection during summer over South China and the adjacent waters is presented in this paper based on the 1-hourly infrared IR TBB data during June-August of 1996-2007 (except 2004). The results show that the geographic distribution of deep convection denoted by TBB ≤ -52°C over South China and the adjacent waters are basically consistent with previous statistical results based on surface thunderstorm observations and low-orbit satellite lightning observations. The monthly, ten-day, five-day and diurnal variations of deep convection in this region are focused on in this paper. There are 5 active deep-convection areas in June-August. The monthly variations of the deep convection are closely associated with the large-scale atmospheric circulations. The deep convection over the land areas of South China is more active in June while that over the South China Sea is more active in July and August. The development of deep convection is prominently intermittent and its period is about 3 to 5 five-day periods. However, the deep convection over the coastal areas in South China remains more active during summer and has no apparent intermittence. The ten-day and five-day variations of deep convection show that there are different variations of deep convection over different areas in South China and the adjacent waters. The tendency of deep convection over the land areas of South China is negatively correlated with that over the South China Sea. The diurnal variations of deep convection show that the sea-land breeze, caused by the thermal differences between land and sea, and the mountain-valley breeze, caused by the thermal differences between mountains and plains or basins, cause deep convection to propagate from sea to land in the afternoon and from land to sea after midnight, and the convection over mountains propagates from mountains to plains after midnight. The different diurnal variations of deep convection over different underlying surfaces show that not only there are general mountainous, marine and multi-peak deep convection, but also there is longer-duration deep convection over coastal areas and other deep convection triggered and maintained by larger-scale weather systems in South China during summer.

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ZHENG Yong-guang, CHEN Jiong. A CLIMATOLOGY OF DEEP CONVECTION OVER SOUTH CHINA AND THE ADJACENT WATERS DURING SUMMER [J]. Journal of Tropical Meteorology, 2013, 19(1): 1-15.

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A CLIMATOLOGY OF DEEP CONVECTION OVER SOUTH CHINA AND THE ADJACENT WATERS DURING SUMMER

National Meteorological Centre, Beijing 100081 China

Received Date: 2011-10-25

Rev Recd Date: 2012-10-17

Abstract: Due to the higher temporal and spatial resolution and the better integrality of long-term satellite infrared (IR) Brightness Temperature (TBB) data, a climatology of deep convection during summer over South China and the adjacent waters is presented in this paper based on the 1-hourly infrared IR TBB data during June-August of 1996-2007 (except 2004). The results show that the geographic distribution of deep convection denoted by TBB ≤ -52°C over South China and the adjacent waters are basically consistent with previous statistical results based on surface thunderstorm observations and low-orbit satellite lightning observations. The monthly, ten-day, five-day and diurnal variations of deep convection in this region are focused on in this paper. There are 5 active deep-convection areas in June-August. The monthly variations of the deep convection are closely associated with the large-scale atmospheric circulations. The deep convection over the land areas of South China is more active in June while that over the South China Sea is more active in July and August. The development of deep convection is prominently intermittent and its period is about 3 to 5 five-day periods. However, the deep convection over the coastal areas in South China remains more active during summer and has no apparent intermittence. The ten-day and five-day variations of deep convection show that there are different variations of deep convection over different areas in South China and the adjacent waters. The tendency of deep convection over the land areas of South China is negatively correlated with that over the South China Sea. The diurnal variations of deep convection show that the sea-land breeze, caused by the thermal differences between land and sea, and the mountain-valley breeze, caused by the thermal differences between mountains and plains or basins, cause deep convection to propagate from sea to land in the afternoon and from land to sea after midnight, and the convection over mountains propagates from mountains to plains after midnight. The different diurnal variations of deep convection over different underlying surfaces show that not only there are general mountainous, marine and multi-peak deep convection, but also there is longer-duration deep convection over coastal areas and other deep convection triggered and maintained by larger-scale weather systems in South China during summer.

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A CLIMATOLOGY OF DEEP CONVECTION OVER SOUTH CHINA AND THE ADJACENT WATERS DURING SUMMER

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