Satellite Observations of Reflectivity Maxima above the Freezing Level Induced by Terrain

Previous studies have recognized reflectivity maxima above the freezing level(RMAF) within stratiform precipitation over mountain slopes, however, quantitative studies are limited due to the lack of adequate identification criteria. Here, we establish an identification method for RMAF precipitation and apply it to the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission(TRMM) Precipitation Radar(PR) observations. Using the TRMM 2A25 product from 1998 to 2013, we show that the RMAF structure in reflectivity profiles can be effectively identified. RMAF exists not only in stratiform precipitation but also in convective precipitation. RMAF frequency is positively correlated with elevation, which is thought to be caused by enhanced updrafts in the middle layers of stratiform precipitation, or in the low to middle layers of convective precipitation over mountains. The average RMAF heights in stratiform and convective precipitation were 1.35 and 2.01 km above the freezing level, respectively, which is lower than previous results. In addition, our results indicate that the RMAF structure increased the echo top height and enhanced precipitation processes above the RMAF height, but it suppressed the downward propagation of ice particles and the near-surface rain rate. Future studies of orographic precipitation should take into account the impact of the RMAF structure and its relevant dynamic triggers.

崇左和防城港两地的台风韦帕(201907)降雨雨滴谱对比分析

利用崇左国家气象观测站、防城国家基准气候站的雨滴谱观测数据,结合观测站雨量数据及雷达观测资料,分析2019年8月2~3日台风“韦帕”影响期间内陆背风侧(LSI)、近海岸迎风侧(WSC)不同降水阶段的雨滴谱结构特征及其差异。结果显示,台风“韦帕”降雨以中、小雨滴贡献为主,尤其中雨滴贡献率稳定在70%以上。LSI处以层状云降水为主,雨强相对平缓,WSC处表现为积层混合云降水,雨强较大且波动剧烈。因强烈的对流上升运动导致WSC的雨滴数浓度、雨滴直径明显大于LSI。LSI处在台风登陆后雨势增强的最主要因素是雨滴直径增大,WSC处由台风眼墙转变为强对流螺旋雨带影响后其雨势增强则主要是由于雨滴数浓度增加。台风“韦帕”对流降水的质量加权平均直径均值为1.85 mm,对数标准化数浓度均值为3.95 mm^(-1)m^(-3);LSI处对流降水位于海洋性对流区域内,而WSC处则介于海洋性和大陆性对流之间。

Northward Shift in Landfall Locations of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific during the Last Four Decades

This study analyzes landfall locations of tropical cyclones(TCs)over the western North Pacific during 1979–2018.Results demonstrate that the landfall locations of TCs over this region have shifted northward during the last four decades,primarily due to the shift of landfalling TC tracks,with the decreasing/increasing proportion of westward/northward TC tracks.In particular,the northward shift of the landfalling TCs was not related to their formation locations,which have not markedly changed,whereas"no-landed"TCs have significantly shifted northward.TC movement was significantly and positively correlated to the zonal component of the steering flow,while the correlation between TC movement and the meridional component of the steering flow was relatively unobvious.The westward steering flow in the tropical central Pacific that occurred around the formation and early development of the westward TCs was significantly weakened,which was unfavorable for their westward movement,thereby,causing the higher proportions of northward moving tracks.This weakened westward flow was related to the northward shift of the subtropical high ridge,which was caused by significant weakening of the southern part of the subtropical high.The vertical wind shear,sea surface temperature,and convective available potential energy also showed that the northern region of the western North Pacific became more favorable for TC development,whereas the upper divergence,low-layer relative vorticity,and accumulated water vapor content were not obviously related to the northward shift of TCs.

Atmospheric Response to Mesoscale Ocean Eddies over the South China Sea

The South China Sea（SCS） is an eddy-active area. Composite analyses based on 438 mesoscale ocean eddies during 2000–2012 revealed the status of the atmospheric boundary layer is influenced remarkably by such eddies. The results showed cold-core cyclonic（warm-core anticyclonic） eddies tend to cool（warm） the overlying atmosphere and cause surface winds to decelerate（accelerate）. More than 5% of the total variance of turbulent heat fluxes, surface wind speed and evaporation rate are induced by mesoscale eddies. Furthermore, mesoscale eddies locally affect the columnar water vapor, cloud liquid water, and rain rate. Dynamical analyses indicated that both variations of atmospheric boundary layer stability and sea level pressure are responsible for atmospheric anomalies over mesoscale eddies. To reveal further details about the mechanisms of atmospheric responses to mesoscale eddies, atmospheric manifestations over a pair of cold and warm eddies in the southwestern SCS were simulated. Eddy-induced heat flux anomalies lead to changes in atmospheric stability. Thus, anomalous turbulence kinetic energy and friction velocity arise over the eddy dipole, which reduce（enhance） the vertical momentum transport over the cold（warm） eddy, resulting in the decrease（increase） of sea surface wind. Diagnoses of the model＇s momentum balance suggested that wind speed anomalies directly over the eddy dipole are dominated by vertical mixing terms within the atmospheric boundary layer, while wind anomalies on the edges of eddies are produced by atmospheric pressure gradient forces and atmospheric horizontal advection terms.

Variations in High-frequency Oscillations of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific

Variations in the high-frequency oscillations of tropical cyclones （TCs） over the western North Pacific （WNP） are studied in numerical model simulations. Power spectrum analysis of maximum wind speeds at 10 m （MWS10） from an ensemble of 15 simulated TCs shows that oscillations are significant for all TCs. The magnitudes of oscillations in MWS10 are similar in the WNP and South China Sea （SCS）; however, the mean of the averaged significant periods in the SCS （1.93 h） is shorter than that in the open water of the WNP （2.83 h）. The shorter period in the SCS is examined through an ensemble of simulations, and a case simulation as well as a sensitivity experiment in which the continent is replaced by ocean for Typhoon Hagupit （2008）. The analysis of the convergence efficiency within the boundary layer suggests that the shorter periods in the SCS are possibly due to the stronger terrain effect, which intensifies convergence through greater friction. The enhanced convergence strengthens the disturbance of the gradient and thermal wind balances, and then contributes to the shorter oscillation periods in the SCS.

Morphological Characteristics of Precipitation Areas over the Tibetan Plateau Measured by TRMM PR

The multidimensional morphological characteristics(including scale, horizontal shape and 3 D morphology) of precipitation areas over the Tibetan Plateau in summer were studied using 15 years(1998–2012) of observational data from the precipitation radar onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. As the scale of the precipitation area increased from 20 to 150 km, the near-surface rain rate(RRav) of the precipitation area increased by up to 78%(from ~1.12 to ~2 mm h~(-1)). Linear precipitation areas had the lowest median RRav(~1 mm h~(-1) over the eastern Tibetan Plateau),whereas square-shaped precipitation areas had the highest median RRav(~1.58 mm h~(-1) over the eastern Tibetan Plateau).The 3D morphology was defined as the ratio of the average vertical scale to the average horizontal scale, where a large value corresponds to thin and tall, and a small value corresponds to plump and short. Thin-and-tall precipitation areas and plump-and-short precipitation areas had a greater median RRav, whereas the precipitation areas with a moderate 3D morphology had the lowest median RRav. The vertical structure of the precipitation-area reflectivity was sensitive to both size and 3D morphology, but was not sensitive to the horizontal shape. The relationship between RRav and the morphological characteristics was most significant over the southern slopes of the Tanggula Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau east of 100°E. The morphological characteristics of precipitation areas are therefore closely related to the intensity of precipitation and could potentially be used to forecast precipitation and verify numerical models.