Analysis of Extreme Precipitation Events over Central Plateau of Iran

This paper describes the results of an analysis of extreme rainfall events in the central plateau of Iran. To study the extreme events, daily records of eighteen stations’ rainfalls in the region for different initial dates up to 2005 gathered from the bureau of meteorology. Then, the extreme rainfall threshold was calculated for each individual station using the statistical index of Gamble type I. Lastly, 22 mm was determined as the extreme rainfall value for the entire stations, and eventually 17 out of 169 extreme precipitation events were extracted in accordance with three factors including a) days with precipitation in not less than 50% of the stations, b) maximum rainfall is 22 mm or more in at least one of the stations, and c) mean precipitation of the basin is more than 3 mm. In the next step to analyze the synoptic features, the relevant meteorological data i.e. relative vorticity, geopotential height, sea level pressure, u and v wind components, relative humidity, vertical velocity, and precipitable water content at multiple levels of the atmosphere were examined from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset. The synoptic findings indicate that two patterns of deep trough and high ridge of the eastern Mediterranean were responsible for making the heavy precipitation events over the central plateau of Iran. The most and severest rainfall events occurred via deep tough pattern, which covered 76% of days with extreme precipitations during the examined period. Furthermore, the results suggest that the main moisture resources, which identified by HYSPLIT model’s outputs and moisture convergence/divergence zones for the rainy systems in the first pattern (deep trough) including Persian Gulf, Oman Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea, while for the second pattern (high ridge) Persian Gulf and Red Sea play a significant role in feeding the storms in the central regions of Iran. Moreover, the southward movement of Polar Vortex is also considered as those important factors to produce extreme precipitation events over the central plateau of Iran. In general, the HYSPLIT trajectories model’s outputs confirmed the observed synoptic features in particular for the systems’ moisture feeding discussed in the patterns.

Estimating Tropical Cyclone Precipitation from Station Observations

In this paper, an objective technique for estimating the tropical cyclone （TC） precipitation from station observations is proposed. Based on a comparison between the Original Objective Method （OOM） and the Expert Subjective Method （ESM）, the Objective Synoptic Analysis Technique （OSAT） for partitioning TC precipitation was developed by analyzing the western North Pacific （WNP） TC historical track and the daily precipitation datasets. Being an objective way of the ESM, OSAT overcomes the main problems in OOM, by changing two fixed parameters in OOM, the thresholds for the distance of the absolute TC precipitation （D0） and the TC size （D1）, into variable parameters.Case verification for OSAT was also carried out by applying CMORPH （Climate Prediction Center MORPHing technique） daily precipitation measurements, which is NOAA＇s combined satellite precipitation measurement system. This indicates that OSAT is capable of distinguishing simultaneous TC precipitation rain-belts from those associated with different TCs or with middle-latitude weather systems.

A Synoptic Overview and Moisture Tra jectory Analysis of the“7.21” Heavy Rainfall Event in Beijing

The heavy rainfall in Beijing on 21 July 2012 was a high impact event. First, a synoptic overview of this event is presented based on the ECMWF reanalysis and forecast data, together with observations of hourly precipitation. It is found that an east to northeastward moving ＂low-level northwest vortex＂ caused this event. The vortex was formed under favorable circulation patterns and intensified by low-level dry intrusions. The source regions of the large volume of moisture necessary to sustain the intense rainfall are diagnosed by back-trajectory analysis. Approximately 77% of the moisture was transported from the Bay of Bengal （BOB）. The transport processes, including vertical profiles, mean humidity variations, and relative importance of the rain-paths, are further quantified by the back-trajectory analysis and cluster analysis. The results highlight the importance of the southwestern path in transporting moisture to northern China, which accounts for 88.4% of the moisture from the BoB, and 68% of the total of the ＂7.21＂ heavy rainfall event.

The Influence of Typhoon Usagi on Shaoyang City

[Objective] The research aimed to study the influence of typhoon Usagi on Shaoyang in 2013. [Method] By using synoptic analysis, physical quantity diagnosis and Doppler radar, a rainstorm process caused by typhoon Usagi was analyzed. [ Result] Sufficient water vaper and strong ascending motion caused by high-altitude divergence were favorable conditions for rainstorm generation in Shaoyang. Uplifting effect of the terrain in Shaoyang was also one of favorable conditions for rainstorm generation in Shaoyang. [Conclusion] The research could provide reference for flood prevention and disaster reduction in Shaoyang area.

The South China Quasi-Stationary Front During the Ice-Snow Disaster of January 2008

South China suffered an extremely severe disaster caused by low-temperature and ice-snow during the last 20 days of January 2008. The freezing rain and snow are climatologically related to the South China quasistationary front （SCQSF） in mid winter. The three-dimensional structure of the SCQSF was examined based on the weather charts, the sounding profiles, and the vertical cross-sections using the method of classical synoptic analysis.