Heavy Rainfall Associated with a Monsoon Depression in South China:Structure Analysis

A heavy rainfall associated with the deepening of a monsoon depression happened in the summer of 2005. This process was first diagnostically analyzed and the 3D structure of the monsoon depression was discussed~ then this structure was compared with those of the monsoon depression in South Asia and the low vortex in the Meiyu front. The results showed that the heavy rainfall directly resulted from a monsoon depression in South China~ and the large-scale environment provided a favorable background for the deepening of the monsoon depression. The 3D structure of the monsoon depression was as follows. In the horizontal direction, there existed a convective cloud band to the south of the monsoon depression, which lay in a convectively instable area, with a relatively strong ascending motion in the mid and low levels of the troposphere, and the ascending motion matched well with a moist tongue, a convergence area, and a band of positive vorticity in the mid and low levels of the troposphere. In the vertical direction, the depression had an obviously cyclonic circulation in the mid and low levels of the troposphere, but no circulation from above 300 hPa. The monsoon depression corresponded to convergence and positive vorticity in the low levels, but to divergence and negative vorticity in the upper levels. The upward draft of the depression could reach the upper levels of the troposphere in the west of the depression, while the descending motion lay in the east. There was a low-level jet to the south of the depression, while the upper-level jet was not obvious. The depression was vertically warm in the upper levels and cold in the low levels, and the axis of the depression tilted southeastward with height, whose characteristics were different not only from the monsoon depression in South Asia but also from the low vortex in the Meiyu front.

VARIATION IN THERMODYNAMIC STRUCTURE OF PBL AS A MONSOON DEPRESSION PASSES——A CASE STUDY

Vertical profiles of virtual potential temperature,specific humidity,temperature at saturation points,moist static energies along with parcel condensing levels using minisonde data are analysed for two stations through which a mon- soon depression passed.The height of the cloud base came down as low as 910 hPa level from 835 hPa.Equivalent po- tential temperature increased in the vertical profile as well as in the conserved variable diagram as the depression ap- proached the station.Parcel condensing levels showed clearly inversion top and cloud top but not in all cases.Moist stat- ic energy showed an increase upto 10 kJ/kg as the depression approached.

Evaluation of Forecast Performance of an Economical Explicit Time Integration Scheme in a Limited Area Model over Indian Region

An economical explicit scheme of time integration is implemented in a regional model over Indian region to achieve computational economy. The model is also integrated by explicit Leap-Frog Scheme. The performance of economical explicit scheme is evaluated by comparing the forecast results with those produced by leap-frog scheme. The results show that the economical explicit scheme produces more or less similar forecasts as compared to those produced with leap-frog scheme. However, application of the economical explicit scheme saves substantial amount of computer time. The scheme is found nearly four times economical as compared to explicit leap-frog scheme.