USE OF A NEW STEERING FLOW METHOD TO PREDICT TROPICAL CYCLONE MOTION

A tropical cyclone is a kind of violent weather system that takes place in warmer tropical oceans and spins rapidly around its center and at the same time moves along surrounding flows. It is generally recognized that the large-scale circulation plays a major role in determining the movement of tropical cyclones and the effects of steering flows are the highest priority in the forecasting of tropical cyclone motion and track. This article adopts a new method to derive the steering flow and select a typical swerving track case (typhoon Dan, coded 9914) to illustrate the validity of the method. The general approach is to modify the vorticity, geostropical vorticity and divergence, investigate the change in the non-divergent stream function, geoptential and velocity potential, respectively, and compute a modified velocity field to determine the steering flow. Unlike other methods in regular use such as weighted average of wind fields or geopoential height, this method has the least adverse effects on the environmental field and could derive a proper steering flow which fits well with storm motion. Combined with other internal and external forcings, this method could have wide application in the prediction of tropical cyclone track.

Statistical Characteristics and Mechanistic Analysis of Suddenly Reversed Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific Ocean

Based on best track data of tropical cyclones（TCs） from the Japan Meteorological Agency, the characteristics of suddenly reversed TCs（SRTCs）, which have turning angles usually approaching 180°, are statistically analyzed from 1949 to 2011 over the western North Pacific Ocean. The typical large-scale circulation patterns of SRTCs are investigated using reanalysis data and dynamical composite analysis. Results show that turnings mainly occur in low latitudes between 10°N and 20°N,and mainly west of 135°E. The majority of SRTCs reach their peak intensity at, or slightly before, the turning time and subsequently decrease at some variable rate. Specifically, SRTCs are divided into four types, each containing two groups（i.e.eight groups in total） in terms of the moving-direction changes. The moving speed of all SRTC types except the south–north type decreases to its lowest during the 24 h, corresponding to a significant reduction in the primary steering components.According to the analysis of the 13 typical flow patterns found in this study, we suggest that sudden track changes are caused by the reversal steering flow. The original balance of the background flow patterns are broken up by new systems, e.g. binary TCs or dispersion-induced anticyclones. Additionally, sudden track changes are often due to double ridge variations of the subtropical high or weakened/strengthened high pressure in the east and west, respectively.

Changes of tropical cyclone tracks in the western North Pacific over1979
2016

The tropical cyclone （TC） trajectory model has been widely used to investigate the mechanism of the climate change of TC tracks. In thisstudy, the Gaussian weight interpolation method is used to calculate the beta drift in the TC track or trajectory model. By simulating historicalTC tracks, the new calculation can better simulate the spatial distribution of the frequency of TC occurrence. The improved track model isfurther used to understand the TC track change during the period of 1979e2016. In 1979e2016, the TC activity has been suppressed in theSouth China Sea （SCS） while the TC influence along the southeast coastal regions of China has been increased. The sensitivity experimentsindicate that the change of the formation location plays a dominant role in decreasing TC influence in the SCS while the change of theenvironmental steering flows increases the TC influence in the eastern coastal region of China. This study suggests that the ongoing climatechange can affect the TC activity along the coast of China.

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.

STATISTICAL CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERISTICS ANALYSIS OF BINARY TROPICAL CYCLONES OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN

Using the 1949-2007 western North Pacific tropical cyclones (TCs) best-track data archived at the Shanghai Typhoon Institute of China Meteorological Administration for the western North Pacific from 1949 to 2007,both the characteristics of binary and multiple TCs and samples of interactions among TCs and multi-TCs are identified and statistically analyzed.According to the various features of individual TC tracks and interacting tracks,seven distinct types are proposed to describe the binary system of TCs and their interaction samples.The mean trajectories of the west and east component of binary TCs in each type are obtained using a new cluster analysis technique.These types are then analyzed in terms of landfall process,occurrence seasonality,coexistent lifetime,especially the large-scale patterns of atmospheric circulation.Finally,typical steering flows and conceptual models of the binary TCs at different phases are established based on six-hourly flow maps of the binary system and the averages are determined of the mean steering flow of ten representative binary TCs.Then,typical steering flows and conceptual models at the beginning,middle and final phase in each type are established to describe the large-scale circulation patterns of the binary system interaction types.

Westward Migration of Tropical Cyclone Activity in the Western North Pacific during 1982–2020:Features and Possible Causes

The westward migration of tropical cyclone(TC)activity has been identified in the western North Pacific(WNP),but the related features and causes remain elusive.Here,based on the best track data from China,Japan,and the US,and the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data in 1982–2020,we investigate characteristics of the westward migration of the WNP TC activity with various metrics,and reveal possible causes for the migration of TC tracks through analyzing its seasonality and dependence on environmental conditions.The results show that the WNP TCs show significant westward migrations in a number of metrics,including location of tracks,genesis,the first track point at which TC reaches its lifetime-maximum intensity,and the last track point in the TC lifetime.It is found that TC tracks exhibit more significant westward migrations in the easterly steering flow than in the westerly steering flow.Meanwhile,the TC longitude shift shows notable seasonal variations,for which the TCs in the easterlies move further west than those in the westerlies during July–September,vice versa during October–December.The dependence of the westward migration of TC tracks on background steering flow is associated with the different environmental conditions.The westward shift in the westerly steering is mainly due to the reduced vertical wind shear(VWS),while the weakened zonal easterly steering and reduced VWS are both closely related to the westward migration in the easterly steering.These results have important implications for understanding current and future variations in TC longitude shift.

华南地区热带气旋登陆前强度突变的大尺度环境诊断分析

利用每6小时一次的NCEP再分析资料,对华南地区登陆前突然减弱和突然增强的两类热带气旋(TC)进行大尺度诊断分析,结果表明:(1)突然增强的TC位于副高的西南侧或南侧,低空有明显的西南气流卷入TC内部,而突然减弱的TC基本在副高西侧或西北侧;(2)突然增强TC的低空辐合、高空辐散均较强;(3)充足的水汽输送是TC登陆前突然增强的另一重要原因。

台风“鲇鱼”(1013)路径突变过程的成因分析

利用NCEP提供的GFS(Global Forecast System)再分析资料,对2010年西北太平洋最强台风"鲇鱼"(1013)路径突变的成因开展诊断分析,研究其影响系统、引导气流的演变特征等,并运用CPS(Cyclone Phase Space)方法对其生命史中的热力结构演变过程进行定量描述,重点分析路径突变前后各因子的变化。结果表明,"鲇鱼"移入南海后,冷空气南侵导致其热力结构发生变化,台风环流右侧较暖,此时引导气流微弱,"趋暖"运动占主导,首先引起路径向右偏转,随后引导气流转为西南气流并逐渐增强,在二者共同作用下,"鲇鱼"路径持续右转,逐渐向东北方向移动,完成路径突变。

超强台风“天鹅”(2015)路径突变过程机理研究

本文采用中国气象局的最佳台风路径数据和美国国家环境预报中心1°×1°每6 h再分析资料作为研究工作的基本场,运用了分部位涡反演方法探讨影响2015年第15号超强台风"天鹅"路径突变的物理机制,得到以下结论:(1)就天气系统而言,"天鹅"整个移动过程中都受到周围环境场及引导气流的影响,主要的影响系统包括西北太平洋副热带高压、季风涡旋、邻近台风"艾莎尼"及台风外围反气旋;(2)定量分析了与各影响系统扰动位涡相关的引导气流矢量,发现整个过程中超强台风"天鹅"的移动始终受西北太平洋副热带高压的影响,其次是来自季风涡旋及台风外围反气旋的贡献,而当"天鹅"有向北转向趋势时,与外围反气旋相关的东北向引导气流导致了台风的路径北折;(3)进一步定量分析了总扰动位涡在不同高度层上相关引导气流的贡献,结果表明在垂直方向上对流层中层系统的引导气流矢量与"天鹅"的移动最为吻合,而形成于低层系统的偏南风气流与"天鹅"向北突然转向有着密切的联系,并在转向后逐渐向中高层发展增强。

我国近海热带气旋强度突变的气候特征分析

按国家气象局“八五”攻关办专家组提出的有关近海热带气旋强度突变的标准，对１９７０—１９９１年在我国近海发生强度突变的热带气旋进行了分类统计，发现如下气候特征：平均每年有８—９个热带气旋移到我国近海时发生强度突变，其中突然减弱的居多，占总个数的７９．６％，突然增强的只占总个数的２０．４％，突然增强只发生在５—１０月，而突然减弱则５－１２月均可发生；突然增强主要出现在浙闽沿海、南海中部、珠江口外西侧到北部湾北部的粤桂南部沿海及巴士海峡东侧，３０°Ｎ以北、１２５°Ｅ以西的华东沿海和南海东北部未见到热带气旋的突然增强，而突然减弱则海域分布较广。

大尺度环境场对热带气旋影响的动力分析

文中基于正压大气运动的基本方程组 ,把大气运动场分解为大尺度环境场和热带气旋环流 ,采用动力分析的方法 ,分析了有 /无大尺度环境场作用的热带气旋运动特征。结果表明 :无环境场时 ,热带气旋的运动遵循位涡守恒原理、热带气旋的定常运动满足相当地转风平衡关系 (f 平面近似 ) ,其等位涡线和等压能线均与流线重合 ;有环境场时 ,热带气旋的运动不再遵循位涡守恒原理、其定常运动的等位涡线和等压能线也均与流线不再重合 ,但热带气旋的定常运动满足准相当地转风平衡关系 (f 平面近似 )、等相当压能线与流线重合。最后还能过建立有 /无大尺度环境场作用的热带气旋强度变化及移动速度的方程式 ,定性地分析了大尺度环境场对热带气旋强度变化及移动的影响。

GRAPES_TYM模式对TC路径及环境引导气流预报检验分析

对2012—2013年GRAPES_TYM模式热带气旋路径预报结果进行检验,结果表明:模式对所有类型路径预报在24h、48h和72h预报时效的平均距离误差分别为94.3km,143.7km和260.8km,并且存在偏北的系统性偏差;对于南海TC,模式对TC移向预报较实况偏右,移速误差较小,移向偏差是路径偏差的主要原因;另外统计得到模式对TC移向的预报偏差与对其环境引导气流预报偏差有密切的关系,以1213号台风"启德"为例进一步通过移向误差诊断方程探讨了环境引导气流预报偏差(包括环境风场预报偏差、环境引导气流半径偏差及环境引导气流厚度偏差)对TC移向偏差的影响,而环境引导气流预报误差来源与模式对大尺度天气系统、TC大小及强度的预报偏差有关。

多时间尺度环流对热带气旋海棠(0505)路径的影响

利用滤波方法将NCEP/NCAR提供的FNL风场资料分离出天气尺度和低频环流场,研究不同时间尺度环流对台风海棠(0505)路径的影响。热带气旋海棠路径的特征可以分两个主要阶段,在第一阶段,海棠西侧的天气尺度反气旋和低频流场副高南侧气流共同引导海棠向西南运动;第二阶段初期,天气尺度环流抑制海棠向北转向,但海棠西侧的QBW气旋和MJO尺度的气流共同引导海棠向北运动。海棠运动后期,海棠与低频气旋的相互作用导致了天气尺度流场中波列的产生和发展,形成了热带气旋的传播分量,令海棠产生了向东北转向的趋势,但是由于MJO环流场中副高的北抬和QBW气旋的引导,最终导致海棠向西运动。

南海北部热带气旋移向突变的气候特征

统计２１年（１９７０－１９９０年）进入预报研究区（１５－２５°Ｎ，１２５°Ｅ以西）的热带气旋移向变化情况，分析移向发生突变的季节变化与地理分布等方面的气候特征。研究了热带气旋移向的突变与副热带高压活动、海岸地形的关系，得到一些有意义的结果，为寻找预报判据提供了气候特征的依据。

多层引导气流与热带气旋移速移向突变的统计分析

对２９个热带气旋资料进行统计，分析了多层引导气流与热带气旋的移速、移向及其突变的关系．结果表明：用多层气流作引导气流优于仅用某一层．多层引导气流方向与热带气旋移向比较接近，而其速度变化与热带气旋移速变化有密切关系．当引导气流微弱且风向不稳定时，热带气旋易出现移速。

西北太平洋TC移动速度异常及预报误差特征的分析

利用国家气象局和上海台风研究所(CMA-STI)整编的西北太平洋1970—2009年热带气旋(TC,Tropical Cyclone)及TC最佳路径数据集和2005—2010年的TC路径预报误差资料,应用百分位法,确定TC移动速度异常指标,分析了40 a来西北太平洋TC移动速度及其变化异常发生的时空分布特征,研究了TC速度预报误差对路径预报误差的影响及其与大尺度引导气流之间的关系。结果显示:1)西北太平洋TC移速及移速变化累积概率达95%(5%)分位数的阈值分别为10.8 m·s^(-1)(1.43 m·s^(-1))和2.42m·s^(-1)(-1.72 m·s^(-1))。2)快速移动及加速的TC大都出现在日本海地区,而缓慢的和减速移动TC主要出现在南海区域。3)TC移动速度异常的季节变化表现为,快速移动的TC在5月出现的频率达到最高,缓慢移动的TC在10月频率达到最高,加速移动的TC在6月频率达到最高。4)近6 a的TC移速预报误差对TC路径预报误差的贡献平均约为41.6%。5)对TC路径预报误差偏大,且移速预报误差贡献大的个例分析显示,该个例大尺度环境引导气流偏弱使TC移动速度偏慢。而如果预报的大尺度环境引导气流偏强,使预报的TC移速偏快,那么就容易导致大的路径预报误差。

浙江热带气旋登陆前移动速度变化分析

利用1949～2004年登陆浙江的35个热带气旋的资料，计算了热带气旋登陆前24h和6h的速度和移速变率。结果表明，登陆浙江的热带气旋60％在登陆前移速加快，28．6％移速基本不变，11．4％移速减慢。从热带气旋登陆前的形势场、引导气流及它的结构和强度变化等方面进行分析，发现500hPa形势场的调整和引导气流的大小对热带气旋移速的变化起主导作用；热带气旋主流入通道的变化、热带气旋之间的互旋等与其移速变化有关。登陆前，热带气旋移速与其强度有一定的关系。

热带气旋进入北部湾后强度突变的天气气候特征分析

本文按近海热带气旋强度突变的标准，对１９７０～１９９０年进入北部湾后强度发生突变的热带气旋进行分类统计，发现有如下的气候特征：每年平均有３２个热带气旋进入北部湾，其中强度变化不大的占总数的５２％；强度突然减弱的占总数的４２％；强度突然增强的占总数的６％。强度变化不大和强度突然减弱的发生在５～１１月，强度突然增强的发生在８～９月。本文对进入北部湾的热带气旋强度增强的天气类型进行分类，归纳起来分为四种天气类型：副热带高压型；赤道辐合带型；季风低槽型和锋面低槽型。

环境引导气流两类典型年际模态与西北太平洋热带气旋活动的联系

本文基于中国气象局上海台风研究所整编的热带气旋(Tropical Cyclone,TC)最佳路径资料及美国NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料,采用经验正交函数分解、合成分析、相关分析等统计方法,分析了1979-2016年7-9月西北太平洋地区海盆尺度大尺度环境引导气流的年际变化与热带气旋活动之间的联系。结果表明:(1)西北太平洋地区夏季大尺度环境引导气流在年际尺度上存在两个典型模态。其中第一典型模态大尺度环境引导气流呈现经向分布的偶极型环流型,该模态与东部型ENSO密切相关;第二典型模态大尺度环境引导气流呈明显的局地反气旋环流形态,其与中部型ENSO和热带大西洋海温异常紧密关联。(2)大尺度环境引导气流第一典型模态异常年份之间TC活动(生成位置、路径、强度和持续时间)具有显著差异,TC生成空间分布南北差异显著;TC路径尤其西北行和西行盛行路径也具有显著差异。(3)第二典型模态异常年份之间,TC生成位置和路径差异与第一模态呈现显著不同,TC生成位置呈现较为明显的东西向分布,在东南象限TC生成差异尤为显著,TC路径的差异主要体现在西北行和近海转向两类盛行路径。

南海海区热带气旋移速突变的分析

应用天气学与动力学相结合的方法,分析发现:鞍型场、西风槽和双热带气旋形势是热带气旋移速突变的环流背景。在上述环流背景的条件下,涡度、涡度平流、流函数、850—200hPa垂直切变以及不对称配置的演变与热带气旋移速突变有超前相关;概括出的一些判据可供业务实践参考。