scholarly journals Tropical cyclone wind field asymmetry-Development and evaluation of a new parametric model

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 458-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Olfateh ◽  
David P. Callaghan ◽  
Peter Nielsen ◽  
Tom E. Baldock
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Parametric Model

The Evolution of Asymmetries in the Tropical Cyclone Boundary Layer Wind Field during Landfall

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Frictional Stress ◽  
Homogeneous Surface ◽  
Sudden Decrease ◽  
The Right ◽  
Tropical Cyclone Boundary Layer

Abstract The evolution of the tropical cyclone boundary layer (TCBL) wind field before landfall is examined in this study. As noted in previous studies, a typical TCBL wind structure over the ocean features a supergradient boundary layer jet to the left of motion and Earth-relative maximum winds to the right. However, the detailed response of the wind field to frictional convergence at the coastline is less well known. Here, idealized numerical simulations reveal an increase in the offshore radial and vertical velocities beginning once the TC is roughly 200 km offshore. This increase in the radial velocity is attributed to the sudden decrease in frictional stress once the highly agradient flow crosses the offshore coastline. Enhanced advection of angular momentum by the secondary circulation forces a strengthening of the supergradient jet near the top of the TCBL. Sensitivity experiments reveal that the coastal roughness discontinuity dominates the friction asymmetry due to motion. Additionally, increasing the inland roughness through increasing the aerodynamic roughness length enhances the observed asymmetries. Lastly, a brief analysis of in-situ surface wind data collected during the landfall of three Gulf of Mexico hurricanes is provided and compared to the idealized simulations. Despite the limited in-situ data, the observations generally support the simulations. The results here imply that assumptions about the TCBL wind field based on observations from over horizontally-homogeneous surface types - which have been well-documented by previous studies - are inappropriate for use near strong frictional heterogeneity.

Statistical Tropical Cyclone Wind Radii Prediction Using Climatology and Persistence

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Knaff ◽  
Charles R. Sampson ◽  
Mark DeMaria ◽  
Timothy P. Marchok ◽  
James M. Gross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Department Of Defense ◽  
Parametric Model ◽  
Forecast Method ◽  
Operational Model ◽  
Wind Structure ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Operational Forecasts ◽  
National Hurricane Center ◽  
Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Abstract An operational model used to predict tropical cyclone wind structure in terms of significant wind radii (i.e., 34-, 50-, and 64-kt wind radii, where 1 kt = 0.52 m s−1) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Department of Defense/Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is described. The statistical-parametric model employs aspects of climatology and persistence to forecast tropical cyclone wind radii through 5 days. Separate versions of the model are created for the Atlantic, east Pacific, and western North Pacific by statistically fitting a modified Rankine vortex, which is generalized to allow wavenumber-1 asymmetries, to observed values of tropical cyclone wind radii as reported by NHC and JTWC. Descriptions of the developmental data and methods used to formulate the model are given. A 2-yr verification and comparison with operational forecasts and an independently developed wind radii forecast method that also employs climatology and persistence suggests that the statistical-parametric model does a good job of forecasting wind radii. The statistical-parametric model also provides reliable operational forecasts that serve as a baseline for evaluating the skill of operational forecasts and other wind radii forecast methods in these tropical cyclone basins.

Improved Tropical-Cyclone Flight-Level Wind Estimates Using Routine Infrared Satellite Reconnaissance

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 463-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Knaff ◽  
Scott P. Longmore ◽  
Robert T. DeMaria ◽  
Debra A. Molenar
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Principal Components ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Motion Vector ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Principal Component Method ◽  
Tangential Wind ◽  
Flight Level ◽  
Polar Grid ◽  
Single Field

AbstractA new and improved method for estimating tropical-cyclone (TC) flight-level winds using globally and routinely available TC information and infrared (IR) satellite imagery is presented. The developmental dataset is composed of aircraft reconnaissance (1995–2012) that has been analyzed to a 1 km × 10° polar grid that extends outward 165 km from the TC center. The additional use of an azimuthally average tangential wind at 500 km, based on global model analyses, allows the estimation of winds at larger radii. Analyses are rotated to a direction-relative framework, normalized by dividing the wind field by the observed maximum, and then decomposed into azimuthal wavenumbers in terms of amplitudes and phases. Using a single-field principal component method, the amplitudes and phases of the wind field are then statistically related to principal components of motion-relative IR images and factors related to the climatological radius of maximum winds. The IR principal components allow the wind field to be related to the radial and azimuthal variability of the wind field. Results show that this method, when provided with the storm location, the estimated TC intensity, the TC motion vector, and a single IR image, is able to estimate the azimuthal wavenumber 0 and 1 components of the wind field. The resulting wind field reconstruction significantly improves on the method currently used for satellite-based operational TC wind field estimates. This application has several potential uses that are discussed within.

scholarly journals The Role of Inner-Core Moisture in Tropical Cyclone Predictability and Practical Forecast Skill

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 2315-2324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry Emanuel ◽  
Fuqing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Forecast Skill ◽  
Initial Condition ◽  
Tropical Cyclone Intensity ◽  
Cyclone Intensity ◽  
Storm Intensity ◽  
Tropical Cyclone Intensity Forecasts

Abstract Errors in tropical cyclone intensity forecasts are dominated by initial-condition errors out to at least a few days. Initialization errors are usually thought of in terms of position and intensity, but here it is shown that growth of intensity error is at least as sensitive to the specification of inner-core moisture as to that of the wind field. Implications of this finding for tropical cyclone observational strategies and for overall predictability of storm intensity are discussed.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Wind Field Evolution Associated with the Extratropical Transition of Bonnie (1998)

2008 ◽  
Vol 136 (6) ◽  
pp. 2047-2065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clark Evans ◽  
Robert E. Hart
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Outer Core ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Extratropical Transition ◽  
Wind Maximum ◽  
Outer Periphery ◽  
Conveyor Belts ◽  
Work Done

Abstract Extratropical transition brings about a number of environmentally induced structural changes within a transitioning tropical cyclone. Of particular interest among these changes is the acceleration of the wind field away from the cyclone’s center of circulation along with the outward movement of the radial wind maximum, together termed wind field expansion. Previous informal hypotheses aimed at understanding this evolution do not entirely capture the observed expansion, while a review of the literature shows no formal work done upon the topic beyond analyzing its occurrence. This study seeks to analyze the physical and dynamical mechanisms behind the wind field expansion using model simulations of a representative transition case, North Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Bonnie of 1998. The acceleration of the wind field along the outer periphery of the cyclone is found to be a function of the net import of absolute angular momentum within the cyclone’s environment along inflowing trajectories. This evolution is shown to be a natural outgrowth of the development of isentropic conveyor belts and asymmetries associated with extratropical cyclones. Asymmetries in the outer-core wind field manifest themselves via the tightening and development of height and temperature gradients within the cyclone’s environment. Outward movement of the radial wind maximum occurs coincident with integrated net cooling found inside the radius of maximum winds. Tests using a secondary circulation balance model show the radial wind maximum evolution to be similar yet opposite to the response noted for intensifying tropical cyclones with contracting eyewalls.

scholarly journals Comparison of Single Doppler and Multiple Doppler Wind Retrievals in Hurricane Matthew (2016)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting-Yu Cha ◽  
Michael M. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Airborne Radar ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Fourier Decomposition ◽  
Wind Retrieval ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Doppler Analysis

Abstract. Hurricane Matthew (2016) was observed by the NEXRAD KAMX polarimetric radar and NOAA P-3 airborne radar near the coast of the southeastern United States for several hours, providing a novel opportunity to evaluate and compare single and multiple Doppler wind retrieval techniques for tropical cyclone flows. The generalized velocity track display (GVTD) technique can retrieve a subset of the wind field from a single ground-based Doppler radar under the assumption of nearly axisymmetric rotational wind, but is shown to have errors from aliasing of unresolved wind components. An improved technique that mitigates errors due to storm motion is derived in this study, although some spatial aliasing remains due to limited information content from the single Doppler measurements. A spline-based variational wind retrieval technique called SAMURAI can retrieve the full three-dimensional wind field from airborne radar fore-aft pseudo-dual Doppler scanning, but is shown to have errors due to temporal aliasing from the non-simultaneous Doppler measurements. A comparison between the two techniques shows that the axisymmetric tangential winds are generally comparable between the two techniques after the improvements to GVTD retrievals. Fourier decomposition of asymmetric kinematic and convective structure shows more discrepancies due to spatial and temporal aliasing in the retrievals. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique for studying tropical cyclone structure are discussed, and suggest that complementary information can be retrieved from both single and multiple Doppler retrievals. Future improvements to the asymmetric flow assumptions in single Doppler analysis and steady-state assumptions in pseudo-dual Doppler analysis are required to reconcile differences in retrieved tropical cyclone structure.

scholarly journals Study on Storm Surge Using Parametric Model with Geographical Characteristics

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2251
Author(s):  
Yeon-joong Kim ◽  
Tea-woo Kim ◽  
Jong-sung Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Storm Surge ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Grid Point ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
Parametric Model ◽  
Hazard Map ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Geographical Characteristics

The coastal area of Japan has been damaged yearly by storm surges and flooding disasters in the past, including those associated with typhoons. In addition, the scale of damage is increasing rapidly due to the changing global climate and environment. As disasters due to storm surges become increasingly unpredictable, more measures should be taken to prevent serious damage and casualties. The Japanese government published a hazard map manual in 2015 and obligates the creation of a hazard map based on a parametric model as a measure to reduce high-scale storm surges. Parametric model (typhoon model) accounting for the topographical influences of the surroundings is essential for calculating the wind field of a typhoon. In particular, it is necessary to calculate the wind field using a parametric model in order to simulate a virtual typhoon (the largest typhoon) and to improve the reproducibility. Therefore, in this study, the aim was to establish a hazard map by assuming storm surges of the largest scale and to propose a parametric model that considers the changing shape of typhoons due to topography. The main objectives of this study were to analyze the characteristics of typhoons due to pass through Japan, to develop a parametric model using a combination of Holland’s and Myers’s models that is appropriate for the largest scale of typhoon, and to analyze the parameters of Holland’s model using grid point values (GPVs). Finally, we aimed to propose a method that considers the changing shape of typhoons due to topography. The modeling outcomes of tide levels and storm surge heights show that the reproduced results obtained by the analysis method proposed in this study are more accurate than those obtained using GPVs. In addition, the reproducibility of the proposed model was evaluated showing the high and excellent reproducibility of storm surge height according to the geographic characteristics.

scholarly journals Impact of Stratiform Rainband Heating on the Tropical Cyclone Wind Field in Idealized Simulations

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 2443-2462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chau-Lam Yu ◽  
Anthony C. Didlake
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
Wind Field ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Cold Pool ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Secondary Eyewall Formation ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Storm Evolution ◽  
Spiral Rainbands ◽  
Diabatic Forcing

Abstract Using idealized simulations, we examine the storm-scale wind field response of a dry, hurricane-like vortex to prescribed stratiform heating profiles that mimic tropical cyclone (TC) spiral rainbands. These profiles were stationary with respect to the storm center to represent the diabatic forcing imposed by a quasi-stationary rainband complex. The first profile was typical of stratiform precipitation with heating above and cooling below the melting level. The vortex response included a mesoscale descending inflow and a midlevel tangential jet, consistent with previous studies. An additional response was an inward-spiraling low-level updraft radially inside the rainband heating. The second profile was a modified stratiform heating structure derived from observations and consisted of a diagonal dipole of heating and cooling. The same features were found with stronger magnitudes and larger vertical extents. The dynamics and implications of the forced low-level updraft were examined. This updraft was driven by buoyancy advection because of the stratiform-induced low-level cold pool. The stationary nature of the rainband diabatic forcing played an important role in modulating the required temperature and pressure anomalies to sustain this updraft. Simulations with moisture and full microphysics confirmed that this low-level updraft response was robust and capable of triggering sustained deep convection that could further impact the storm evolution, including having a potential role in secondary eyewall formation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document