scholarly journals Relationship between Early-Stage Features and Lifetime Maximum Intensity of Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 815
Author(s):  
Ren Lu ◽  
Xiaodong Tang

The relationship between early-stage features and lifetime maximum intensity (LMI) of tropical cyclones (TCs) over the Western North Pacific (WNP) was investigated by ensemble machine learning methods and composite analysis in this study. By selecting key features of TCs’ vortex attributes and environmental conditions, a two-step AdaBoost model demonstrated accuracy of about 75% in distinguishing weak and strong TCs at genesis and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.30 for LMI estimation from the early stage of strong TCs, suggesting an underlying relationship between LMI and early-stage features. The composite analysis reveals that TCs with higher LMI are characterized by lower latitude embedded in a continuous band of high low-troposphere vorticity, more compact circulation at both the upper and lower levels of the troposphere, stronger circulation at the mid-troposphere, a higher outflow layer with stronger convection, a more symmetrical structure of high-level moisture distribution, a slower translation speed, and a greater intensification rate around genesis. Specifically, TCs with greater “tightness” at genesis may have a better chance of strengthening to major TCs (LMI ≥ 96 kt), since it represents a combination of the inner and outer-core wind structure related to TCs’ rapid intensification and eyewall replacement cycle.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangbo Feng ◽  
Nicholas P. Klingaman ◽  
Kevin I. Hodges

AbstractThe average location of observed western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclones (TCs) has shifted north over the last several decades, but the cause remains not fully understood. Here we show that, for the annual average, the observed northward migration of WNP TCs is related to changes in TC seasonality, not to a northward migration in all seasons. Normally, peak-season (July–September) TCs form and travel further north than late-season (October–December) TCs. In recent decades, related to less frequent late-season TCs, seasonally higher-latitude TCs contribute relatively more to the annual-average location and seasonally lower-latitude TCs contribute less. We show that the change in TC seasonality is related to the different responses of late-season and peak-season TC occurrence to a stronger Pacific Walker Circulation. Our findings provide a perspective on long-term trends in TC activity, by decomposing the annual-average statistics into seasonal components, which could respond differently to anthropogenic forcing.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 6329-6342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoujuan Shu ◽  
Fuqing Zhang ◽  
Jie Ming ◽  
Yuan Wang

Abstract. The influence of environmental conditions on the intensity changes of tropical cyclones (TCs) over the western North Pacific (WNP) is investigated through examination of 37 TCs during 2000–2011 that interacted directly with the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH). Comprehensive composite analysis of the environmental conditions is performed for two stages of storms: one is categorized as intensifying events (maximum wind speed increases by 15 kn over 48 h) and the other is categorized as weakening events (maximum wind speed decreases by 15 kn over 48 h). Comparison of the composite analysis of these two cases show that environmental conditions associated with the WNPSH play important roles in the intensity changes of TCs over the WNP. When a TC moves along the southern periphery of the WNPSH, the relatively weaker easterly environmental vertical wind shear helps bring warm moist air from the south and southeast to its southeast quadrant within 500 km, which is favorable for the TC to intensify. However, when a TC moves along the western edge of the WNPSH, under the combined influences of the WNPSH and an upper-level westerly trough, a strong westerly vertical shear promotes the intrusion of dry environmental air associated with the WNPSH from the north and northwest, which may lead to the inhibition of moisture supply and convection over the western half of the TC and thus its weakening. These composite results are consistent with those with additional geographic restrictions, suggesting that the dry air intrusion and the vertical wind shear (VWS) associated with the WNPSH, indeed affect the intensity changes of TCs over the WNP beyond the difference related solely to variations in geographical locations. The average sea surface temperature (SST) of 27.6 °C for the weakening events is also lower than an average of 28.9 °C for the strengthening events, but remains above the critical value of 27 °C for TC intensification, suggesting that the SST may be regarded as a less positive factor for the weakening events.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 31815-31853
Author(s):  
Shoujuan Shu ◽  
Fuqing Zhang ◽  
Jie Ming ◽  
Yuan Wang

Abstract. The influence of environmental conditions on the intensity changes of tropical cyclones (TCs) over the western North Pacific (WNP) is investigated through examination of 37 TCs during 2000–2011 that interacted directly with the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH). Comprehensive composite analysis of the environmental conditions is performed for two stages of storms: one is categorized as intensifying events (maximum wind speed increases by 15 kts over 48 h) and the other is categorized as weakening events (maximum wind speed decreases by 15 kts over 48 h). Comparison of the composite analysis of these two cases show that environmental conditions associated with the WNPSH play important roles in the intensity changes of TCs over the WNP. When a TC moves along the southern edge of the WNPSH, the relatively weaker easterly environmental vertical wind shear helps bring warm moist air from the south and southeast, which is favorable for the TC to intensify. On the other hand, when a TC moves along the western edge of the WNPSH, under the combined influences of the WNPSH and an upper-level westerly trough, a strong westerly vertical shear promotes the intrusion of dry environmental air associated with the WNPSH from the north and northwest, which may lead to the inhibition of moisture supply and convection over the west half of the TC and thus its weakening. The average sea surface temperature (SST) of 27.8 °C for the weakening events is also lower than an average of 28.9 °C for the strengthening events, but remains above the critical value of 27 °C for TC intensification, suggesting that the SST may be regarded as a less positive factor for the weakening events.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-434
Author(s):  
Shumin Chen ◽  
Weibiao Li ◽  
Zhiping Wen ◽  
Mingsen Zhou ◽  
Youyu Lu ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 927-941 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pang-chi Hsu ◽  
Tim Li ◽  
Chih-Hua Tsou

Abstract The role of scale interactions in the maintenance of eddy kinetic energy (EKE) during the extreme phases of the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) is examined through the construction of a new eddy energetics diagnostic tool that separates the effects of ISO and a low-frequency background state (LFBS; with periods longer than 90 days). The LFBS always contributes positively toward the EKE in the boreal summer, regardless of the ISO phases. The synoptic eddies extract energy from the ISO during the ISO active phase. This positive barotropic energy conversion occurs when the synoptic eddies interact with low-level cyclonic and convergent–confluent ISO flows. This contrasts with the ISO suppressed phase during which the synoptic eddies lose kinetic energy to the ISO flow. The anticyclonic and divergent–diffluent ISO flows during the suppressed phase are responsible for the negative barotropic energy conversion. A positive (negative) EKE tendency occurs during the ISO suppressed-to-active (active-to-suppressed) transitional phase. The cause of this asymmetric EKE tendency is attributed to the spatial phase relation among the ISO vorticity, eddy structure, and EKE. The southwest–northeast-tilted synoptic disturbances interacting with cyclonic (anticyclonic) vorticity of ISO lead to a positive (negative) EKE tendency in the northwest region of the maximum EKE center. The genesis number and location and intensification rate of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific are closely related to the barotropic energy conversion. The enhanced barotropic energy conversion favors the generation and development of synoptic seed disturbances, some of which eventually grow into tropical cyclones.


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