Abstract
Based on 25-year (1987–2011) tropical cyclone (TC) best track data, a statistical study was carried out to investigate the basic features of upper-tropospheric TC–environment interactions over the western North Pacific. Interaction was defined as the absolute value of eddy momentum flux convergence (EFC) exceeding 10 m s-1 d-1. Based on this definition, it was found that 18% of all six-hourly TC samples experienced interaction. Extreme interaction cases showed that EFC can reach ~120 m s-1 d-1 during the extratropical-cyclone (EC) stage, an order of magnitude larger than reported in previous studies. Composite analysis showed that positive interactions are characterized by a double-jet flow pattern, rather than the traditional trough pattern, because it is the jets that bring in large EFC from the upper-level environment to the TC center. The role of the outflow jet is also enhanced by relatively low inertial stability, as compared to the inflow jet. Among several environmental factors, it was found that extremely large EFC is usually accompanied by high inertial stability, low SST and strong vertical wind shear (VWS). Thus, the positive effect of EFC is cancelled by their negative effects. Only those samples during the EC stage, whose intensities were less dependent on VWS and the underlying SST, could survive in extremely large EFC environments, or even re-intensify. For classical TCs (not in the EC stage), it was found that environments with a moderate EFC value generally below ~25 m s-1 d-1 are more favorable for a TC’s intensification than those with extremely large EFC.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barcikowska, M., F. Feser, and H. von Storch, 2012: Usability of best track data in climate statistics in the western North Pacific. Mon. Wea. Rev., 140, 2818–2830.
Bosart, L. F., and J. A. Bartlo, 1991: Tropical storm formation in a baroclinic environment. Mon. Wea. Rev., 119, 1979–2013.
Bosart, L. F., C. S. Velden, W. E. Bracken, J. Molinari, and P. G. Black, 2000: Environmental influences on the rapid intensification of Hurricane Opal (1995) over the Gulf of Mexico. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 322–352.
Bracken, W. E., and L. F. Bosart, 2000: The role of synopticscale flow during tropical cyclogenesis over the North Atlantic Ocean. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 353–376.
Challa, M., and R. L. Pfeffer, 1980: Effects of eddy fluxes of angular momentum on model hurricane development. J. Atmos. Sci., 37, 1603–1618.
Chan, J. C. L., F. M. F. Ko, and Y. M. Lei, 2002: Relationship between potential vorticity tendency and tropical cyclone motion. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 1317–1336.
Chen, X. M., Y. Q. Wang, and K. Zhao, 2015: Synoptic flow patterns and large-scale characteristics associated with rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones in the South China Sea. Mon. Wea. Rev., 143, 64–87.
Choi, Y., K. -S. Yun, K. -J. Ha, K. -Y. Kim, S. -J. Yoon, and J. C. L. Chan, 2013: Effects of asymmetric SST distribution on straight-moving Typhoon Ewiniar (2006) and recurving Typhoon Maemi (2003). Mon. Wea. Rev., 141, 3950–3967.
Dee, D. P., and Coauthors, 2011: The ERA-Interim reanalysis: Configuration and performance of the data assimilation system. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 137, 553–597.
DeMaria, M., J. -J. Baik, and J. Kaplan, 1993: Upper-level eddy angular momentum fluxes and tropical cyclone intensity change. J. Atmos. Sci., 50, 1133–1147.
DeMaria, M., J. A. Knaff, and C. Sampson, 2007: Evaluation of long-term trends in tropical cyclone intensity forecasts. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 97, 19–28.
Eliassen, A., 1952: Slow thermally or frictionally controlled meridional circulation in a circular vortex. Astrophysica Norvegica, 5, 19–60.
Elsberry, R. L., G. J. Holland, H. Gerrish, M. DeMaria, C. P. Guard, and K. A. Emanuel, 1992: Is there any hope for tropical cyclone intensity prediction?—A panel discussion. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 73, 264–275.
Emanuel, K. A., 1986: An air-sea interaction theory for tropical cyclones. Part I: Steady-state maintenance. J. Atmos. Sci., 43, 585–605.
Emanuel, K. A., 2000: A statistical analysis of tropical cyclone intensity. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 1139–1152.
Erickson, C. O., 1967: Some aspects of the development of Hurricane Dorothy. Mon. Wea. Rev., 95, 121–130.
Fitzpatrick, P. J., 1997: Understanding and forecasting tropical cyclone intensity change with the typhoon intensity prediction scheme (TIPS). Wea. Forecasting, 12, 826–846.
Fitzpatrick, P. J., J. A. Knaff, C. W. Landsea, and S. V. Finley, 1995: Documentation of a systematic bias in the aviation model’s forecast of the Atlantic tropical upper-tropospheric trough: Implications for tropical cyclone forecasting. Wea. Forecasting, 10, 433–446.
Hanley, D. E., 2002: The evolution of a hurricane-trough interaction from a satellite perspective. Wea. Forecasting, 17, 916–926.
Hanley, D., J. Molinari, and D. Deyser, 2001: A composite study of the interactions between tropical cyclones and uppertropospheric troughs. Mon. Wea. Rev., 129, 2570–2584.
Holland, G. J., and R. T. Merrill, 1984: On the dynamics of tropical cyclone structural changes. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 110, 723–745.
Hoskins, B. J., M. E. McIntyre, and A. W. Robertson, 1985: On the use and significance of isentropic potential vorticity maps. Quart. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 111, 877–946.
Kimball, S. K., and J. L. Evans, 2002: Idealized numerical simulations of hurricane-trough interaction. Mon. Wea. Rev., 130, 2210–2227.
Leroux, M. -D., M. Plu, D. Barbary, F. Roux, and P. Arbogast, 2013: Dynamical and physical processes leading to tropical cyclone intensification under upper-level trough forcing. J. Atmos. Sci., 70, 2547–2565.
Lewis, B. M., and D. P. Jorgensen, 1978: Study of the dissipation of Hurricane Gertrude (1974). Mon. Wea. Rev., 106, 1288–1306.
Li, Y., L. S. Chen, and X. T. Lei, 2006: Numerical study on impacts of upper-level westerly trough on the extratropical transition process of TyphoonWinnie (1997). Acta Meteorologica Sinica, 64, 552–563. (in Chinese)
Martin, J. D., and W. M. Gray, 1993: Tropical cyclone observation and forecasting with and without aircraft reconnaissance. Wea. Forecasting, 8, 519–532.
McTaggart-Cowan, R., L. F. Bosart, C. A. Davis, E. H. Atallah, J. R. Gyakum, and K. A. Emanuel, 2006: Analysis of Hurricane Catarina (2004). Mon. Wea. Rev., 134, 3029–3053.
Merrill, R. T., 1988a: Characteristics of the upper-tropospheric environmental flow around hurricanes. J. Atmos. Sci., 45, 1665–1677.
Merrill, R. T., 1988b: Environmental influences on hurricane intensification. J. Atmos. Sci., 45, 1678–1687.
Molinari, J., and D. Vollaro, 1989: External influences on hurricane intensity. Part I: Outflow layer eddy angular momentum fluxes. J. Atmos. Sci., 46, 1093–1104.
Molinari, J., and D. Vollaro, 1990: External influences on hurricane intensity. Part II: Vertical structure and response of the hurricane vortex. J. Atmos. Sci., 47, 1902–1918.
Molinari, J., and D. Vollaro, 1993: Environmental controls on eye wall cycles and intensity change in Hurricane Allen (1980). Tropical Cyclone Disasters, J. Lighthill et al., Eds., Peking University Press, 328–337.
Molinari, J., D. Vollaro, and F. Robasky, 1992: Use of ECMWF operational analyses for studies of the tropical cyclone environment. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 47, 127–144.
Molinari, J., S. Skubis, and D. Vollaro, 1995: External influences on hurricane intensity. Part III: Potential vorticity structure. J. Atmos. Sci., 52, 3593–3606.
Molinari, J., S. Skubis, D. Vollaro, F. Alsheimer, and H. E. Willoughby, 1998: Potential vorticity analysis of tropical cyclone intensification. J. Atmos. Sci., 55, 2632–2644.
Molinari, J., P. Dodge, D. Vollaro, and K. L. Corbosiero, 2006: Mesoscale aspects of the downshear reformation of a tropical cyclone. J. Atmos. Sci., 63, 341–354.
Montgomery, M. T., and R. K. Smith, 2014: Paradigms for tropical cyclone intensification. Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal, 64, 37–66.
Pfeffer, R. L., and M. Challa, 1981: A numerical study of the role of eddy fluxes of momentum in the development of Atlantic hurricanes. J. Atmos. Sci., 38, 2393–2398.
Qian, Y. K., C. X. Liang, Q. Q. Liang, L. X. Lin, and Z. J. Yuan, 2011: On the forced tangentially-averaged radial-vertical circulation within vortices. Part II: The transformation of Tropical Storm Haima (2004). Adv. Atmos. Sci., 28, 1143–1158, doi: 10.1007/s00376-010-0060-x.
Rappin, E. D., M. C. Morgan, and G. J. Tripoli, 2011: The impact of outflow environment on tropical cyclone intensification and structure. J. Atmos. Sci., 68, 177–194.
Rodgers, E. B., S. W. Chang, J. Stout, J. Steranka, and J.-J. Shi, 1991: Satellite observations of variations in tropical cyclone convection caused by upper-tropospheric troughs. J. Appl. Meteor., 30, 1163–1184.
Rodgers, E. B., W. S. Olson, V. M. Karyampudi, and H. F. Pierce, 1998: Satellite-derived latent heating distribution and environmental influences in Hurricane Opal (1995). Mon. Wea. Rev., 126, 1229–1247.
Sawyer, J. S., 1956: The vertical circulation at meteorological fronts and its relation to frontogenesis. Proc. Roy. Soc. London, 234A, 346–362.
Shi, J. J., S. Chang, and S. Raman, 1997: Interaction between Hurricane Florence (1988) and an upper-tropospheric westerly trough. J. Atmos. Sci., 54, 1231–1247.
Smith, R. K., and M. T. Montgomery, 2015: Toward clarity on understanding tropical cyclone intensification. J. Atmos. Sci., 72, 3020–3031.
Sundqvist, H., 1970: Numerical simulation of the development of tropical cyclones with a ten-level model. Part I. Tellus, 22, 359–390.
Titley, D. W., and R. L. Elsberry, 2000: Large intensity changes in tropical cyclones: A case study of Supertyphoon Flo during TCM-90. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 3556–3573.
Willoughby, H. E., J. A. Clos, and M. G. Shoreibah, 1982: Concentric eye walls, secondary wind maxima, and the evolution of the hurricane vortex. J. Atmos. Sci., 39, 395–411.
Wu, C.-C., and H.-J. Cheng, 1999: An observational study of environmental influences on the intensity changes of Typhoons Flo (1990) and Gene (1990). Mon. Wea. Rev., 127, 3003–3031.
Wu, L. G., and B. Wang, 2000: A potential vorticity tendency diagnostic approach for tropical cyclone motion. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 1899–1911.
Yu, H., and H. J. Kwon, 2005: Effect of TC-trough interaction on the intensity change of two typhoons. Wea. Forecasting, 20, 199–211.
Zeng, Z. H., Y. Q. Wang, and C. -C. Wu, 2007: Environmental dynamical control of tropical cyclone intensity—An observational study. Mon. Wea. Rev., 135, 38–59.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Qian, YK., Liang, CX., Yuan, Z. et al. Upper-tropospheric environment–tropical cyclone interactions over the western North Pacific: A statistical study. Adv. Atmos. Sci. 33, 614–631 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-015-5148-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-015-5148-x