Summary
A numerical study of a cold surge that occurred from 19–23 December 2001 was conducted to better understand the cold surge characteristics over the Taiwan area. The National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) nested Mesoscale Spectral Model (MSM) was used for this study. Simulation results demonstrated that the nested NCEP MSM captured salient features of the selected cold surge case. We demonstrated that the local minimum center of the time change of virtual potential temperature (dVPT) can serve as the location of severe weather of the cold surge for all Taiwan regions. Furthermore, thermodynamic equation analyses revealed that the leading edge of the cold surge was maintained primarily by meridian thermal advection, while diabatic heating, vertical and zonal thermal advections were less important.
The cold surge flows were blocked and lifted by the Central Mountain Range (CMR) on its windward side, which increased the cold surge’s vertical extent upward and increased northwestward tilting in the vertical structure. The flow eventually ascended, switched direction toward Taiwan, and descended over its northwestern and eastern coasts. The physical and circulatory characteristics of the cold surge differed noticeably on both sides of Taiwan. The cold surge’s leading edge over the Taiwan Strait was northeast-southwest oriented and had evident wind shear; on the east side of the island, it was stronger in intensity and faster-moving than its counterpart on the west side.
Sensitivity experiments revealed that the CMR’s trapping of cold surge flows on its windward side affected cold surge leading edge characteristics in the following five ways: (1) weakening its intensity over the ocean but enhancing it inland, (2) decreasing its southward speed, especially over the western low plains region, but increasing its movement on the east coast, (3) increasing its vertical altitude and narrowing the horizontal extent of its vertical tilting, (4) altering its upper vertical circulatory structure, and (5) trapping a V-shape density current and enhancing its intensity in connection with the land-sea contrast.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
RA Anthes (1977) ArticleTitleA cumulus parameterization scheme utilizing a one-dimensional cloud model Mon Wea Rev 105 270–286 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1977)105<0270:ACPSUA>2.0.CO;2
PG Baines (1980) ArticleTitleThe dynamics of the southerly buster Aust Meteorol Mag 28 175–200
Bluestein HB (1993) Synoptic-dynamic meteorology in midlatitudes. Observations and theory of weather systems, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press, 594 pp
A Businger JC Wyngaard Y Izumi EF Bradley (1971) ArticleTitleFlux-profile relationships in the atmospheric surface layer J Atmos Sci 28 181–189 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1971)028<0181:FPRITA>2.0.CO;2
CP Chang JE Millard GTJ Chen (1983) ArticleTitleGravitational character of cold surge during winter MONEX Mon Wea Rev 111 293–307 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1983)111<0293:GCOCSD>2.0.CO;2
T-C Chen M-C Yen W-R Huang SuffixJr WAG (2002) ArticleTitleAn East Asian cold surge: case study Mon Wea Rev 130 2271–2290 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(2002)130<2271:AEACSC>2.0.CO;2
Y-L Chen B-F Hui (1990) ArticleTitleAnalysis of a Shallow Front during the Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment Mon Wea Rev 118 2649–2667 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1990)118<2649:AOASFD>2.0.CO;2
Y-L Chen B-F Hui (1992) ArticleTitleAnalysis of a relatively dry front during the Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment Mon Wea Rev 120 2442–2468 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1992)120<2442:AOARDF>2.0.CO;2
BA Colle CF Mass (1995) ArticleTitleThe structure and evolution of cold surges east of the Rocky Mountains Mon Wea Rev 123 2577–2610 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1995)123<2577:TSAEOC>2.0.CO;2
SB Fels MD Schwarztkopf (1975) ArticleTitleThe simplified exchange approximation: a new method for radiative transfer calculations J Atmos Sci 32 1475–1488 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1975)032<1475:TSEAAN>2.0.CO;2
JS Hong (2003) ArticleTitleEvaluation of the high-resolution model forecasts over the Taiwan area during GIMEX Wea Forecast 18 836–846 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0434(2003)018<0836:EOTHMF>2.0.CO;2
S-Y Hong H-MH Juang Q Zhao (1998) ArticleTitleImplementation of prognostic cloud scheme for a regional spectral model Mon Wea Rev 126 2621–2639 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1998)126<2621:IOPCSF>2.0.CO;2
S-Y Hong H-L Pan (1996) ArticleTitleNonlocal boundary layer vertical diffusion in a medium-range forecast model Mon Wea Rev 124 2322–2339 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1996)124<2322:NBLVDI>2.0.CO;2
PAC Howells Y-H Kuo (1988) ArticleTitleA numerical study of the mesoscale environment of a southerly buster event Mon Wea Rev 116 1771–1788 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1988)116<1771:ANSOTM>2.0.CO;2
L-Y Jen C-T Tsay (1981) ArticleTitleA study on composite synoptic patterns of cold surges near Taiwan Atmos Sci 9 67–79
HM Jiang YS Perng (1994) ArticleTitleComparison of the dynamical structure for two cases of different intensity cold surges over Eastern Asia Atmos Sci 22 77–110
H-MH Juang (1992) ArticleTitleA spectral fully compressible nonhydrostatic mesoscale model in hydrostatic sigma coordinates: formulation and preliminary results Meteorol Atmos Phys 50 75–88 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01025506
H-MH Juang M Kanamitsu (1994) ArticleTitleThe NMC nested regional spectral model Mon Wea Rev 122 3–26 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<0003:TNNRSM>2.0.CO;2
H-MH Juang SY Hong M Kanamitsu (1997) ArticleTitleThe NMC regional spectral model: an update Bull Amer Meteor Soc 78 2125–2143 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0477(1997)078<2125:TNRSMA>2.0.CO;2
H-MH Juang (2000) ArticleTitleThe NCEP mesoscale spectral model: a revised version of the nonhydrostatic regional spectral model Mon Wea Rev 128 2329–2362 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(2000)128<2329:TNMSMA>2.0.CO;2
E Kalnay et al. (1996) ArticleTitleThe NCEP/NCAR 40-year reanalysis project Bull Amer Meteor Soc 77 437–471 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077<0437:TNYRP>2.0.CO;2
M Kanamitsu (1989) ArticleTitleDescription of the NMC global data assimilation and forecast system Wea Forecast 4 335–342 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0434(1989)004<0335:DOTNGD>2.0.CO;2
HL Kuo (1965) ArticleTitleOn formulation and intensification of tropical cyclones through latent heat release by cumulus convection J Atmos Sci 22 40–63 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1965)022<0040:OFAIOT>2.0.CO;2
HL Kuo (1974) ArticleTitleFurther studies of the parameterization of the influence of cumulus convection on large-scale flow J Atmos Sci 31 1232–1240 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1974)031<1232:FSOTPO>2.0.CO;2
A Lacis JE Hansen (1974) ArticleTitleA parameterization for the absorption of solar radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere J Atmos Sci 31 118–133 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1974)031<0118:APFTAO>2.0.CO;2
N-C Lau K-M Lau (1984) ArticleTitleThe structure and energetics of midlatitude disturbance accompanying cold-air outbreak over East Asia Mon Wea Rev 112 1309–1327 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1984)112<1309:TSAEOM>2.0.CO;2
J Li YL Chen (1998) ArticleTitleBarrier jets during TAMEX Mon Wea Rev 126 959–971 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1998)126<0959:BJDT>2.0.CO;2
F-C Lu J-D Tsay C-C Liao H-MH Juang (2003) ArticleTitleA study on the nested regional spectral model to the weather prediction of the Eastern Asia Meteor Bull 45 1–22
CF Mass MD Albright (1987) ArticleTitleSoutherlies and alongshore surges of the west cosat of North America: Evidence of mesoscale topographically trapped response to synoptic forcing Mon Wea Rev 115 1707–1738 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1987)115<1707:CSAASO>2.0.CO;2
JE Overland NA Bond (1993) ArticleTitleThe influence of coastal orography: The Yakutat storm Mon Wea Rev 121 1388–1397 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1993)121<1388:TIOCOT>2.0.CO;2
JE Overland NA Bond (1995) ArticleTitleObservations and scale analysis of coastal wind jets Mon Wea Rev 123 2349–2941 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1995)123<2934:OASAOC>2.0.CO;2
Pan H-L, Wu W-S (1994) Implementing a mass flux convective parameterization package for the NMC medium-range forecast model. Preprints, 10th Conf. on numerical weather prediction, Portland, OR. Amer Meteor Soc 96–98
Pan H-L, Hong S-Y (1998) Implementation of a new land surface parameterization scheme and a new turbulence parameterization scheme in the NCEP MRF model. CAS/JSC Research Activities in Atmospheric and Oceanic Modeling. Rep 23: 4.30–4.31. [Available from World Meteorological Organization, C.P. CH-1211, Geneva 2, Switzerland.]
RT Pierrehumber B Wyman (1985) ArticleTitleUpstream effects of mesoscale mountains J Atmos Sci 42 977–1003 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1985)042<0977:UEOMM>2.0.CO;2
K Suda (1959) ArticleTitleA study on the dynamic climatology of cold outbreaks in the Far East Geophys Mag 29 413–461
A Sumi (1985) ArticleTitleA study on cold surges around the Tibetan Plateau by using numerical models J Meteor Soc Japan 63 377–395
W-Y Sun W-R Hsu (1988) ArticleTitleNumerical study of a cold air outbreak over the ocean J Atmos Sci 45 1025–1227 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1988)045<1205:NSOACA>2.0.CO;2
W-Y Sun J-D Chern C-C Wu W-R Hsu (1991) ArticleTitleNumerical simulation of mesoscale circulation in Taiwan and surrounding area Mon Wea Rev 119 2558–2573 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1991)119<2558:NSOMCI>2.0.CO;2
Tiedtke M (1983) The sensitivity of the time-mean large-scale flow to cumulus convection in the ECMWF model. Workshop on Convection in Large-scale Numerical Models. ECMEF, 28 Nov–1 DEC 1983, pp 297–316
Trier SB, Parsons DB, Matejka TJ (1990) Observations of a subtropical cold front in a region of complex terrain. Mon Wea Rev, Vol. 118, pp 2449–2470
JJ Wang H-MH Juang K Kodama S Businger Y-L Chen J Partain (1998) ArticleTitleApplication of the NCEP regional spectral model to improve mesoscale weather forecasts in Hawaii Wea Forecast 13 560–575 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0434(1998)013<0560:AOTNRS>2.0.CO;2
MC Wu CL Chan (1995) ArticleTitleSurface features of winter monsoon surges over South China Mon Wea Rev 123 662–680 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(1995)123<0662:SFOWMS>2.0.CO;2
Q Xu (1990) ArticleTitleA theoretical study of cold air damming J Atmos Sci 47 2969–2985 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1990)047<2969:ATSOCA>2.0.CO;2
Q Xu S Gao BH Fiedler (1996) ArticleTitleA theoretical study of cold air damming with upstream cold air inflow J Atmos Sci 53 312–326 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1996)053<0312:ATSOCA>2.0.CO;2
HC Yeh YL Chen (2003) ArticleTitleNumerical simulations of the barrier jet over northwestern Taiwan during the Mei-Yu season Mon Wea Rev 131 1396–1407 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0493(2003)131<1396:NSOTBJ>2.0.CO;2
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lu, FC., Henry Juang, HM. & Liao, CC. A numerical case study of the passage of a cold surge across Taiwan. Meteorol. Atmos. Phys. 95, 27–52 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-006-0192-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-006-0192-9