A mid-winter, tropical extreme flood-producing storm in southern Israel: Synoptic scale analysis

Summary An exceptional rainstorm affected the Negev Desert, the southern part of Israel, during 20–23 December 1993 as a result of an active Red Sea trough (ARST). The latter refers to a low pressure trough that extends from eastern Africa northward, along the Red Sea, accompanied by an upper-level cyclonic system. Rainfall totals in certain parts exceeded December averages by a factor of 5. Major precipitating systems had a typical Meso-scale Convective System structure accompanied by showers, with peak intensities of 60–80mmh^–1, and by hail and flash floods, resulting in loss of life and heavy damage.The origin of rainfall systems and of the moisture at lower latitudes, as well as the type of precipitation involved, indicate its tropical nature. The timing of the storm around the winter solstice is unusual, since these tropical-like storms are most frequent in the region in October–November.Unusual synoptic circumstances explain the development and intensity of this storm and this exceptional timing. In contrast to the normal situation in December the mid-level subtropical high over the Sahara was replaced by a cyclone, while the persistent high over the Arabian Peninsula intensified. As a result, a southerly flow persisted over the Red Sea several days prior to the storm initiation and transported tropical moisture and heat northward. The ascending air motion observed along the Red Sea enhanced convection there, which transported lower-level moisture from the water surface and transported it to the surrounding regions. Finally, a moving upper-trough that approached the region from the west transported the tropical moisture further to the Negev and supplied the lifting that transformed this moisture and instability into heavy showers.     

Kinetic energy budget and moisture flux convergence analysis during interaction between two cyclonic systems: Case study

An analysis of the kinetic energy budget during a case of interaction between middle latitude and extratropical cyclones has been made in this work. Horizontal flux convergence constitutes a major energy sink. Generation of kinetic energy via cross-contour flow is a persistent source throughout the growth and decay periods. Dissipation of kinetic energy from subgrid to grid scales is an important source during the pre-storm period; it acts as a sink during the growth and decay periods. The major contribution to kinetic energy comes from a persistent upper tropospheric jet stream activity throughout the period of the cyclone development. The characteristics of moisture-flux components (divergent and rotational) along with precipitable water content for different tropospheric layers throughout the life cycle of our cyclone are also studied in this work. It is found that most of required humidity for our cyclone are initiated from Arabian Sea and then to some extent are reinforced over Gulf of Aden and east of central Africa and then by passing over Red sea enter to the south and south east of Mediterranean Sea. The rotational component of the moisture transport brings moisture from two regions; the first which is considered the main region is the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and north east of Sudan. The second source region is the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In the middle troposphere, the primary moisture source is found over central Africa, which in turn is traced to the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea. The upper-level moisture fluxes are weak and play a minor role over the area of interaction between two cyclones.     

大连地区暖锋暴雨个例成因与雷达回波特征

利用常规观测资料、自动站资料和多普勒雷达资料等,对2009年7月14日大连暴雨局部大暴雨过程进行详细分析。结果表明：这是一次暖锋大暴雨过程,高空河套槽北抬和北支槽尾段相叠加,中低层在渤海北部到大连地区形成涡旋环流,700 hPa气旋式较大曲率处在地面暖锋上空,大连地区位于地面气旋顶部即暖锋顶部,造成强降水的产生。强湿区,配合暖锋前低层辐合中心、高层辐散中心,为暖锋大暴雨天气提供水汽和动力条件。从雷达回波分析可以看出,暖锋前部45dBz的β中尺度反射率及速度场上“单牛眼”特征,是造成此次暴雨过程及短时暴雨的直接原因。VWP资料分析表明,低层东南急流与高层西南急流形成切变层的高度以及两支急流的强度变化,与暖锋对应并决定降水的强弱。     

Red Sea Trough/cyclone development — Numerical investigation

Summary A case of development of a meridionally oriented Red Sea Trough (RST) system and its intensification over the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) region during the ALPEX1982 3–5 March period, is investigated. The MM4 mesoscale model of Penn State University/National Center for Atmospheric Research was first applied for a large scale investigation of the processes. The relative roles of the different acting factors, i.e., terrain, latent heat release and the surface fluxes were calculated employing the factor separation method. Topography and sensible heat flux were found to be the dominant ones.The high resolution non-hydrostatic RAMS 3a model of Colorado State University with nested grids of 100 and 20 km illustrated the finer details of the cyclogenetic processes in the mountainous area of the Abyssinean Highlands, Ethiopia, and the Arabian peninsula, where initiation of the trough took place.Results of the factor separation showed that the topography blocking acted as a cyclolytic factor, preventing the process of the northward trough propagation. The situation changed only after about 30 h of the simulation, when the trough already propagated into the EM area after intensification of the mid-tropospheric westerlies over the central part of the Red Sea area. Starting from this time, terrain was acting as one of two major cyclogenetic factors. The second local effect also working as a cyclogenetic one was the sensible heat flux. Its role was especially important after 36 h of the simulations when strong winds over the sea area caused more active heat transfer from the sea surface to the atmosphere.With 7 Figures     

Response of Northern Hemisphere storm tracks to Indian-western Pacific Ocean warming in atmospheric general circulation models

With 40 years integration output of two atmospheric general circulation models (GAMIL/IAP and HadAM3/UKMO) forced with identical prescribed seasonally-varying sea surface temperature, this study examines the effect of the observed Indian-western Pacific Ocean (IWP) warming on the Northern Hemisphere storm tracks. Both models indicate that the observed IWP warming tends to cause both the North Pacific storm track (NPST) and the North Atlantic storm track (NAST) to move northward. Such a consistent effect on the two storm tracks is closely associated with the changes in the low-level atmospheric baroclinicity, high-level jet stream and upper-level geopotential height. The IWP warming can excite a wavelike circum-global teleconnection in the geopotential height that gives rise to an anticyclonic anomaly over the midlatitude North Pacific and a positive-phase NAO anomaly over the North Atlantic. These geopotential height anomalies tend to enhance upper-level zonal westerly winds north of the climatological jet axes and increase low-level baroclinicity and eddy growth rates, thus favoring transient eddy more active north of the climatological storm track axes, responsible for the northward shift of the both storm tracks. The IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NAST is quite similar to the observed, suggesting that the IWP warming can be one of the key factors to cause decadal northward shift of the NAST since the 1980s. However, the IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NPST is completely opposite to the observed, implying that the observed southward shift of the NPST since the 1980s would be primarily attributed to other reasons, although the IWP warming can have a cancelling effect against those reasons.     

一次东海气旋爆发性发展数值模拟

在2006年6月1日发生在东海的爆发性气旋的天气学分析基础上,进行数值模拟,以进一步认识其爆发性发展的物理机制。结果表明:这次东海气旋的地面系统来自台湾岛附近的海上倒槽,在浙北沿海遇到高空比较深厚的低槽,大尺度高空槽通过槽前正涡度输送和槽前后冷暖平流对斜压不稳定的加强作用为气旋发展和维持提供有利的环境。同时,高空急流也通过其出口区的辐散和暖平流为气旋发展和维持提供有利的环境。中低层在舟山海域的强涡度平流的抬升作用产生降水,并通过水汽凝结引起潜热释放,进一步造成地面气旋系统的发展,此时气旋和降水形成正反馈机制。潜热释放被高空槽前斜压不稳定和急流出口区右侧辐散共同引起的上升运动激发后,对气旋的发展起着重要作用。     

5月孟加拉湾风暴不同移动路径典型个例的大气环境场对比分析

利用JTWC最佳路径数据集及欧洲中心ERA-Interim再分析资料,分析了5月孟加拉湾气旋和风暴的活动特征,并重点分析了4个不同路径的典型孟加拉湾风暴大气环境场差异,初步探讨了影响风暴移动的关键大气环流因子。研究表明:5月孟加拉湾风暴路径分为北上、东北移、西北移、转向4种,其中东北移路径最多,北上路径最少;孟加拉湾风暴的生成和移动与阿拉伯副热带高压和西太平洋副热带高压的相对强弱和位置,以及中高纬度槽脊波动密切联系,同时还与孟加拉湾风暴的生成位置有一定关系,10°N以北孟加拉湾海域生成的风暴容易东北移,10°N以南孟加拉湾海域生成的风暴却容易西北移,这与西太平洋副热带高压边缘不同引导气流的作用有关;孟加拉湾风暴移动路径还与高空急流变化有关,风暴有趋于高空急流右侧辐散区运动的趋势;孟加拉湾风暴生成于弱的垂直纬向风切变区,纬向风移动增强的方向指示孟加拉湾风暴移动的方向。     

南海季风爆发前罕见连续3场暴雨特征及成因

2010年5月上中旬南海季风尚未爆发,广东一周内出现罕见的连续3场区域性暴雨 (下称连场暴雨)。利用常规气象观测资料和NCEP分析资料,从降水时间特征和环流形势对比了连场暴雨和持续性暴雨的异同,并应用局地经向环流数值模式诊断探讨其可能形成机制。结果表明:中高纬度地区阻塞形势建立对广东5月连场暴雨和6月持续性暴雨发生均尤为关键,连场暴雨期间阻塞高压位于乌拉尔山附近,降水与中纬度短波槽南下密切相关;而持续性暴雨期间阻塞高压偏东位于亚洲大陆中部,降水主要受热带西南季风北推影响。尽管大尺度环流背景相似,但3场暴雨过程天气系统配置差异较大。数值诊断结果进一步表明:激发连续3场暴雨的主要物理因子为潜热加热、温度平流和西风动量输送。潜热加热是此次连场暴雨的正贡献和正反馈的最直接因子,而西风动量输送和温度平流对暴雨发生有一定触发作用和指示意义 (超前0~1.5 d)。因此,分析和预报季风爆发前的连场暴雨过程,应注意中高纬度地区西风动量输送、冷暖平流活动和相应的天气形势演变。     

Numerical analysis of the influence of jets,fronts, and mountains on alpine lee cyclogenesis: More cases from the ALPEX SOP

Summary In a recently published work it was shown that Alpine cyclone development depends on a short wave trough upstream of the Alps, the presence of an upper-level jet streak in this trough, and a low-level front interacting with the mountain barrier. Specifically, by modifying the strength of the upper baroclinic zone (potential vorticity) or by decreasing the strength of the low-level baroclinic zone impinging on the Alps in an initial field, the intensity of the resulting numerically predicted cyclogenesis could be modulated. The major finding of the work was that the ALPEX cyclones reacted differently to upper-level and lower-level modification, providing a basis for broadly classifying storms: that is, dependence on upper-level processes and on low-level processes.The present work extends this study by considering additional cyclones that occurred during the ALPEX Special Observing Period (SOP), and describes the influence of upper-level and lower-level processes on each. An index (I) discussed in the previous paper is examined in terms of its relative value from case to case, and in terms of its value in a time-dependent sense during the lifetime of the storm. The results show that the most powerful lee cyclones depended more on the strength of the upper-level jet or potential vorticity than on the strength of the low-level front of baroclinic zone. In most cases the time evolution ofI showed the influence of the upper-level jet to be important during the early phase of development. The front is increasingly important in midlife as intensification takes place, and the jet is increasingly important during late life. These conclusions were reached during the earlier study but are supported by the additional SOP cyclone cases.Cyclone steering flow and the impinging of the storm on the Alps had a great impact on defining its character: storms with NW-N trajectories were heavily dependent on low level frontal strength and WSW-WNW trajectories were dominated by effects of the upper level jet.With 16 Figures     

ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE UNUSUAL TRACK OF TYPHOON MORAKOT (0908) AND THE UPPER WESTERLY TROUGH

In this paper,by carrying out sensitivity tests of initial conditions and diagnostic analysis of physical fields,the impact factors and the physical mechanism of the unusual track of Morakot in the Taiwan Strait are discussed and examined based on the potential vorticity(PV)inversion.The diagnostic results of NCEP data showed that Morakot’s track was mainly steered by the subtropical high.The breaking of a high-pressure zone was the main cause for the northward turn of Morakot.A sensitivity test of initial conditions showed that the existence of upper-level trough was the leading factor for the breaking of the high-pressure zone.When the intensity was strengthened of the upper-level trough at initial time,the high-pressure zone would break ahead of time,leading to the early northward turn of Morakot.Conversely,when the intensity was weakened,the breaking of the high-pressure zone would be delayed.Especially,when the intensity was weakened to a certain extent,the high-pressure zone would not break.The typhoon,steered by the easterly flow to the south of the high-pressure zone,would keep moving westward,with no turn in the test.The diagnostic analysis of the physical fields based on the sensitivity test revealed that positive vorticity advection and cold advection associated with the upper-level trough weakened the intensity of the high-pressure zone.The upper-level trough affected typhoon’s track indirectly by influencing the high-pressure zone.     

The role of oceanic fluxes and initial data in the numerical prediction of an intense coastal storm

On 18–19 February 1979, an intense cyclone developed along the east coast of the United States and produced heavy snowfall accumulations from Virginia to southeast New York. A series of forecast experiments was conducted to assess the accuracy of the GLA model's prediction of this storm and the importance of oceanic heat and moisture fluxes and initial data to the cyclogenesis. The GLA model forecast from the GLA NOSAT analysis at 0000 GMT 18 February correctly predicted that intense coastal cyclogenesis and heavy precipitation would occur, even though important subsynoptic details of the development were underestimated or not forecast. A repetition of this forecast with surface heat and moisture fluxes eliminated failed to predict any cyclogenesis while a similar forecast with only the surface moisture flux excluded showed only very weak cyclonic development. An extended-range forecast from 0000 GMT 16 February as well as forecasts from the GLA FGGE analysis or the NMC analysis at 0000 GMT 18 February interpolated to the GLA grid predicted weaker coastal low development than the forecast from the NOSAT analysis.Detailed examination of these forecasts shows that diabatic heating resulting from oceanic fluxes increased low-level baroclinicity, decreased static stability and significantly contributed both to the generation of low-level cyclonic vorticity, and to the intensification and slow rate of movement of an upper-level ridge over the western Atlantic. As an upper-level short-wave trough approached this ridge, the diabatic heating associated with the release of latent heat intensified and the gradient of vorticity, vorticity advection and upper-level divergence in advance of the trough were increased, which provided strong forcing for the surface cyclogenesis.An examination of the NMC and GLA analyses indicated that a weaker representation of the upper-level trough in the interpolated NMC analysis was primarily responsible for the resulting forecast differences. Comparison of the GLA FGGE and NOSAT initial analyses showed that the FGGE analysis of cloud-track wind data probably underestimated the maximum wind speeds associated with an upper-level jet streak near the east coast. This diminished the effect of the oceanic fluxes in the forecast from the FGGE analysis and resulted in weaker cyclogenesis.     

Predecessor Rain Events in the Yangtze River Delta Region Associated with South China Sea and Northwest Pacific Ocean (SCS-WNPO) Tropical Cyclones

Predecessor rain events(PREs) in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) region associated with the South China Sea and Northwest Pacific Ocean(SCS-WNPO) tropical cyclones(TCs) are investigated during the period from 2010 to 2019.Results indicate that approximately 10% of TCs making landfall in China produce PREs over the YRD region; however,they are seldom forecasted. PREs often occur over the YRD region when TCs begin to be active in the SCS-WNPO with westward paths, whilst the cold air is still existing...     

长江中游和下游夏季降水季节内振荡的差异

利用1979~2013年中国站点逐日降水资料和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,对长江中下游夏季降水的季节内振荡最显著周期进行了分析研究。结果表明长江中游最显著周期为10~30天,长江下游最显著周期为30~60天。为了揭示这种差异产生的物理原因,进一步利用位相合成的方法对这两个区域不同周期的季节内振荡降水、高低空风场和高度场以及垂直结构和水汽等循环过程的演变特征进行分析。在200 hPa环流场上,长江中游的降水主要受到高纬度自西向东传播的波列影响,而长江下游的降水与鄂霍次克海的高度场的变化相关。在风场的垂直涡度和散度的位相结构演变过程中,10~30天的垂直涡度和散度有自北向南的移动,30~60天的垂直涡度和散度在长江以南地区有自南向北的传播。水汽输送的位相发展过程表明,长江中游的水汽分别来自于南海的向北输送和长江以北地区向南的水汽输送;长江下游地区的水汽则主要来自于热带东印度洋经孟加拉湾的向东输送并在南海的北向输送,以及西太平洋水汽向西输送到南海再向长江下游的输送。从高层大尺度环流场和整层积分的水汽通量输送上解释了长江中游10~30天降水的自北向南移动,和长江下游30~60天降水自南向北传播的原因。     

太平洋年代际振荡对冬季北半球两大洋风暴轴协同变化的可能影响

利用NCEP/NCAR提供的再分析资料和NOAA提供的海温资料分析太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation,PDO)不同位相的年代际背景下北半球海气耦合关系的异常与风暴轴协同变化的联系,主要结果如下:1)冬季太平洋年代际振荡与北半球两大洋风暴轴协同变化之间存在显著的相关关系,当PDO暖位相时,对应两大洋风暴轴南北位置反向的异常变化,其中北太平洋风暴轴偏南且中东部减弱,北大西洋风暴轴偏北且中东部增强,PDO冷位相时相反。2)PDO为暖位相时,对应El Niňo型海温异常,北大西洋海温呈三极型,平均槽脊加强,经向环流增强,极涡收缩,北太平洋风暴轴南压,大西洋风暴轴则北抬,此时欧亚大陆北部和北美大陆大部分地区温度异常升高,亚洲南部、非洲北部及巴伦支海以北的高纬温度异常降低,北美西南部和格陵兰岛附近温度也为异常降低,PDO冷位相时相反。     

远离热带风暴中心的大暴雨个例分析

2010年9月2-3日江苏淮北出现了较罕见的大暴雨过程,暴雨中心雨量为244.7 mm.分析表明,这次大暴雨过程产生在南海登陆的热带风暴“狮子山”倒槽中,暖湿气流在北上中与对流层低层相对冷的气团相遇,在暴雨区产生局地锋生,中层干冷空气的倾斜下侵,促使大气的斜压性增强,不仅产生了对流性不稳定,而且提供了有利于暖湿气流抬升的动力条件.在锋生作用下,气旋性涡度沿锋区发展.在暴雨发生过程中,西行热带风暴倒槽东部的偏南风和副热带高压西部的偏南气流,构成了一支补偿性质的低空急流,向暴雨区输送了充足的暖湿气流.     

西风槽与强热带风暴配置下动力正、斜压性对暴雨影响研究

用加密气象站降水资料、NCEP再分析资料以及WRF模式的精细化模拟产品资料,对2011年6月24日20时-25日20时,由强热带风暴“米雷”与西风槽结合造成的江淮区域暴雨过程进行分析和诊断.结果表明:西风槽温压场斜压性显著,强热带风暴温压场正压性显著,构成了有利于中小尺度系统和暴雨发生发展的环流背景.由强热带风暴携带而来的水汽,路程近、速度快,在暴雨区形成深厚的水汽层.暴雨区具有两个上下叠置的垂直上升运动中心,保持对水汽的深厚强抬升,维持暴雨环流系统的强度.暴雨区环境大气流场动力正、斜压分解显示,此次暴雨过程大气流场的斜压成分占显著的主导地位;暴雨开始阶段,正压动能向斜压动能的转换迅速增强,各分项和总项都达到最大值;其后的暴雨阶段,转换强度逐渐减弱,暴雨结束时各项都接近0值,甚至出现弱的斜压动能向正压动能的转换.     

冬季菲律宾周围对流活动与北太平洋风暴轴联系的数值模拟

通过利用IAP 2-L AGCM进行的数值模拟,进一步揭示了冬季菲律宾周围对流活动异常对北太平洋风暴轴变化的影响及其二者联系的物理机制和物理过程。结果表明:当菲律宾周围对流活动增强时,在500 hPa等压面图上强迫产生一个自赤道西太平洋开始,经我国东部、堪察加半岛、白令海,到美国西海岸的异常波列;位于西太平洋的经向三圈环流增强,位置北移;在风暴轴的西半部和东端斜压性增强;从而导致了北太平洋风暴轴增强、北抬、东伸。     

华北回流强降水天气过程的中尺度分析

使用华北地区加密自动站资料、 多普勒雷达资料和NCEP（1°×1°）再分析资料, 应用中尺度滤波方法、 诊断分析方法等, 对2003年10月华北回流暴雨天气过程进行了中尺度分析。结果表明： 在回流冷空气与西南暖湿气流相遇产生的辐合带中存在中尺度低压和切变; 中尺度低压和切变主要在600 hPa以下, 中尺度低压随高度向西、 向北倾斜, 东西向中尺度切变随高度向北倾斜。此次回流暴雨过程中有5个中尺度雨团活动, 其中3个中尺度雨团与中尺度低压和切变配合且随低压和切变移动, 暴雨期间多普勒雷达速度图上出现了持续2 h以上的逆风区。     

A Study on the Mesoscale Convective Systems during the Summer Monsoon Onset over the South China Sea in 1998 Part II: Effect of Mesoscale Convective Systems on Large-Scale Fields

1. Introduction The strong convective weather is developed under the favorable large-scale circulations, which demon- strated the large-scale weather system's controlling ef- fect on strong convections. Once the convection is formed, it will produce the feedback effect on the large-scale environmental conditions by transporting momentum, heat and moisture upward, and influence or change the environmental wind, humidity, tem- perature, atmospheric stratification fields and so on, thus forming t…     

A Study on the Mesoscale Convective Systems during the Summer Monsoon Onset over the South China Sea in 1998 Part Ⅱ: Effect of Mesoscale Convective Systems on Large-Scale Fields

The apparent heat sources and apparent moisture sinks, and large-scale wind, temperature as well as the surface pressure fields during the summer monsoon onset over the northern South China Sea (SCS) in 1998 were diagnosed. The results suggested that there was a kind of positive feedback mechanism between large-scale circulations and mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). Before the monsoon onset, the largescale background provided favorable synoptic and dynamic conditions for the summer monsoon onset and the formation of mesoscale convective activities, whereas after the summer monsoon onset, occurrence of the persistent and extensive mesoscale convective activities produced obvious feedback effect on large-scale circulations. Because of the release of latent heating produced by enhanced convective activities, the intense atmospheric heating appeared over the northern SCS, which resulted in: (1) the meridional temperature gradient over the SCS reversed from upper-level to low-level and then the large-scale circulations were changed seasonally;(2) correspondingly, the surface pressure over the northern SCS deepened continually and formed a broad monsoon trough and the obvious pressure-fall areas, thus making the subtropical high move out of the SCS eventually;(3) with the development of the low pressure circulations in the middle and low troposphere, the MCSs further enhanced and extended southward, which was conducive to the SCS monsoon onset and maintenance over the middle and southern SCS;and (4) the deepening of monsoon trough facilitated the monsoon flow and moisture transport on its southern side, thus the monsoon onset reaching peak period.