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Based on the hourly precipitation data at 176 observational stations over south China and the hourly ERA5 reanalysis data during the 40-yr period of 1981-2020, we analyzed the universal characteristics of moisture transport and their associated background circulations for four types of regional extreme precipitation events (REPEs) over south China. Main findings are shown as follow. (i) The wind that transported moisture for the REPEs over south China featured a notable diurnal variation, which was consistent with the variations of the precipitation. (ii) Four types of REPEs could be determined, among which the southwest type (SWT) and the southeast type (SET) accounted for ~92% and ~5.7%, respectively, ranking the first and second, respectively. (iii) Trajectory analyses showed that the air particles of the SWT-REPEs had the largest specific humidity and experienced the most intense ascending motion, and therefore their precipitation was the strongest among the four types. (iv) South China was dominated by notable moisture flux convergence for the four types of REPEs, but their moisture transport was controlled by different flow paths. (v) Composite analyses indicated that the background circulation of the four types of REPEs showed different features, particularly for the intensity, location and coverage of a western Pacific subtropical high. For the SWT-REPEs, their moisture transport was mainly driven by a lower-tropospheric strong southwesterly wind band in the low-latitude regions. Air particles for this type of REPEs mainly passed over the Indochina Peninsula and South China Sea. For the SET-REPEs, their moisture transport was mainly steered by a strong low-tropospheric southeasterly wind northeast of a transversal trough. Air particles mainly passed over the South China Sea for this type of REPEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employed National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis data and records from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Yearbook of Tropical Cyclones to investigate three factors: sea-surface temperature (SST), vertical wind shear (VWS), and the density of the core convection (DCC), which are responsible for the rapid intensification (RI) of 1949-2013 offshore typhoons. Our analysis results of these composite factors show that in the environmental wind field the typhoons are far away from the outer strong VWS; in the SST field they are in the high SST area; and the core convective activity is robust and takes a bimodal pattern. The difference in RI between typhoons over the East China Sea (ECS) and the South China Sea (SCS) is a smaller VWS for the ECS typhoons, which may be one of the reasons why typhoons in the ECS are more intense than those in the SCS. Our study results indicate that SST, VWS, and DCC can result in an RI after a certain time interval of 36 h, 24 h to 30 h, and 24 h, respectively. The RI indicates a lag in the atmospheric response to oceanic conditions. This lag characteristic makes it possible to predict RI events. In summary, where the SST is high (≥ 28 °C), the VWS is small, and the DCC is high, an RI will occur. Where mid-range SSTs occur (26 °C ≤S SST≤S28 °C), with small VWS, and high DCC, the RI of typhoons is also likely to occur. Key words: rapid intensification; offshore typhoon; composite analysis; density of the core convection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between summer low-frequency rainfall over southern China and tropical intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in the atmosphere by examining systematically the propagation features of the tropical ISO in terms of focusing on five large-scale low-frequency rainfall regimes in summer over southern China. It is demonstrated that there is a close linkage between the five rainfall regimes over southern China and the northward propagation of the tropical ISO. The moist ISO signals, which influence the low-frequency rainfall events in different regions of southern China, mainly propagate northwestward from the tropical ocean to the southeast of China. The southeast China rainfall regime is intimately associated with the moist ISO signals propagating northwestward from the equatorial mid-western Pacific Ocean. For both the Yangtze River regime and South of Yangtze River regime, the moist ISO signals over the northern South China Sea show an evident northward propagation towards the Yangtze River region, and then propagate westward. It is further found that the interaction between the northward propagation of low-latitude ISO signals and the southward propagation of high-latitude ISO signals can also make a clear influence on the low-frequency rainfall in southern China. For the Southern China regime, the moist ISO signals show a significant northward propagation from the Philippines. Moreover, for the rainless regime, southern China is under dry ISO signals' control, and the latter shows no clear propagation to southern China. This study may provide insights for the extended-range forecasting of summer rainfall in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and yearbooks of CMA tropical cyclones, statistical analysis is performed for 1949-2013 offshore typhoons subjected to rapid decay (RD). This analysis indicates that RD typhoons are small-probability events, making up about 2.2% of the total offshore typhoons during this period. The RD events experience a decadal variation, mostly in the 1960s and 1970s (maximal in the 1970s), rapidly decrease in the 1980s and 1990s and quickly increase from 2000. Also, RD typhoons show remarkable seasonal differences: they arise mainly in April and July-December, with the prime stage being in October-November. The offshore RD typhoons occur mostly in the South China Sea (SCS) and to a lesser extent in the East China Sea (ECS); however, none are observed over the Huang Sea and Bo Sea. Composite analysis and dynamic diagnosis of the RD typhoon-related large-scale circulations are performed. Physical quantities of the composite analysis consist of 500-hPa height and temperature fields, vapor transfer, vertical wind shear (VWS), density of core convection (DCC), and high-level jet and upper-air outflow of the typhoon. The results suggest that (1) at the 500-hPa height field, the typhoon is ahead of a westerly trough and under the effects of its passing trough; (2) at the temperature field, the typhoon is ahead of a temperature trough, with an invading cold tongue present; (3) at the vapor transfer field, water transfer into the RD typhoon is cut off; and (4) at higher levels, the related jet weakens and the outbreak of convection becomes attenuated in the typhoon core. In addition, VWS bears a relation to the RD typhoon; in particular, strong VWS favors RD occurrence. The differences in RD events between the SCS and ECS show that for the RD, the VWS of the ECS environmental winds is markedly stronger in comparison with its SCS counterpart. The cold advection invading into the typhoons is more intense in the SCS than in the ECS, and the low-level vapor transfer and high-level outflow are weaker in the SCS RD typhoons. Data analysis shows that sea surface temperature (SST), VWS, and DCC can be employed as efficient factors to predict RD occurrence. With appropriate SST, VWS, and DCC, a warning of RD occurrence can be given 36, 30-36, and 30 h, respectively, in advance. These values suggest that atmospheric SST responses lag. Owing to this time lag, the prediction of RD typhoons is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the ARW-WRF model to carry out a numerical simulation of a warm-sector heavy rainfall event over southern China on the 22-23 May, 2014. A composite analysis method was used to analyze the evolution process and structural features of the convective cells on a convection line during this rainfall event. This analysis identified three stages: (1) Stage of activation: the equivalent potential temperature surfaces as lower layers start to bulge and form warm cells and weak vertical convective cloud towers which are subject to the impact of low-level warm moist updrafts in the rainfall sector; (2) Stage of development: the warm cells continue to bulge and form warm air columns and the convective cloud towers develop upwards becoming stronger as they rise; (3) Stage of maturity: the warm air columns start to connect with the stable layer in the upper air; the convective cloud tower will bend and tilt westward with each increasing in height, and the convection cell is characterized by a "crescent0-shaped echo" above the 700 hPa plane. During this stage the internal temperature of the cell is higher than the ambient temperature and the dynamic structural field is manifested as intensive vertical upward movement. The large-value centers of the northerly and westerly winds in the middle layer correspond to the warm moist center in the cells and the relatively cold center south of the warm air column. Further analysis shows that the formation of the "crescent-shaped" convective cell is associated with horizontal vorticity. Horizontal vorticity in the center and west of the warm cell experiences stronger cyclonic and anticyclonic shear transformation over time; this not only causes the original suborbicular cell echo shape to develop into a crescent-like shape, but also makes a convection line consisting of cells that develop to the northwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifty-eight extratropical transition (ET) cases in the years 2000-2008, including 2,021 observations (at 6-hour intervals), over the western North Pacific are analyzed using the cyclone phase space (CPS) method, in an effort to get the characteristics of the structure evolution and environmental conditions of tropical cyclones (TCs) during ET over this area. Cluster analysis of the CPS dataset shows that strong TCs are more likely to undergo ET. ET begins with the increment of thermal asymmetry in TCs, along with the generation and intensification of an upper-level cold core, and ends with the occurrence of a lower-level cold core. ET lasts an average duration of about 28 hours. Dynamic composite analysis of the environmental field of different clusters shows that, in general, when TCs move northward, they are gradually embedded in the westerlies and gradually transform into extratropical cyclones under the influence of the mid- and higher-latitude baroclinic systems. As for those TCs which complete ET, there is always much greater potential vorticity gradient in the northwest of them and obvious water vapor transport channels in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses NCEP/NCAR daily reanalysis data, NOAA outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) data, the real-time multivariate MJO (RMM) index from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and Tibetan Plateau vortex (TPV) data from the Chengdu Institute of Plateau Meteorology to discuss modulation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) on the Tibetan Plateau Vortex (TPV). Wavelet and composite analysis are used. Results show that the MJO plays an important role in the occurrence of the TPV that the number of TPVs generated within an active period of the MJO is three times as much as that during an inactive period. In addition, during the active period, the number of the TPVs generated in phases 1 and 2 is larger than that in phases 3 and 7. After compositing phases 1 and 7 separately, all meteorological elements in phase 1 are apparently conducive to the generation of the TPV, whereas those in phase 7 are somewhat constrained. With its eastward propagation process, the MJO convection centre spreads eastward, and the vertical circulation within the tropical atmosphere changes. Due to the interaction between the mid-latitude and low-latitude atmosphere, changes occur in the baroclinic characteristics of the atmosphere, the available potential energy and eddy available potential energy of the atmosphere, and the circulation structures of the atmosphere over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and surrounding areas. This results in significantly different water vapour transportation and latent heat distribution. Advantageous and disadvantageous conditions therefore alternate, leading to a significant difference among the numbers of plateau vortex in different phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A regional climate model coupled with an aerosol model is employed to numerically simulate the direct climate effects of the anthropogenic aerosol emitted in South Asia and China in the East Asian summer monsoon during 1988 to 2009. Based on the data of the numerical simulation, composite analysis and correlation analysis are used to make diagnostic study of climate dynamics. Results show that the month of maximum emission of the mean column burden of the anthropogenic aerosol in the main emission areas of South Asia is opposite in phase to that in China. Summer is the season of maximum emission amount in China, but the emission amounts are more in South Asia in spring and winter. On the whole, the mean column burden of the anthropogenic aerosol in China is relatively high compared with that in South Asia. The trend of distribution of aerosol is SW-NE in China, and Sichuan Basin is the emission center of aerosol. The effect of negative short wave radiative forcing alters the gradient of pressure between land and sea, weakening the development of East Asian summer monsoon over the northern part of Yangtze-Huaihe River Basin. We also discuss the feedback effect of East-Asian summer monsoon which is changed by the anthropogenic aerosol on the concentration and distribution of aerosol in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in Guangzhou's aerosol optical characteristics and their possible causes are studied against the large-scale background of South China Sea summer monsoons (SCSSM) using aerosol data derived from Panyu Atmospheric Composition Watch Station in Guangzhou and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (USA). The data is reanalyzed to develop a composite analysis and perform physical diagnoses. Analysis of the results shows that aerosol extinction in Guangzhou first increases then decreases during the active period of a SCSSM, with variations in the stratification of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and environmental winds playing important roles in affecting Guangzhou's aerosol optical characteristics. Regional diabatic heating and anomalous cyclonic circulations excited by monsoon convection induce environmental wind anomalies that significantly modify the stratification of the PBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the variation of the intensity of convection over the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in summer and its impacts on tropical cyclones are studied. In this paper, an intensity index of the ITCZ is proposed according to Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) in the region of (5°-20°N, 120°-150°E) in the western North Pacific (WNP). Then strong and weak ITCZ years are classified and different variables during the strong/weak ITCZ years are analyzed. The composite results show that the ITCZ anomaly is connected to the general atmospheric circulation and SST distribution. In the strong ITCZ years, the subtropical anticyclone weakens and shifts northward. Besides, there is salient cyclonic anomaly at the low level and anticyclonic anomaly at the high level. SST patterns in the preceding winter resemble to those of La Niña. It could persist into the succeeding summer. However, it is opposite in the weak ITCZ years. The impact of the ITCZ anomaly on the tropical cyclone (TC) formation and track is also discussed. There are more TCs over the WNP (5°-20°N, 120°-150°E) in the strong ITCZ years and there is a significant increase in the northward recurving TCs. In the weak ITCZ years, fewer TCs occur and the frequency of the northwestward track is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) on TC genesis over the northwestern Pacific is studied through comparing analyses of the more and less TC years from 1979 to 2006. It is indicated that the ISO strongly affects the TC genesis. In the years for more TC genesis, the ISO is weak and propagates insignificantly in the area to the west of the Philippines, but the ISO is strong in the area to the east of the Philippines and propagates significantly northwestward. In this situation, the Walker cell shifts gradually westward from the tropical western Pacific to the tropical eastern Indian Ocean. Convergent winds appear in the lower atmosphere while divergent winds in the upper atmosphere, suggesting the presence of enhanced ascending flow over the 140-160°E region and a favorable condition for TC genesis. Moreover, in the years for less TC genesis, the ISO gradually becomes stronger in the area to the west of the Philippines and significant eastward propagation prevails from the eastern Indian Ocean to the area around 120°E; the ISO is weak in the area to the east of the Philippines. During these years, the Walker circulation gradually moved eastward, with convergent winds in the upper troposphere and divergent winds in the lower troposphere. Sinking motion was significant, unfavorable for the TC genesis over the Northwestern Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]