By Doppler weather radar and satellite cloud data,the Meiyu front rainstorm which occurred in the north of Huaihe River and the north region of Yangtze-Huaihe was analyzed during July 1-2,2006.The characteristics of i...By Doppler weather radar and satellite cloud data,the Meiyu front rainstorm which occurred in the north of Huaihe River and the north region of Yangtze-Huaihe was analyzed during July 1-2,2006.The characteristics of infrared satellite cloud,radar basic reflectivity and Doppler radial velocity were discussed in this rainstorm,such as the echo intensity,the characteristics of velocity field and so on.The reasons for this rainstorm were analyzed by these characteristics.The combination of radar and satellite data in the role of forecasting Meiyu front rainstorm was studied.展开更多
Cloud micro-physical structures in a precipitation system associated with the Meiyu front are observed using the balloon-borne Precipitation Particle Image Sensor at Baoshan observatory station, Shanghai during June a...Cloud micro-physical structures in a precipitation system associated with the Meiyu front are observed using the balloon-borne Precipitation Particle Image Sensor at Baoshan observatory station, Shanghai during June and July 1999. The vertical distributions of various cloud particle size, number density, and mass density are retrieved from the observations. Analyses of observations show that ice-phase particles (ice crystals, graupel, snowflakes, and frozen drops) often exist in the cloud of torrential rain associated with the Meiyu front. Among the various particles, ice crystals and graupel are the most numerous, but graupel and snow have the highest mass density. Ice-phase particles coexist with liquid water droplets near the 0°C level. The graupel is similarly distributed with height as the ice crystals. Raindrops below the 0°C level are mainly from melted grauple, snowflakes and frozen drops. They may further grow larger by coalescence with smaller ones as they fall from the cloud base. Numerical simulations using the non-hydrostatic meso-scale model MM5 with the Reisner graupel explicit moisture scheme confirm the main observational results. Rain water at the lower level is mainly generated from the melting of snow and graupel falling from the upper level where snow and graupel are generated and grown from collection with cloud and rain water. Thus the mixed-phase cloud process, in which ice phase coexists and interacts with liquid phase (cloud and rain drops), plays the most important role in the formation and development of heavy convective rainfall in the Meiyu frontal system.展开更多
A heavy rain process of the Changjiang-Huaihe Meiyu front (MYF) is diagnosed by the agency of the traditional Q vector partitioning (QVP) method to decompose the wet Q vector (Q) in a natural coordinate system that fo...A heavy rain process of the Changjiang-Huaihe Meiyu front (MYF) is diagnosed by the agency of the traditional Q vector partitioning (QVP) method to decompose the wet Q vector (Q) in a natural coordinate system that follows the isoentropes and by using the numerical simulation results of the revised MM4 meso-scale model. The technique shows that the partitioned wet Q vectors can lead to a significant scale separation of vertical motion related to the torrential rain. The results not only verify the existing conclusion that different scales interact throughout the rainstorm but also indicate the largely different roles of these scales during differing phases of the heavy ramfall on a quantitative basis. Specifically, during the developing stage, the large-scale plays a predominant role in forcing vertical motion, while frontal-scale forcing is secondary; during the intense stage, the frontal-scale evolves into the primary factor of forcing vertical motion, whereas the large-scale forcing is minor and plays a diminishing role and can even be ignored; and during the decaying stage, the large-scale once again serves as the main forcing of vertical motion in such a way that the forcing of the frontal-scale decays quickly and is of secondary importance. Furthermore, the partitioned wet Q vectors are suggested to be more suitable than the total wet Q vector for evaluating the potential physical mechanism of rainstorm genesis. The first step is that the forcing of large-scale $2?bla cdot {? Q}_s^*$ gives rise to the genesis of meso-scale $2?bla cdot {? Q}_n^*$ forcing; and then, accordingly as $2?bla cdot {? Q}_n^*$ forcing increases, whereby the secondary circulation is reinforced, the intensity of the rainfall is strengthened; and at last, the secondary circulation caused by $2?bla cdot {? Q}_n^*$ forcing is directly responsible for generation of the MYF heavy rainfall.展开更多
A method is investigated to analyze the structure and the synoptic characteristics of a frontal rain belt according to the combination of TRMM/PR images and conventional weather data during the 1998 GAME/HUBEX. The sp...A method is investigated to analyze the structure and the synoptic characteristics of a frontal rain belt according to the combination of TRMM/PR images and conventional weather data during the 1998 GAME/HUBEX. The space-borne precipitation radar (PR) provides some detailed characteristics and inner structures of the frontal rain belt over a large area, and the synoptic analysis for this frontal case is also presented. It is demonstrated that the traditional theories of radar meteorology are still applicable, while PR has great advantages for showing the spatial distribution of rainfall and has potential value for analyzing the characteristics of the Meiyu front.展开更多
In this paper, an idealized perturbation following the "surge-flow conceptual model" for typical Meiyu frontal structure is designed to explain the β meso-scale structure ofrainbands in the Meiyu front using a non-...In this paper, an idealized perturbation following the "surge-flow conceptual model" for typical Meiyu frontal structure is designed to explain the β meso-scale structure ofrainbands in the Meiyu front using a non-hydrostatic, full-compressible storm-scale model including multi-phase microphysical parameterization. In addition, sensitivity numerical experiment on the vertical distribution of the ambient meridional wind is conducted to investigate the generation mechanism of D meso-scale double rainbands. The results of numerical experiments show that the cool and dry downdraft invading strengthened by the environmental aloft northerly wind plays a very important role to the generation and maintenance of the β meso-scale double rainbands. Moreover, the intensity and scale of the dry and cool downdraft invading are related to the intensity of the second circumfluence induced by mass adjustment when the acceleration of the westerly jet aloft occurs.展开更多
During the Meiyu period in June and July of 1998, intensified field observations have been carried out for the project “Huaihe River Basin Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (HUBEX)”. For studying Meiyu front and its...During the Meiyu period in June and July of 1998, intensified field observations have been carried out for the project “Huaihe River Basin Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (HUBEX)”. For studying Meiyu front and its precipitation in Huaihe River basin, the present paper has performed analysis on the middle and lower level wind fields in the troposphere by using the radar data obtained from the two Doppler radars located at Fengtai district and Shouxian County. From June 29 to July 3 in 1998, the continuous heavy precipitation occurred in Huaihe River basin around Meiyu front. The precipitation process on July 2 occurred within the observation range of the two Doppler radar in Fengtai district and Shouxian County. The maximum rainfall of the Meiyu front was over 100 mm in 24 h, so it can be regarded as a typical mesoscale heavy precipitation process related to Meiyu front. Based on the wind field retrieved from the dual Doppler radar, we find that there are meso-γ scale vertical circulations in the vertical cross-section perpendicular to Meiyu front, the strong upward motion of which corresponds to the position of the heavy rainfall area. Furthermore, other results obtained by this study are identical with the results by analyzing the conventional synoptic data years ago. For example: in the vicinity of 3 km level height ahead of Meiyu front there exists a southwest low-level jet; the rainstorm caused by Meiyu front mainly occurs at the left side of the southwest low-level jet; and the Meiyu front causes the intensification of the low-level convergence in front of it. Key words Dual Doppler radar - Meiyu front - Meso—γ scale vertical circulation This research was supported by Project HUBEX (Project Number: 49794030) which is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).展开更多
Accurate prediction of the convection initiation(CI)in urban areas is still a challenge.A heavy rainfall event,missed by the 9-km regional operational modeling system,occurred in the coastal urban area of the Shanghai...Accurate prediction of the convection initiation(CI)in urban areas is still a challenge.A heavy rainfall event,missed by the 9-km regional operational modeling system,occurred in the coastal urban area of the Shanghai metropolitan region(SMR)in the late morning on 28 July 2020 on the warm side to the south of the Meiyu front.In this study,observational analyses and convection-permitting simulations with a resolution of 3 km were conducted to investigate the CI mechanism of this rainfall event.The results showed that the CI was due to the interaction of urban heat island(UHI),northwesterly outflows from the Meiyu front precipitation system(MFPS),and northeasterly sea winds.First,the UHI created a lifting condition producing adiabatic cooling and the vertical moisture transport in the urban region.Then,the mesolow generated by the UHI induced and enhanced local low-level convergence near the CI region and accelerated the northwesterly outflows and the northeasterly sea winds as they converged to the UHI.The convection was triggered as a result of the strengthened low-level convergence when the enhanced northwesterly outflows and northeasterly sea winds approached the updraft zone caused by the UHI center.Sensitivity experiments with either the urban area of the SMR removed or the MFPS suppressed further revealed that the enhancement of the low-level convergence was mainly contributed by the UHI.The outflows and sea winds transported cold and moist air to the CI region and partly offset the negative contribution of the urban drying effect to the low-level relative humidity to facilitate the development of the deep moist absolute unstable layer during the CI.In addition,the MFPS also contributed to the enhancement of the northeasterly sea winds by influencing the land–sea pressure contrast on the north of the SMR.展开更多
A new subtropical front near the periphery of the West Pacific subtropical anticyclone is found,which is never revealed in previous studies.The coupling of the subtropical front and Meiyu front forms a Meiyu front sys...A new subtropical front near the periphery of the West Pacific subtropical anticyclone is found,which is never revealed in previous studies.The coupling of the subtropical front and Meiyu front forms a Meiyu front system (MFS) and is the most direct synoptic system for the Meiyu precipitation along the Mid-lower Reaches of Yangtze River (MRYR) in China.In this paper.The detailed structural features and cloud features of the MFS in 1998 and 1999 are analyzed,which manifests that the MFS is an objective phenomenon over the period of Meiyu along MRYR and the Southwest Japan.Generally.the subtropical front is mainly located between 850 hPa and 500 hPa.The moist southwest monsoon is transported in the passageway between the Meiyu front and the subtropical front.The vertical motion ascends in the passageway and descends on both sides of the MFS.forming the MFS's secondary circulation.A lower TBB band indicated that obvious convective activities are also located in the passageway of MFS.The horizontal wind of MFS is vertically asymmetric.展开更多
In this study, evolution of the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) within a Meiyu front during a particularly heavy rainfall event on 22 June 1999 in East China was simulated by using a nonhydrostatic numerical mod...In this study, evolution of the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) within a Meiyu front during a particularly heavy rainfall event on 22 June 1999 in East China was simulated by using a nonhydrostatic numerical model ARPS (Advanced Regional Prediction System). Investigations were conducted with emphasis on the impact of the interaction among multi-scale weather systems (MWSs) on the development of MCSs in the Meiyu frontal environment. For this case, the development of MCSs experienced three different stages. (1) The convections associated with MCSs were firstly triggered by the eastward-moving Southwest Vortex (SWV) from the Sichuan Basin, accompanying the intensification of the upper-level jet (ULJ) and the low-level jet (LLJ) that were approaching the Meiyu front. (2) Next, a low-level shear line (LSL) formed, which strengthened and organized the MCSs after the SWV decayed. Meanwhile, the ULJ and LLJ enhanced and produced favorable conditions for the MCSs development. (3) Finally, as the MCSs got intensified, a mesoscale convective vortex (MCV), a mesoscale LLJ and a mesoscale ULJ were established. Then a coupled-development of MWSs was achieved through the vertical frontal circulations, which further enhanced the MCV and resulted in the heavy rainfall. This is a new physical mechanism for the formation of Meiyu heavy rainfall related to the SWV during the warm season in East China. In the three stages of the heavy rainfall, the vertical frontal circulations exhibited distinguished structures and played a dynamic role, and they enhanced the interaction among the MWSs. A further examination on the formation and evolution of the MCV showed that the MCV was mainly caused by the latent heat release of the MCSs, and the positive feedback between the MCSs and MCV was a key characteristic of the scale interaction in this case.展开更多
Meiyu front plays an important role in summer rainfall in central China. Based on the GMS-5 satellite images, NCEP reanalyses (2.5°×2.5°) and final analyses (1°×1°) data, and meteorol...Meiyu front plays an important role in summer rainfall in central China. Based on the GMS-5 satellite images, NCEP reanalyses (2.5°×2.5°) and final analyses (1°×1°) data, and meteorological conventional sounding observations, the horizontal and vertical structures of the Meiyu front were summarized using multiple diagnostic variables, including winds, temperature, jet stream, front, pseduo-equivalent potential temperature, divergence, vertical motion, static instability, etc. In this paper, four cases were selected and analyzed, two of which are in 26-28 June and 23 July 2002 during the Experiment on Heavy Rain in the Meiyu period in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the others are in May and July 1998. The two cases in July 1998 and July 2002 are the secondary Meiyu front cases. The results show that the structures and characteristics of the Meiyu front are different for various cases, or at various places and time, or at various stages of one case, and the frontal characteristics can be converted from the polar front to the equatorial front. Because of the interaction of the different scale circulations in the high and low latitudes, the horizontal structure of the Meiyu front has various forms. The results in this paper also show that the typical Meiyu front consists of a narrow band with a high gradient of potential equivalent temperature below 500 hPa, south of which is warm and moist air mass, and north of which is the transformed air mass from the midlatitude ocean or polar continent. Below the mid troposphere, south of the front blows southwesterlies, while north blows easterlies. The ascending motion and precipitation usually occur ahead of the Meiyu front. In the upper troposphere, the subtropical front is above the Meiyu front, but two fronts are separated. In addition, the upper westerly jet stream and the easterlies to the south of the Meiyu front result in the upper divergent flow field. The multi-scale characteristics of the horizontal structure of the Meiyu front can be summarized as follows: in the upper troposphere, there exist the subtropical westerly jet, the easterlies to the south of the Meiyu front, and the South Asian high; at the mid troposphere, 500 hPa, the subtropical high over the West Pacific is the main weather system, to the northwest of which there are some short-wave troughs; in the lower troposphere, the planetary-scale southwesterly monsoon, the large-scale low-level southwesterly jet, and the mesoscale vortex or wave in the shear line are closely associated with the Meiyu front.展开更多
A 4-day persistent rainstorm resulting in serious flooding disasters occurred in the north of Fujian Province under the influences of a quasi-stationary Meiyu front during 5-8 June 2006. With 1°× 1° lat...A 4-day persistent rainstorm resulting in serious flooding disasters occurred in the north of Fujian Province under the influences of a quasi-stationary Meiyu front during 5-8 June 2006. With 1°× 1° latitude and longitude NCEP reanalysis data and the ground surface rainfall, using the potential vorticity (PV) analysis and PV inversion method, the evolution of main synoptic systems, and the corresponding PV and PV perturbation (or PV anomalies) and their relationship with heavy rainfall along the Meiyu front are analyzed in order to investigate the physical mechanism of the formation, development, and maintenance of the Meiyu front. Furthermore, the PV perturbations related to different physics are separated to investigate their different roles in the formation and development of the Meiyu front. The results show: the formation and persistence of the Meiyu front in a quasi-WE orientation are mainly due to the maintenance of the high-pressure systems in its south/north sides (the West Pacific subtropical high/ the high pressure band extending from the Korean Peninsula to east of North China). The Meiyu front is closely associated with the PV in the lower troposphere. The location of the positive PV perturbation on the Meiyu front matches well with the main heavy rainfall area along the Meiyu front. The PV inversion reveals that the balanced winds satisfying the nonlinear balanced assumption represent to a large extent the real atmospheric flow and its evolution basically reflects the variation of stream flow associated with the Meiyu front. The unbalanced flow forms the convergence band of the Meiyu front and it mainly comes from the high-pressure system in the north side of the Meiyu front. The positive PV perturbation related to latent heat release in the middle-lower troposphere is one of the main factors influencing the formation and development of the Meiyu front. The positive vorticity band from the total balanced winds is in accordance with the Meiyu front band and the magnitude of the positive vorticity from the balanced wind is very close to that from real winds. The PV perturbation in the boundary layer is to a certain degree favorable for the formation and development of Meiyu front. In general, the lower boundary potential temperature perturbation is not beneficial to the formation and development, which is attributed to the relatively low surface temperature due to surface evaporation and solar short-wave radiation reduction shaded by clouds on the Meiyu front band, however, it has some diurnal variation. The effect of PV perturbation in the upper troposphere on the formation and development of the Meiuyu front is relatively weaker than others' and not beneficial to the formation and development of the Meiyu front, but it is enhanced in the period of Meiyu front's fast southward movement when the deep North China trough develops and moves southeastward. Rest PV perturbation unrelated to latent heat release in the middle-lower troposphere plays a certain role in the Meiyu front's fast southward movement. Lastly, it should be pointed out that the different PV perturbations maybe play a different role in different stages of the Meiyu front development.展开更多
It was found that the heavy rainfall event along the Meiyu front in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River on 23 June 2009 was connected with a mesoscale disturbance vortex, which originated from the planetary boundar...It was found that the heavy rainfall event along the Meiyu front in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River on 23 June 2009 was connected with a mesoscale disturbance vortex, which originated from the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and developed upward later and was discovered by using the Shuman-Shapiro filtering method. The mesoscale disturbance vortex in the PBL (PMDV) in this process corresponded well to the short-time rainstorm in the Doppler radar echo. Analysis of the high-resolution simulation results from the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting Model (ARW) showed that there were several surface disturbances along the southern warm section of the Meiyu front prior to the generation of the PMDV. The PMDV interacted with the mesoscale convective system (MCS) and intensified the local convective precipitation. The north and southwest flows in the PBL converged at the time of the PMDV formation. Meanwhile, a southwesterly jet on the top of the PBL to the south side of the vortex reinforced the ascending motion and convergence. Hence, it is concluded that the PMDV was generated when the strong cold air flows north of the shear line encountered the southwest flow south of the shear line. The convergence line in the PBL, the intensification of the southwest wind, and the southward aggression of the north wind were critical for the development of the PMDV. The release of latent heat was found crucial for the formation of the PMDV as it facilitated the convergence at low levels.展开更多
A heavy rainfall in the Meiyu front during 4-5 July 2003 is simulated by use of the non-hydrostatic mesoscale model MM5 (V3-6) with different explicit cloud microphysical parameterization schemes. The characteristic...A heavy rainfall in the Meiyu front during 4-5 July 2003 is simulated by use of the non-hydrostatic mesoscale model MM5 (V3-6) with different explicit cloud microphysical parameterization schemes. The characteristics of microphysical process of convective cloud are studied by the model outputs. The simulation study reveals that: (1) The mesoscale model MM5 with explicit cloud microphysical process is capable of simulating the instant heavy rainfall in the Meiyu front, the rainfall simulation could be improved signifi- cantly as the model resolution is increased, and the Goddard scheme is better than the Reisner or Schultz scheme. (2) The convective cloud in the Meiyu front has a comprehensive structure composed of solid, liquid and vapor phases of water, the mass density of water vapor is the largest one in the cloud; the next one is graupel, while those of ice, snow, rain water and the cloud water are almost same. The height at which mass density peaks for different hydrometeors is almost unchangeable during the heavy rainfall period. The mass density variation of rain water, ice, and graupel are consistent with that of ground precipitation, while that of water vapor in the low levels is 1-2 h earlier than the precipitation. (3) The main contribution to the water vapor budget in the atmosphere is the convergence of vapor flux through advection and convection, which provides the main vapor source of the rainfall. Besides the basic process of the auto-conversion of cloud water to rain water, there is an additional cloud microphysical process that is essential to the formation of instant heavy rainfall, the ice-phase crystals are transformed into graupels first and then the increased graupels mix with cloud water and accelerates the conversion of cloud water to rain water. The positive feedback mechanism between latent heat release and convection is the main cause to maintain and develop the heavy precipitation.展开更多
Following similar derivation of quasi-geostrophic Q vector (Q^C), a new Q vector (Q^N) is constructed in this study. Their difference is that the geostrophic wind in quasi-geostrophic Q vector is replaced by the w...Following similar derivation of quasi-geostrophic Q vector (Q^C), a new Q vector (Q^N) is constructed in this study. Their difference is that the geostrophic wind in quasi-geostrophic Q vector is replaced by the wind in Q^N vector. The diagnostic analysis of Q^N vector is compared with that of Q^G vector in the case study of a typical Meiyu front cyclone (MYFC) occurred over Changjiang-Huaihe regions during 5-6 July 1991. The results show that the Q^N vector has more diagnostic advantages than Q^G vector does. Convergence of Q^N vector at 700 hPa is found to be a good indicator to mimic the horizontal distribution of precipitation. Q^N vector is further partitioned into four components: Q^Nalst (along-stream stretching),Q^Ncurv (curvature),Q^Nshdv (shear advection), and Q^Ncrst (cross-stream stretching) in a natural coordinate system with isohypse (PG partitioning). The application of Q^N PG partitioning in the MYFC torrential rain indicates that PG partitioning of Q can identify dominant physical processes. The horizontal distribution of 2V·Q^Nalst is similar to that of 2V·Q^N and mainly accounts for 2V·Q^N during the entire period of Meiyu. The effects of Q^Ncurv on rainfall enhancement fade from the mature stage to decay stage. Qshdv enhances precipitation significantly as the MYFC develops, and the effect weakens rapidly when the MYFC decays during its eastward propagation. Q^Ncrst shows little impacts on rainfall during the onset and mature phases whereas it displays significant role during the decay phase.Q^N alst and Q^Nshdv and Q^Ncrst show cancellation only during the decay period.展开更多
A numerical simulation of a torrential rain event occurring in the Jiang-Huai Valley of China from 22-24 June 1999 is performed and analyzed by using the PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale non-hydrostatic model. The high-resoluti...A numerical simulation of a torrential rain event occurring in the Jiang-Huai Valley of China from 22-24 June 1999 is performed and analyzed by using the PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale non-hydrostatic model. The high-resolution model output data are utilized to diagnose the double front structure, and the distributions of potential temperature, equivalent potential temperature, and specific humidity in the vicinity of the Meiyu Front System (MYFS) in the Jiang-Huai Valley. The results show that both the potential temperature gradient and the specific humidity gradient have important impacts on the two strong equivalent potential temperature gradient zones associated with the double front structure of the MYFS, but the latter (moisture gradient) is more important. In addition, the tendency equation of specific humidity gradient is theoretically derived. It shows that variations of the specific humidity gradient are related to the advection, convergence/divergence, horizontal and vertical vorticities (secondary circulation) effects and the gradient of water vapor source/sink. As an example, the budget of the meridional component of the tendency equation is selected and diagnosed by using the above model simulation data of the torrential rain event. It is shown that the variation of the specific humidity gradient averaged throughout the simulation is mainly controlled by the convergence/divergence effect, the secondary circulation effect associated with the horizontal vorticities, and the water vapor source/sink effect. Since the water vapor source/sink is often formed from the phase change processes of water vapor in the air and thus directly associated with cloud and precipitation microphysics processes, the variation of the specific humidity gradient is closely related with cloud and precipitation microphysics and the distribution, development and evolution of cloud and rainfall systems. The double front structure of the MYFS provides an advantageous environmental condition for the development and movement of the mesoscale torrential rain system nearby. In turn, the development of the torrential rain exerts a signifiant impact on the MYFS through changing the thermal and moisture distributions.展开更多
Eastward-moving cloud clusters from the Tibetan Plateau(TP)often trigger heavy rainfall events in the Yangtze River basin in summer.Forecasting these events in an operational environment remains a challenging task.Her...Eastward-moving cloud clusters from the Tibetan Plateau(TP)often trigger heavy rainfall events in the Yangtze River basin in summer.Forecasting these events in an operational environment remains a challenging task.Here,dynamical diagnosis and a Lagrangian trajectory model are used to analyze the background atmospheric circulation,maintenance mechanism,and moisture transport of two Meiyu front rainstorms(MYFR)during 30 June-2 July 2016 and 17-19 June 2018 associated with eastward-moving cloud clusters from the TP.It is shown that in both cases heavy rainfall is characterized by semi-continuous rainbelts extending from the eastern TP to the Yangtze River valleys with eastward-spreading convective clouds weakening and strengthening alternately from the eastern TP to downstream regions.Following the track of positive water vapor advection,centers of positive vorticity propagate downstream through the Sichuan basin.The baroclinic thermodynamic–dynamical interaction and the barotropic nonequilibrium force work against each other in the development of the MYFR.Specifically,during the early stage of precipitation development,the barotropic non-equilibrium force dominates,while during the period of heavy precipitation the baroclinic thermodynamic-dynamical interaction dominates.The convergence associated with the baroclinic thermodynamic-dynamical interaction guarantees the persistence of heavy precipitation.Compared to the climate mean state(1988-2018),both MYFR events associated with eastward-moving cloud clusters from the eastern TP are characterized by increased moisture transport from the southwest.One of the major paths of moisture transport in both cases is along the south side of the TP,directly connected to the eastward movement of cloud clusters.展开更多
The Meiyu front heavy rain process in 1-3 June 2000 is numerically simulated in this paper, and results are then analyzed to show the effects of geostrophic balance collapse,unbalanced flow occurrence,low level jet (L...The Meiyu front heavy rain process in 1-3 June 2000 is numerically simulated in this paper, and results are then analyzed to show the effects of geostrophic balance collapse,unbalanced flow occurrence,low level jet (LLJ) development,and gravity waves genesis and propagation on the rainstorm.Analyses indicate that the sudden northwest movement of subtropical high may destruct the local geostrophic balance,leading to an increase in the local pressure gradient and the occurrence of ageostrophic flow,and meanwhile the adjustment of circulation starts to build a new balance.During the process,an LLJ and gravity waves appear correspondingly.The dispersion of unbalanced energy through the divergence/convergence of the geostrophic departure winds, promotes the propagation of strong wind cores along the LLJ,and the dispersion direction is influenced by the steering flow and the moisture concentration area.The development of LLJ is one of important conditions,which induces the heavy rain especially in the left front part of the jet where the convergence and shear of winds occur.It is also found that the genesis of disturbance, meso-vortex,and meso-convective system provides a favorable condition for the rainstorm.The above results are clearly illustrated by the high spatial and temporal resolution simulation data from a mesoscale numerical model.展开更多
The spatial propagation of meso-and small-scale errors in a Meiyu frontal heavy rainfall event,which occurred in eastern China during 4-6 July 2003,is investigated by using the mesoscale numerical model MM5.In general...The spatial propagation of meso-and small-scale errors in a Meiyu frontal heavy rainfall event,which occurred in eastern China during 4-6 July 2003,is investigated by using the mesoscale numerical model MM5.In general,the spatial propagation of simulated errors depends on their horizontal scales.Small-scale(L 〈 100 km) initial error may spread rapidly as an isotropic circle through the sound wave.Then,many scattered convection-scale errors are triggered in moist convection zone that will spread abroad through the isotropic,round-shaped sound wave further more.Corresponding to the evolution of the rainfall system,several new convection-scale errors may be generated continuously by moist convection within the propagated round-shaped errors.Through the above circular process,the small-scale error increases in amplitude and grows in scale rapidly.Mesoscale(100 km 〈 L 〈 1000 km) initial error propagates up-and down-stream wavelike through the gravity wave,meanwhile migrating down-stream slowly along with the rainfall system by the mean flow.The up-stream propagation of the mesoscale error is very important to the error growth because it can accumulate error energy locally at a place where there is no moist convection and far upstream from the initial perturbation source.Although moist convection plays an important role in the rapid growth of errors,it has no impact on the propagation of meso-and small-scale errors.The diabatic heating could trigger,strengthen,and promote upscaling of small-scale errors successively,and provide "error source" to error growth and propagation.The rapid growth of simulated errors results from both intense moist convection and appropriate spatial propagation of the errors.展开更多
A heavy rainfall system was observed over the Yangtze River during Meiyu season by using dual-Doppler radar systems in the field experiment conducted by the project of National Fundamental Research Planning “Research...A heavy rainfall system was observed over the Yangtze River during Meiyu season by using dual-Doppler radar systems in the field experiment conducted by the project of National Fundamental Research Planning “Research on formation mechanism and the prediction theory of hazardous weather over China”. The three-dimensional mesoscale kinematic structure and process of a heavy rain on 22 and 23 July, 2002 are investigated by using the radial velocity and dual-Doppler radar technique. The results show that a southwest-northeast oriented rain band with the length of about 1000 km involves numbers of meso-β or meso-γ-scale convective cells with the size of 20―50 km. The heavy rain band in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River ex-ists in a low-level wind shear. The interaction between southwest low-level jet on the southern side of wind shear and east wind on the northern side formed the updraft. The wind disturbance, wind shear and convergence generate the convective action. The new cell developed in right rear flank of rain band and moved to the southwest wind area, where the vapor is abundant. This kind of echo can last a long time and developed well. The strong convective echoes are often ac-companied by the meso-γ-scale vortex and convergence.展开更多
Generally speaking,the convection activities are inactive over western Pacific warm pool and tropical cyclone(TC)activity seldom occurs over the offshore of East Asia during the period of Meiyu rainfall.However,if a T...Generally speaking,the convection activities are inactive over western Pacific warm pool and tropical cyclone(TC)activity seldom occurs over the offshore of East Asia during the period of Meiyu rainfall.However,if a TC is active in this area,the Meiyu rainfall will often weaken or end up. Based on a statistical study with the data from 1980 to 1995,it is found that about 91% of 23 TC activities affected the intensity of Meiyu rainfall,and 50% of the end-up of Meiyu events were related to the active TCs and the change of subtropical high.The present paper simulates the effect of TC on Meiyu circulation by using MM4 model,and the results agree with the observations. From the point of view of vapor and energy transport,the landing of TC cuts not only the transport of the water vapor to Changjiang-Huaihe River basin from the Bay of Bengal but also the conversion of the mean flow energy to the Meiyu circulation because of the TC forcing to the zonal circulation.These two effects make the convection and perturbation existing in Meiyu region lack the supply of the vapor and energy for their maintenance and lead to the end of Meiyu rainfall.展开更多
文摘By Doppler weather radar and satellite cloud data,the Meiyu front rainstorm which occurred in the north of Huaihe River and the north region of Yangtze-Huaihe was analyzed during July 1-2,2006.The characteristics of infrared satellite cloud,radar basic reflectivity and Doppler radial velocity were discussed in this rainstorm,such as the echo intensity,the characteristics of velocity field and so on.The reasons for this rainstorm were analyzed by these characteristics.The combination of radar and satellite data in the role of forecasting Meiyu front rainstorm was studied.
基金This study was supported by the State Key Basic Program:Research on the Formation Mechanism and Prediction Theory of Severe Synoptic Dis- asters in China No.G1998040907 and the National NaturalSciences Foundation of China under Grant No.49735180
文摘Cloud micro-physical structures in a precipitation system associated with the Meiyu front are observed using the balloon-borne Precipitation Particle Image Sensor at Baoshan observatory station, Shanghai during June and July 1999. The vertical distributions of various cloud particle size, number density, and mass density are retrieved from the observations. Analyses of observations show that ice-phase particles (ice crystals, graupel, snowflakes, and frozen drops) often exist in the cloud of torrential rain associated with the Meiyu front. Among the various particles, ice crystals and graupel are the most numerous, but graupel and snow have the highest mass density. Ice-phase particles coexist with liquid water droplets near the 0°C level. The graupel is similarly distributed with height as the ice crystals. Raindrops below the 0°C level are mainly from melted grauple, snowflakes and frozen drops. They may further grow larger by coalescence with smaller ones as they fall from the cloud base. Numerical simulations using the non-hydrostatic meso-scale model MM5 with the Reisner graupel explicit moisture scheme confirm the main observational results. Rain water at the lower level is mainly generated from the melting of snow and graupel falling from the upper level where snow and graupel are generated and grown from collection with cloud and rain water. Thus the mixed-phase cloud process, in which ice phase coexists and interacts with liquid phase (cloud and rain drops), plays the most important role in the formation and development of heavy convective rainfall in the Meiyu frontal system.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.40075009 and 40205008,and by Project 37020 of the Social Public Special Research Grant of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.
文摘A heavy rain process of the Changjiang-Huaihe Meiyu front (MYF) is diagnosed by the agency of the traditional Q vector partitioning (QVP) method to decompose the wet Q vector (Q) in a natural coordinate system that follows the isoentropes and by using the numerical simulation results of the revised MM4 meso-scale model. The technique shows that the partitioned wet Q vectors can lead to a significant scale separation of vertical motion related to the torrential rain. The results not only verify the existing conclusion that different scales interact throughout the rainstorm but also indicate the largely different roles of these scales during differing phases of the heavy ramfall on a quantitative basis. Specifically, during the developing stage, the large-scale plays a predominant role in forcing vertical motion, while frontal-scale forcing is secondary; during the intense stage, the frontal-scale evolves into the primary factor of forcing vertical motion, whereas the large-scale forcing is minor and plays a diminishing role and can even be ignored; and during the decaying stage, the large-scale once again serves as the main forcing of vertical motion in such a way that the forcing of the frontal-scale decays quickly and is of secondary importance. Furthermore, the partitioned wet Q vectors are suggested to be more suitable than the total wet Q vector for evaluating the potential physical mechanism of rainstorm genesis. The first step is that the forcing of large-scale $2?bla cdot {? Q}_s^*$ gives rise to the genesis of meso-scale $2?bla cdot {? Q}_n^*$ forcing; and then, accordingly as $2?bla cdot {? Q}_n^*$ forcing increases, whereby the secondary circulation is reinforced, the intensity of the rainfall is strengthened; and at last, the secondary circulation caused by $2?bla cdot {? Q}_n^*$ forcing is directly responsible for generation of the MYF heavy rainfall.
基金This work was sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 49794030.
文摘A method is investigated to analyze the structure and the synoptic characteristics of a frontal rain belt according to the combination of TRMM/PR images and conventional weather data during the 1998 GAME/HUBEX. The space-borne precipitation radar (PR) provides some detailed characteristics and inner structures of the frontal rain belt over a large area, and the synoptic analysis for this frontal case is also presented. It is demonstrated that the traditional theories of radar meteorology are still applicable, while PR has great advantages for showing the spatial distribution of rainfall and has potential value for analyzing the characteristics of the Meiyu front.
基金State Key Basic Program (Project 973, 2004CB18301)Doctorate-Supervisor Foundation,MOE under Grant (20050284035)Project of Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK99020,BK2005081)
文摘In this paper, an idealized perturbation following the "surge-flow conceptual model" for typical Meiyu frontal structure is designed to explain the β meso-scale structure ofrainbands in the Meiyu front using a non-hydrostatic, full-compressible storm-scale model including multi-phase microphysical parameterization. In addition, sensitivity numerical experiment on the vertical distribution of the ambient meridional wind is conducted to investigate the generation mechanism of D meso-scale double rainbands. The results of numerical experiments show that the cool and dry downdraft invading strengthened by the environmental aloft northerly wind plays a very important role to the generation and maintenance of the β meso-scale double rainbands. Moreover, the intensity and scale of the dry and cool downdraft invading are related to the intensity of the second circumfluence induced by mass adjustment when the acceleration of the westerly jet aloft occurs.
文摘During the Meiyu period in June and July of 1998, intensified field observations have been carried out for the project “Huaihe River Basin Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (HUBEX)”. For studying Meiyu front and its precipitation in Huaihe River basin, the present paper has performed analysis on the middle and lower level wind fields in the troposphere by using the radar data obtained from the two Doppler radars located at Fengtai district and Shouxian County. From June 29 to July 3 in 1998, the continuous heavy precipitation occurred in Huaihe River basin around Meiyu front. The precipitation process on July 2 occurred within the observation range of the two Doppler radar in Fengtai district and Shouxian County. The maximum rainfall of the Meiyu front was over 100 mm in 24 h, so it can be regarded as a typical mesoscale heavy precipitation process related to Meiyu front. Based on the wind field retrieved from the dual Doppler radar, we find that there are meso-γ scale vertical circulations in the vertical cross-section perpendicular to Meiyu front, the strong upward motion of which corresponds to the position of the heavy rainfall area. Furthermore, other results obtained by this study are identical with the results by analyzing the conventional synoptic data years ago. For example: in the vicinity of 3 km level height ahead of Meiyu front there exists a southwest low-level jet; the rainstorm caused by Meiyu front mainly occurs at the left side of the southwest low-level jet; and the Meiyu front causes the intensification of the low-level convergence in front of it. Key words Dual Doppler radar - Meiyu front - Meso—γ scale vertical circulation This research was supported by Project HUBEX (Project Number: 49794030) which is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
基金Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFC1501902)Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai Science and Technology Committee(21ZR1457700)。
文摘Accurate prediction of the convection initiation(CI)in urban areas is still a challenge.A heavy rainfall event,missed by the 9-km regional operational modeling system,occurred in the coastal urban area of the Shanghai metropolitan region(SMR)in the late morning on 28 July 2020 on the warm side to the south of the Meiyu front.In this study,observational analyses and convection-permitting simulations with a resolution of 3 km were conducted to investigate the CI mechanism of this rainfall event.The results showed that the CI was due to the interaction of urban heat island(UHI),northwesterly outflows from the Meiyu front precipitation system(MFPS),and northeasterly sea winds.First,the UHI created a lifting condition producing adiabatic cooling and the vertical moisture transport in the urban region.Then,the mesolow generated by the UHI induced and enhanced local low-level convergence near the CI region and accelerated the northwesterly outflows and the northeasterly sea winds as they converged to the UHI.The convection was triggered as a result of the strengthened low-level convergence when the enhanced northwesterly outflows and northeasterly sea winds approached the updraft zone caused by the UHI center.Sensitivity experiments with either the urban area of the SMR removed or the MFPS suppressed further revealed that the enhancement of the low-level convergence was mainly contributed by the UHI.The outflows and sea winds transported cold and moist air to the CI region and partly offset the negative contribution of the urban drying effect to the low-level relative humidity to facilitate the development of the deep moist absolute unstable layer during the CI.In addition,the MFPS also contributed to the enhancement of the northeasterly sea winds by influencing the land–sea pressure contrast on the north of the SMR.
基金This work was jointly supported by the project on the study of the formative mechanism and predictive theory of the significant weather disaster in China under Grant G 1998040907and supported by the project of Chinese Academy of Sciences under Grant KZC
文摘A new subtropical front near the periphery of the West Pacific subtropical anticyclone is found,which is never revealed in previous studies.The coupling of the subtropical front and Meiyu front forms a Meiyu front system (MFS) and is the most direct synoptic system for the Meiyu precipitation along the Mid-lower Reaches of Yangtze River (MRYR) in China.In this paper.The detailed structural features and cloud features of the MFS in 1998 and 1999 are analyzed,which manifests that the MFS is an objective phenomenon over the period of Meiyu along MRYR and the Southwest Japan.Generally.the subtropical front is mainly located between 850 hPa and 500 hPa.The moist southwest monsoon is transported in the passageway between the Meiyu front and the subtropical front.The vertical motion ascends in the passageway and descends on both sides of the MFS.forming the MFS's secondary circulation.A lower TBB band indicated that obvious convective activities are also located in the passageway of MFS.The horizontal wind of MFS is vertically asymmetric.
基金Supported by the State Key Basic Research Program (2004CB18300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 40828005, 40325014, and 40333031, DPHE (20080284019)+1 种基金the Key Project of Ministry of Education of China (No.02109)the National Special Funding Project for Meteorology (GYHY200706033)
文摘In this study, evolution of the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) within a Meiyu front during a particularly heavy rainfall event on 22 June 1999 in East China was simulated by using a nonhydrostatic numerical model ARPS (Advanced Regional Prediction System). Investigations were conducted with emphasis on the impact of the interaction among multi-scale weather systems (MWSs) on the development of MCSs in the Meiyu frontal environment. For this case, the development of MCSs experienced three different stages. (1) The convections associated with MCSs were firstly triggered by the eastward-moving Southwest Vortex (SWV) from the Sichuan Basin, accompanying the intensification of the upper-level jet (ULJ) and the low-level jet (LLJ) that were approaching the Meiyu front. (2) Next, a low-level shear line (LSL) formed, which strengthened and organized the MCSs after the SWV decayed. Meanwhile, the ULJ and LLJ enhanced and produced favorable conditions for the MCSs development. (3) Finally, as the MCSs got intensified, a mesoscale convective vortex (MCV), a mesoscale LLJ and a mesoscale ULJ were established. Then a coupled-development of MWSs was achieved through the vertical frontal circulations, which further enhanced the MCV and resulted in the heavy rainfall. This is a new physical mechanism for the formation of Meiyu heavy rainfall related to the SWV during the warm season in East China. In the three stages of the heavy rainfall, the vertical frontal circulations exhibited distinguished structures and played a dynamic role, and they enhanced the interaction among the MWSs. A further examination on the formation and evolution of the MCV showed that the MCV was mainly caused by the latent heat release of the MCSs, and the positive feedback between the MCSs and MCV was a key characteristic of the scale interaction in this case.
基金National Major Basic Research 973 Program of China under Grant No.2004CB418300the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.40305004.
文摘Meiyu front plays an important role in summer rainfall in central China. Based on the GMS-5 satellite images, NCEP reanalyses (2.5°×2.5°) and final analyses (1°×1°) data, and meteorological conventional sounding observations, the horizontal and vertical structures of the Meiyu front were summarized using multiple diagnostic variables, including winds, temperature, jet stream, front, pseduo-equivalent potential temperature, divergence, vertical motion, static instability, etc. In this paper, four cases were selected and analyzed, two of which are in 26-28 June and 23 July 2002 during the Experiment on Heavy Rain in the Meiyu period in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the others are in May and July 1998. The two cases in July 1998 and July 2002 are the secondary Meiyu front cases. The results show that the structures and characteristics of the Meiyu front are different for various cases, or at various places and time, or at various stages of one case, and the frontal characteristics can be converted from the polar front to the equatorial front. Because of the interaction of the different scale circulations in the high and low latitudes, the horizontal structure of the Meiyu front has various forms. The results in this paper also show that the typical Meiyu front consists of a narrow band with a high gradient of potential equivalent temperature below 500 hPa, south of which is warm and moist air mass, and north of which is the transformed air mass from the midlatitude ocean or polar continent. Below the mid troposphere, south of the front blows southwesterlies, while north blows easterlies. The ascending motion and precipitation usually occur ahead of the Meiyu front. In the upper troposphere, the subtropical front is above the Meiyu front, but two fronts are separated. In addition, the upper westerly jet stream and the easterlies to the south of the Meiyu front result in the upper divergent flow field. The multi-scale characteristics of the horizontal structure of the Meiyu front can be summarized as follows: in the upper troposphere, there exist the subtropical westerly jet, the easterlies to the south of the Meiyu front, and the South Asian high; at the mid troposphere, 500 hPa, the subtropical high over the West Pacific is the main weather system, to the northwest of which there are some short-wave troughs; in the lower troposphere, the planetary-scale southwesterly monsoon, the large-scale low-level southwesterly jet, and the mesoscale vortex or wave in the shear line are closely associated with the Meiyu front.
文摘A 4-day persistent rainstorm resulting in serious flooding disasters occurred in the north of Fujian Province under the influences of a quasi-stationary Meiyu front during 5-8 June 2006. With 1°× 1° latitude and longitude NCEP reanalysis data and the ground surface rainfall, using the potential vorticity (PV) analysis and PV inversion method, the evolution of main synoptic systems, and the corresponding PV and PV perturbation (or PV anomalies) and their relationship with heavy rainfall along the Meiyu front are analyzed in order to investigate the physical mechanism of the formation, development, and maintenance of the Meiyu front. Furthermore, the PV perturbations related to different physics are separated to investigate their different roles in the formation and development of the Meiyu front. The results show: the formation and persistence of the Meiyu front in a quasi-WE orientation are mainly due to the maintenance of the high-pressure systems in its south/north sides (the West Pacific subtropical high/ the high pressure band extending from the Korean Peninsula to east of North China). The Meiyu front is closely associated with the PV in the lower troposphere. The location of the positive PV perturbation on the Meiyu front matches well with the main heavy rainfall area along the Meiyu front. The PV inversion reveals that the balanced winds satisfying the nonlinear balanced assumption represent to a large extent the real atmospheric flow and its evolution basically reflects the variation of stream flow associated with the Meiyu front. The unbalanced flow forms the convergence band of the Meiyu front and it mainly comes from the high-pressure system in the north side of the Meiyu front. The positive PV perturbation related to latent heat release in the middle-lower troposphere is one of the main factors influencing the formation and development of the Meiyu front. The positive vorticity band from the total balanced winds is in accordance with the Meiyu front band and the magnitude of the positive vorticity from the balanced wind is very close to that from real winds. The PV perturbation in the boundary layer is to a certain degree favorable for the formation and development of Meiyu front. In general, the lower boundary potential temperature perturbation is not beneficial to the formation and development, which is attributed to the relatively low surface temperature due to surface evaporation and solar short-wave radiation reduction shaded by clouds on the Meiyu front band, however, it has some diurnal variation. The effect of PV perturbation in the upper troposphere on the formation and development of the Meiuyu front is relatively weaker than others' and not beneficial to the formation and development of the Meiyu front, but it is enhanced in the period of Meiyu front's fast southward movement when the deep North China trough develops and moves southeastward. Rest PV perturbation unrelated to latent heat release in the middle-lower troposphere plays a certain role in the Meiyu front's fast southward movement. Lastly, it should be pointed out that the different PV perturbations maybe play a different role in different stages of the Meiyu front development.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41175047)China Meteorological Administration Special Public Welfare Research Fund (GYHY201006014 and GYHY201006007)
文摘It was found that the heavy rainfall event along the Meiyu front in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River on 23 June 2009 was connected with a mesoscale disturbance vortex, which originated from the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and developed upward later and was discovered by using the Shuman-Shapiro filtering method. The mesoscale disturbance vortex in the PBL (PMDV) in this process corresponded well to the short-time rainstorm in the Doppler radar echo. Analysis of the high-resolution simulation results from the Advanced Weather Research and Forecasting Model (ARW) showed that there were several surface disturbances along the southern warm section of the Meiyu front prior to the generation of the PMDV. The PMDV interacted with the mesoscale convective system (MCS) and intensified the local convective precipitation. The north and southwest flows in the PBL converged at the time of the PMDV formation. Meanwhile, a southwesterly jet on the top of the PBL to the south side of the vortex reinforced the ascending motion and convergence. Hence, it is concluded that the PMDV was generated when the strong cold air flows north of the shear line encountered the southwest flow south of the shear line. The convergence line in the PBL, the intensification of the southwest wind, and the southward aggression of the north wind were critical for the development of the PMDV. The release of latent heat was found crucial for the formation of the PMDV as it facilitated the convergence at low levels.
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China under Grant No.2006CB400505the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.40675040.
文摘A heavy rainfall in the Meiyu front during 4-5 July 2003 is simulated by use of the non-hydrostatic mesoscale model MM5 (V3-6) with different explicit cloud microphysical parameterization schemes. The characteristics of microphysical process of convective cloud are studied by the model outputs. The simulation study reveals that: (1) The mesoscale model MM5 with explicit cloud microphysical process is capable of simulating the instant heavy rainfall in the Meiyu front, the rainfall simulation could be improved signifi- cantly as the model resolution is increased, and the Goddard scheme is better than the Reisner or Schultz scheme. (2) The convective cloud in the Meiyu front has a comprehensive structure composed of solid, liquid and vapor phases of water, the mass density of water vapor is the largest one in the cloud; the next one is graupel, while those of ice, snow, rain water and the cloud water are almost same. The height at which mass density peaks for different hydrometeors is almost unchangeable during the heavy rainfall period. The mass density variation of rain water, ice, and graupel are consistent with that of ground precipitation, while that of water vapor in the low levels is 1-2 h earlier than the precipitation. (3) The main contribution to the water vapor budget in the atmosphere is the convergence of vapor flux through advection and convection, which provides the main vapor source of the rainfall. Besides the basic process of the auto-conversion of cloud water to rain water, there is an additional cloud microphysical process that is essential to the formation of instant heavy rainfall, the ice-phase crystals are transformed into graupels first and then the increased graupels mix with cloud water and accelerates the conversion of cloud water to rain water. The positive feedback mechanism between latent heat release and convection is the main cause to maintain and develop the heavy precipitation.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.40875025,40405009,and 40205008Shanghal Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.08ZR1422900.
文摘Following similar derivation of quasi-geostrophic Q vector (Q^C), a new Q vector (Q^N) is constructed in this study. Their difference is that the geostrophic wind in quasi-geostrophic Q vector is replaced by the wind in Q^N vector. The diagnostic analysis of Q^N vector is compared with that of Q^G vector in the case study of a typical Meiyu front cyclone (MYFC) occurred over Changjiang-Huaihe regions during 5-6 July 1991. The results show that the Q^N vector has more diagnostic advantages than Q^G vector does. Convergence of Q^N vector at 700 hPa is found to be a good indicator to mimic the horizontal distribution of precipitation. Q^N vector is further partitioned into four components: Q^Nalst (along-stream stretching),Q^Ncurv (curvature),Q^Nshdv (shear advection), and Q^Ncrst (cross-stream stretching) in a natural coordinate system with isohypse (PG partitioning). The application of Q^N PG partitioning in the MYFC torrential rain indicates that PG partitioning of Q can identify dominant physical processes. The horizontal distribution of 2V·Q^Nalst is similar to that of 2V·Q^N and mainly accounts for 2V·Q^N during the entire period of Meiyu. The effects of Q^Ncurv on rainfall enhancement fade from the mature stage to decay stage. Qshdv enhances precipitation significantly as the MYFC develops, and the effect weakens rapidly when the MYFC decays during its eastward propagation. Q^Ncrst shows little impacts on rainfall during the onset and mature phases whereas it displays significant role during the decay phase.Q^N alst and Q^Nshdv and Q^Ncrst show cancellation only during the decay period.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under the Grant No.40505012,40433007the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(IAP07214).
文摘A numerical simulation of a torrential rain event occurring in the Jiang-Huai Valley of China from 22-24 June 1999 is performed and analyzed by using the PSU/NCAR MM5 mesoscale non-hydrostatic model. The high-resolution model output data are utilized to diagnose the double front structure, and the distributions of potential temperature, equivalent potential temperature, and specific humidity in the vicinity of the Meiyu Front System (MYFS) in the Jiang-Huai Valley. The results show that both the potential temperature gradient and the specific humidity gradient have important impacts on the two strong equivalent potential temperature gradient zones associated with the double front structure of the MYFS, but the latter (moisture gradient) is more important. In addition, the tendency equation of specific humidity gradient is theoretically derived. It shows that variations of the specific humidity gradient are related to the advection, convergence/divergence, horizontal and vertical vorticities (secondary circulation) effects and the gradient of water vapor source/sink. As an example, the budget of the meridional component of the tendency equation is selected and diagnosed by using the above model simulation data of the torrential rain event. It is shown that the variation of the specific humidity gradient averaged throughout the simulation is mainly controlled by the convergence/divergence effect, the secondary circulation effect associated with the horizontal vorticities, and the water vapor source/sink effect. Since the water vapor source/sink is often formed from the phase change processes of water vapor in the air and thus directly associated with cloud and precipitation microphysics processes, the variation of the specific humidity gradient is closely related with cloud and precipitation microphysics and the distribution, development and evolution of cloud and rainfall systems. The double front structure of the MYFS provides an advantageous environmental condition for the development and movement of the mesoscale torrential rain system nearby. In turn, the development of the torrential rain exerts a signifiant impact on the MYFS through changing the thermal and moisture distributions.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41620104009 and 41975058)Science and Technology Funds of Hubei Meteorological Bureau (2022Y25 and 2022Z02)+3 种基金Joint Open Project of Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster,Ministry of Education&Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological DisastersNanjing University of Information Science&Technology (KLME202106)in part supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (AGS-2032532)NOAA (NA20OAR4310380)
文摘Eastward-moving cloud clusters from the Tibetan Plateau(TP)often trigger heavy rainfall events in the Yangtze River basin in summer.Forecasting these events in an operational environment remains a challenging task.Here,dynamical diagnosis and a Lagrangian trajectory model are used to analyze the background atmospheric circulation,maintenance mechanism,and moisture transport of two Meiyu front rainstorms(MYFR)during 30 June-2 July 2016 and 17-19 June 2018 associated with eastward-moving cloud clusters from the TP.It is shown that in both cases heavy rainfall is characterized by semi-continuous rainbelts extending from the eastern TP to the Yangtze River valleys with eastward-spreading convective clouds weakening and strengthening alternately from the eastern TP to downstream regions.Following the track of positive water vapor advection,centers of positive vorticity propagate downstream through the Sichuan basin.The baroclinic thermodynamic–dynamical interaction and the barotropic nonequilibrium force work against each other in the development of the MYFR.Specifically,during the early stage of precipitation development,the barotropic non-equilibrium force dominates,while during the period of heavy precipitation the baroclinic thermodynamic-dynamical interaction dominates.The convergence associated with the baroclinic thermodynamic-dynamical interaction guarantees the persistence of heavy precipitation.Compared to the climate mean state(1988-2018),both MYFR events associated with eastward-moving cloud clusters from the eastern TP are characterized by increased moisture transport from the southwest.One of the major paths of moisture transport in both cases is along the south side of the TP,directly connected to the eastward movement of cloud clusters.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.40175023
文摘The Meiyu front heavy rain process in 1-3 June 2000 is numerically simulated in this paper, and results are then analyzed to show the effects of geostrophic balance collapse,unbalanced flow occurrence,low level jet (LLJ) development,and gravity waves genesis and propagation on the rainstorm.Analyses indicate that the sudden northwest movement of subtropical high may destruct the local geostrophic balance,leading to an increase in the local pressure gradient and the occurrence of ageostrophic flow,and meanwhile the adjustment of circulation starts to build a new balance.During the process,an LLJ and gravity waves appear correspondingly.The dispersion of unbalanced energy through the divergence/convergence of the geostrophic departure winds, promotes the propagation of strong wind cores along the LLJ,and the dispersion direction is influenced by the steering flow and the moisture concentration area.The development of LLJ is one of important conditions,which induces the heavy rain especially in the left front part of the jet where the convergence and shear of winds occur.It is also found that the genesis of disturbance, meso-vortex,and meso-convective system provides a favorable condition for the rainstorm.The above results are clearly illustrated by the high spatial and temporal resolution simulation data from a mesoscale numerical model.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41130964)China Meteorological Administration Special Public Welfare Research Fund (GYHY201006004)Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (20080284019)
文摘The spatial propagation of meso-and small-scale errors in a Meiyu frontal heavy rainfall event,which occurred in eastern China during 4-6 July 2003,is investigated by using the mesoscale numerical model MM5.In general,the spatial propagation of simulated errors depends on their horizontal scales.Small-scale(L 〈 100 km) initial error may spread rapidly as an isotropic circle through the sound wave.Then,many scattered convection-scale errors are triggered in moist convection zone that will spread abroad through the isotropic,round-shaped sound wave further more.Corresponding to the evolution of the rainfall system,several new convection-scale errors may be generated continuously by moist convection within the propagated round-shaped errors.Through the above circular process,the small-scale error increases in amplitude and grows in scale rapidly.Mesoscale(100 km 〈 L 〈 1000 km) initial error propagates up-and down-stream wavelike through the gravity wave,meanwhile migrating down-stream slowly along with the rainfall system by the mean flow.The up-stream propagation of the mesoscale error is very important to the error growth because it can accumulate error energy locally at a place where there is no moist convection and far upstream from the initial perturbation source.Although moist convection plays an important role in the rapid growth of errors,it has no impact on the propagation of meso-and small-scale errors.The diabatic heating could trigger,strengthen,and promote upscaling of small-scale errors successively,and provide "error source" to error growth and propagation.The rapid growth of simulated errors results from both intense moist convection and appropriate spatial propagation of the errors.
基金the State Key Basic Research Program(Grant No.G1998040912) the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40375008).
文摘A heavy rainfall system was observed over the Yangtze River during Meiyu season by using dual-Doppler radar systems in the field experiment conducted by the project of National Fundamental Research Planning “Research on formation mechanism and the prediction theory of hazardous weather over China”. The three-dimensional mesoscale kinematic structure and process of a heavy rain on 22 and 23 July, 2002 are investigated by using the radial velocity and dual-Doppler radar technique. The results show that a southwest-northeast oriented rain band with the length of about 1000 km involves numbers of meso-β or meso-γ-scale convective cells with the size of 20―50 km. The heavy rain band in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River ex-ists in a low-level wind shear. The interaction between southwest low-level jet on the southern side of wind shear and east wind on the northern side formed the updraft. The wind disturbance, wind shear and convergence generate the convective action. The new cell developed in right rear flank of rain band and moved to the southwest wind area, where the vapor is abundant. This kind of echo can last a long time and developed well. The strong convective echoes are often ac-companied by the meso-γ-scale vortex and convergence.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China under Program No.49775264.
文摘Generally speaking,the convection activities are inactive over western Pacific warm pool and tropical cyclone(TC)activity seldom occurs over the offshore of East Asia during the period of Meiyu rainfall.However,if a TC is active in this area,the Meiyu rainfall will often weaken or end up. Based on a statistical study with the data from 1980 to 1995,it is found that about 91% of 23 TC activities affected the intensity of Meiyu rainfall,and 50% of the end-up of Meiyu events were related to the active TCs and the change of subtropical high.The present paper simulates the effect of TC on Meiyu circulation by using MM4 model,and the results agree with the observations. From the point of view of vapor and energy transport,the landing of TC cuts not only the transport of the water vapor to Changjiang-Huaihe River basin from the Bay of Bengal but also the conversion of the mean flow energy to the Meiyu circulation because of the TC forcing to the zonal circulation.These two effects make the convection and perturbation existing in Meiyu region lack the supply of the vapor and energy for their maintenance and lead to the end of Meiyu rainfall.