Urban effects and summer thunderstorms in a tropical cyclone affected situation over Guangzhou city

• Published in: Science China. Earth sciences Vol. 50; no. 12; pp. 1867 - 1876
• Main Authors: Meng, WeiGuang, Yan, JingHua, Hu, HaiBo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01.12.2007; State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China%Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, Chinese Meteorological Administration CMA, Guangzhou 510080, China%Institute of Urban Meteorology, CMA, Beijing 100089, China; Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology, Chinese Meteorological Administration CMA, Guangzhou 510080, China
• Subjects: cyclone; Cyclones; effects; heat; islands; Meteorology; summer; thunderstorms; tropical; UHI; urban; China, People's Rep., Guangdong Prov., Guangzhou; urban heat islands (UHI); tropical cyclone; summer thunderstorms; urban effects
• ISSN: 1674-7313; 1006-9313; 1869-1897; 1862-2801
• DOI: 10.1007/s11430-007-0142-5

With data mainly from Guangzhou mesonet Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), Guangzhou Doppler Radar and satellite TBB data, characteristics and evolution of the urban heat island (UHI) over Guangzhou City were analyzed in a tropical cyclone affected situation for early August 2005. In particular, two thunderstorms occurring during this period respectively at the night of 4 August and in the afternoon of 7 August were investigated to study the relationships between the development of thunderstorms and the UHI. Results showed that two thunderstorms were associated with the UHI effects. UHI induced local air convergence and initiated the thunderstorm convections. Both cases showed a general agreement in time and space for the locations of maximum UHI, convergence, convection, and precipitation. Convection was found to be more favorable to developing in time periods and locations with stronger intensity of UHI. Analysis also showed that, due to the urban effects, both thunderstorms got strengthened when moving over Guangzhou City, with maximum radar echoes observed right over the urban area and precipitation located within the city. All these features reveal that two thunderstorms were urban-induced storms.