Observed Surface Wind Field Structure of Severe Tropical Cyclones and Associated Precipitation

• Published in: Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 15; no. 11; p. 2808
• Main Authors: Du, Rong, Zhang, Guosheng, Huang, Bin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 29.05.2023
• Subjects: Accuracy; Analysis; Archives & records; Artificial satellites in remote sensing; China; Climate; Cyclones; Datasets; Dynamic meteorology; Mathematical models; Monte Carlo simulation; Precipitation; Rain; Rain and rainfall; Rainfall; Remote sensing; Satellites; Spatial discrimination; Spatial resolution; Storms; Surface wind; Synthetic aperture radar; TC rainfall; TC surface wind field model; tropical cyclone; Tropical cyclones; Wind; Wind speed; China
• ISSN: 2072-4292; 2072-4292
• DOI: 10.3390/rs15112808

Using the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) dataset, this study assessed the surface wind fields from high spatial resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) observations, the fifth generation ECMWF reanalysis for the global climate and weather (ERA5) data and the Tropical Cyclone Winds and Inflow Angle Asymmetry (TCIAA) wind model. The results showed that SAR data are sufficient to reveal the surface wind field near a TC center and can accurately describe TC intensity and size under severe TC conditions. Then, a new, improved statistical wind structure model was set up using ERA5 data alone based on the assessment. In addition, the warm sea surface (SST > 26.5 °C) produced stronger TC wind fields and heavier precipitation. When the SST was higher (lower), the heavy rainfall was located on the left (right) side of the TC track and the strong positive correlation between wind speed and precipitation increased as the SST decreased.