Improved tropical cyclone intensity and intensity spread prediction in bifurcation situations |
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| Authors: | Hsiao-Chung Tsai Russell L Elsberry |
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| Institution: | 1.Department of Meteorology,Naval Postgraduate School,Monterey,U.S.A.;2.Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering,Tamkang University,New Taipei City,Taiwan;3.Trauma, Health, Hazards Center,University of Colorado-Colorado Springs,Colorado,U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Bifurcation or bi-modal tropical cyclone intensity forecasts may arise due to uncertainty in the timing of formation, timing and magnitude of rapid intensification periods, or track forecast uncertainty leading to landfall or non-landfall or leading to interaction with warm- or cold-ocean eddies. An objective technique is developed and tested to detect these intensity bifurcation situations in our weighted-analog intensity (WANI) forecasts that are based on the 10 best historical analogs to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) official track forecasts. About 19% of the overall sample of 1136 WANI forecasts in the western North Pacific during the 2010–2012 seasons met the criteria for a substantial intensity bifurcation situation. Using a hierarchical clustering technique, two clusters of the 10 best analogs are defined and separate WANI forecasts and intensity spreads are calculated for the two clusters. If an always perfect selection of the correct cluster WANI forecast of each bifurcation situation is made, a substantial improvement in the intensity mean absolute errors is achieved relative to the original WANI forecasts based on all 10 of the best analogs. These perfect-cluster selection WANI forecasts have smaller bias errors and are more highly correlated with the verifying intensities at all forecast intervals through 120 h. Without further bias correction and calibration, the cluster WANI intensity spreads are under-determined as the Probability of Detections are smaller than the desired 68%. Four examples of WANI cluster predictions of intensity bifurcation situations are provided to illustrate how a correct choice of the intensity forecast and the intensity spread can be the basis for improved warnings of the threat from western North Pacific tropical cyclones. |
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