The Poleward Migration of Tropical Cyclolysis in the Western North Pacific

Wenjian Meng aCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
bOcean Academy, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China

Search for other papers by Wenjian Meng in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
Kewei Zhang aCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Search for other papers by Kewei Zhang in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
Haijiang Liu aCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Search for other papers by Haijiang Liu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5708-8504
Restricted access

Abstract

In the context of global climate change, recent studies indicate a poleward migration trend of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific (WNP), while little attention has been paid to the TC cyclolysis (hereafter Lysis). With respect to two different datasets, this study identifies the poleward migration of the annual-mean latitude of TC Lysis during 1979–2018, being more significant for the intensified TCs, although this trend is suppressed by the reduction in the TC frequency over the sea. It is found that the TC migration is more like a poleward translation of the overall movement rather than the expansion of a specific phase’s distance span. Subsequently, the trends of several environmental parameters related to TC development are also analyzed. The large-scale sea surface temperature warming leads to the increase of potential intensity and enhances the possibility of TC poleward migration. Through controlling the TC formation in the eastern WNP tropics, the variations of vertical wind shear and horizontal winds affect TC Lysis latitude, facilitate the TC development environment around East Asia offshore and island chain areas, and steer TCs poleward migration through the southerly wind anomalies in the area north of 30°N. Regarding the cyclonic vorticity in the lower troposphere and the divergence in the upper troposphere, their influence on TC Lysis latitude is mainly by adjusting the numbers of TCs rather than directly interfering with the TC movement process. The present results indicate that the northern WNP coastal region will also become a TC-prone area in the future, which needs to be treated with caution.

© 2023 American Meteorological Society. This published article is licensed under the terms of the default AMS reuse license. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).

Corresponding author: Haijiang Liu, haijiangliu@zju.edu.cn

Abstract

In the context of global climate change, recent studies indicate a poleward migration trend of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific (WNP), while little attention has been paid to the TC cyclolysis (hereafter Lysis). With respect to two different datasets, this study identifies the poleward migration of the annual-mean latitude of TC Lysis during 1979–2018, being more significant for the intensified TCs, although this trend is suppressed by the reduction in the TC frequency over the sea. It is found that the TC migration is more like a poleward translation of the overall movement rather than the expansion of a specific phase’s distance span. Subsequently, the trends of several environmental parameters related to TC development are also analyzed. The large-scale sea surface temperature warming leads to the increase of potential intensity and enhances the possibility of TC poleward migration. Through controlling the TC formation in the eastern WNP tropics, the variations of vertical wind shear and horizontal winds affect TC Lysis latitude, facilitate the TC development environment around East Asia offshore and island chain areas, and steer TCs poleward migration through the southerly wind anomalies in the area north of 30°N. Regarding the cyclonic vorticity in the lower troposphere and the divergence in the upper troposphere, their influence on TC Lysis latitude is mainly by adjusting the numbers of TCs rather than directly interfering with the TC movement process. The present results indicate that the northern WNP coastal region will also become a TC-prone area in the future, which needs to be treated with caution.

© 2023 American Meteorological Society. This published article is licensed under the terms of the default AMS reuse license. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).

Corresponding author: Haijiang Liu, haijiangliu@zju.edu.cn

Supplementary Materials

    • Supplemental Materials (PDF 2.6994 MB)
Save
  • Basconcillo, J., and I.-J. Moon, 2022: Increasing activity of tropical cyclones in East Asia during the mature boreal autumn linked to long-term climate variability. npj Climate Atmos. Sci., 5, 4, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-021-00222-6.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bister, M., and K. A. Emanuel, 1998: Dissipative heating and hurricane intensity. Meteor. Atmos. Phys., 65, 233240, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01030791.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bister, M., and K. A. Emanuel, 2002: Low frequency variability of tropical cyclone potential intensity 1. Interannual to interdecadal variability. J. Geophys. Res., 107, 4801, https://doi.org/10.1029/2001JD000776.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bracken, W. E., and L. F. Bosart, 2000: The role of synoptic-scale flow during tropical cyclogenesis over the North Atlantic Ocean. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 353376, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(2000)128<0353:TROSSF>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Camargo, S. J., and A. H. Sobel, 2010: Revisiting the influence of the quasi-biennial oscillation on tropical cyclone activity. J. Climate, 23, 58105825, https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JCLI3575.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Chand, S. S., and K. J. E. Walsh, 2009: Tropical cyclone activity in the Fiji region: Spatial patterns and relationship to large-scale circulation. J. Climate, 22, 38773893, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI2880.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Chang, M., D.-S. R. Park, and C.-H. Ho, 2021: Possible cause of seasonal inhomogeneity in interdecadal changes of tropical cyclone genesis frequency over the western North Pacific. J. Climate, 34, 635642, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-20-0268.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Chen, L., and Y. Ding, 1979: Introduction to Typhoons over the Northwest Pacific (in Chinese). Science Press, 491 pp.

  • Cheung, K. K. W., 2004: Large-scale environmental parameters associated with tropical cyclone formations in the western North Pacific. J. Climate, 17, 466484, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2004)017<0466:LEPAWT>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Daloz, A. S., and S. J. Camargo, 2018: Is the poleward migration of tropical cyclone maximum intensity associated with a poleward migration of tropical cyclone genesis? Climate Dyn., 50, 705715, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-017-3636-7.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Dong, B., R. T. Sutton, L. Shaffrey, and B. Harvey, 2022: Recent decadal weakening of the summer Eurasian westerly jet attributable to anthropogenic aerosol emissions. Nat. Commun., 13, 1148, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28816-5.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Emanuel, K. A., 1986: An air–sea interaction theory for tropical cyclones. Part I: Steady-state maintenance. J. Atmos. Sci., 43, 585605, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1986)043<0585:AASITF>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Feng, X., N. P. Klingaman, and K. I. Hodges, 2021: Poleward migration of western North Pacific tropical cyclones related to changes in cyclone seasonality. Nat. Commun., 12, 6210, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26369-7.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gilford, D. M., 2021: pyPI (v1.3): Tropical cyclone potential intensity calculations in Python. Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 23512369, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-2351-2021.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gray, W. M., 1968: Global view of the origin of tropical disturbances and storms. Mon. Wea. Rev., 96, 669700, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1968)096<0669:GVOTOO>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gross, N., Y. L. Bagousse-Pinguet, P. Liancourt, M. Berdugo, N. J. Gotelli, and F. T. Maestre, 2017: Functional trait diversity maximizes ecosystem multifunctionality. Nat. Ecol. Evol., 1, 0132, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0132.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Harr, P. A., and R. L. Elsberry, 2000: Extratropical transition of tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific. Part I: Evolution of structural characteristics during the transition process. Mon. Wea. Rev., 128, 26132633, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(2000)128<2613:ETOTCO>2.0.CO;2.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hersbach, H., and Coauthors, 2019a: ERA5 monthly averaged data on single levels from 1979 to present. Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS), accessed 25 March 2022, https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7.

  • Hersbach, H., and Coauthors, 2019b: ERA5 monthly averaged data on pressure levels from 1979 to present. Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS), accessed 25 March 2022, https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.6860a573.

  • Hsu, P.-C., P.-S. Chu, H. Murakami, and X. Zhao, 2014: An abrupt decrease in the late-season typhoon activity over the western North Pacific. J. Climate, 27, 42964312, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00417.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Hu, F., T. Li, J. Liu, M. Bi, and M. Peng, 2018: Decrease of tropical cyclone genesis frequency in the western North Pacific since 1960s. Dyn. Atmos. Oceans, 81, 4250, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2017.11.003.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Jiang, W., G. Huang, P. Huang, R. Wu, K. Hu, and W. Chen, 2019: Northwest Pacific anticyclonic anomalies during post–El Niño summers determined by the pace of El Niño decay. J. Climate, 32, 34873503, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0793.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Kim, S.-H., I.-J. Moon, and P.-S. Chu, 2020: An increase in global trends of tropical cyclone translation speed since 1982 and its physical causes. Environ. Res. Lett., 15, 094084, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab9e1f.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Knapp, K. R., M. C. Kruk, D. H. Levinson, H. J. Diamond, and C. J. Neumann, 2010: The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS). Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 91, 363376, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009BAMS2755.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Knapp, K. R., H. J. Diamond, J. P. Kossin, M. C. Kruk, and C. J. Schreck, 2018: International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) project, version 4. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, accessed 11 November 2022, https://doi.org/10.25921/82ty-9e16.

  • Knutson, T. R., and Coauthors, 2010: Tropical cyclones and climate change. Nat. Geosci., 3, 157163, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo779.

  • Knutson, T. R., and Coauthors, 2019: Tropical cyclones and climate change assessment: Part I. Detection and attribution. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 100, 19872007, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0189.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Knutson, T. R., and Coauthors, 2020: Tropical cyclones and climate change assessment: Part II: Projected response to anthropogenic warming. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 101, E303E322, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0194.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Kossin, J. P., K. A. Emanuel, and G. A. Vecchi, 2014: The poleward migration of the location of tropical cyclone maximum intensity. Nature, 509, 349352, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13278.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Li, Y., T. Li, C. Fu, and P.-C. Hsu, 2019: Near-equatorial tropical cyclone formation in western North Pacific: Peak season and controlling parameter. Climate Dyn., 52, 27652773, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-018-4291-3.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Liu, C., W. Zhang, F. Jiang, M. F. Stuecker, and Z. Huang, 2021: Record-low WNP tropical cyclone activity in early summer 2020 due to Indian Ocean warming and Madden-Julian oscillation activity. Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, e2021GL094578, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL094578.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Liu, K. S., and J. C. L. Chan, 2013: Inactive period of western North Pacific tropical cyclone activity in 1998–2011. J. Climate, 26, 26142630, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-12-00053.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Lu, X., H. Yu, M. Ying, B. Zhao, S. Zhang, L. Lin, L. Bai, and R. Wan, 2021: Western North Pacific tropical cyclone database created by the China Meteorological Administration. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 38, 690699, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-020-0211-7.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Meng, W., and H. Liu, 2019: Comparison of different tropical cyclone datasets in the northwestern Pacific Ocean based on the statistical analysis. 10th Int. Conf. on Asian and Pacific Coasts, Hanoi, Vietnam, Springer, 1177–1184, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0291-0_161.

  • Meng, W., H. Liu, and M. Yang, 2021: Tropical cyclone movement features in the western North Pacific region based on multi-dimensional statistical analyses. Int. J. Climatol., 41, E3195E3207, https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.6916.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Moon, I.-J., S.-H. Kim, P. Klotzbach, and J. C. L. Chan, 2015: Roles of interbasin frequency changes in the poleward shifts of the maximum intensity location of tropical cyclones. Environ. Res. Lett., 10, 104004, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/10/104004.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Nakamura, J., U. Lall, Y. Kushnir, and S. J. Camargo, 2009: Classifying North Atlantic tropical cyclone tracks by mass moments. J. Climate, 22, 54815494, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI2828.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Schwendike, J., P. Govekar, M. J. Reeder, R. Wardle, G. J. Berry, and C. Jakob, 2014: Local partitioning of the overturning circulation in the tropics and the connection to the Hadley and Walker circulations. J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 119, 13221339, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JD020742.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Seidel, D. J., Q. Fu, W. J. Randel, and T. J. Reichler, 2008: Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate. Nat. Geosci., 1, 2124, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo.2007.38.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Shan, K., and X. Yu, 2020a: Interdecadal variability of tropical cyclone genesis frequency in western North Pacific and South Pacific Ocean basins. Environ. Res. Lett., 15, 064030, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab8093.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Shan, K., and X. Yu, 2020b: Enhanced understanding of poleward migration of tropical cyclone genesis. Environ. Res. Lett., 15, 104062, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abaf85.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Shan, K., and X. Yu, 2021: Variability of tropical cyclone landfalls in China. J. Climate, 34, 92359247, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0031.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Shen, Y., Y. Sun, Z. Zhong, K. Liu, and J. Shi, 2018: Sensitivity experiments on the poleward shift of tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific under warming ocean conditions. J. Meteor. Res., 32, 560570, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13351-018-8047-0.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Studholme, J., and S. Gulev, 2018: Concurrent changes to Hadley circulation and the meridional distribution of tropical cyclones. J. Climate, 31, 43674389, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-17-0852.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Studholme, J., A. V. Fedorov, S. K. Gulev, K. Emanuel, and K. Hodges, 2022: Poleward expansion of tropical cyclone latitudes in warming climates. Nat. Geosci., 15, 1428, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00859-1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Sun, Y., and Coauthors, 2018: A recent reversal in the poleward shift of western North Pacific tropical cyclones. Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 99449952, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079686.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Torn, R. D., and C. Snyder, 2012: Uncertainty of tropical cyclone best-track information. Wea. Forecasting, 27, 715729, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-11-00085.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Walsh, K. J. E., and Coauthors, 2016: Tropical cyclones and climate change. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev.: Climate Change, 7, 6589, https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.371.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Wang, B., J. Liu, H.-J. Kim, P. J. Webster, S.-Y. Yim, and B. Xiang, 2013: Northern Hemisphere summer monsoon intensified by mega-El Niño/southern oscillation and Atlantic multidecadal oscillation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110, 53475352, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1219405110.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Wessel, P., and W. H. F. Smith, 1996: A global, self-consistent, hierarchical, high-resolution shoreline database. J. Geophys. Res., 101, 87418743, https://doi.org/10.1029/96JB00104.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Wu, L., H. Zhao, C. Wang, J. Cao, and J. Liang, 2022: Understanding of the effect of climate change on tropical cyclone intensity: A review. Adv. Atmos. Sci., 39, 205221, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-021-1026-x.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Yin, J. H., 2005: A consistent poleward shift of the storm tracks in simulations of 21st century climate. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L18701, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL023684.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ying, M., W. Zhang, H. Yu, X. Lu, J. Feng, Y. Fan, Y. Zhu, and D. Chen, 2014: An overview of the China Meteorological Administration tropical cyclone database. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 31, 287301, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-12-00119.1.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Yu, J., Y. Zheng, Q. Wu, J. Lin, and Z. Gong, 2016: K-means clustering for classification of the northwestern Pacific tropical cyclone tracks. J. Trop. Meteor., 22, 127135, https://doi.org/10.16555/j.1006-8775.2016.02.003.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 555 555 42
Full Text Views 177 177 22
PDF Downloads 182 182 21