Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

A New Parametric Tropical Cyclone Tangential Wind Profile Model

Vincent T. Wood NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma

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Luther W. White Department of Mathematics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma

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Hugh E. Willoughby Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida

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David P. Jorgensen NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Oklahoma

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Print Publication:
01 Jun 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-12-00115.1
Page(s):
1884–1909
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Abstract

A new parametric tropical cyclone (TC) wind profile model is presented for depicting representative surface pressure profiles corresponding to multiple-maxima wind profiles that exhibit single-, dual-, and triple-maximum concentric-eyewall wind peaks associated with the primary (inner), secondary (first outer), and tertiary (second outer) complete rings of enhanced radar reflectivity. One profile employs five key parameters: tangential velocity maximum, radius of the maximum, and three different shape velocity parameters related to the shape of the profile. After tailoring the model for TC applications, a gradient wind is computed from a cyclostrophic wind formulated in terms of the cyclostrophic Rossby number. A pressure, via cyclostrophic balance, was partitioned into separate pressure components that corresponded to multiple-maxima cyclostrophic wind profiles in order to quantitatively evaluate the significant fluctuations in central pressure deficits. The model TC intensity in terms of varying growth, size, and decay velocity profiles was analyzed in relation to changing each of five key parameters. Analytical results show that the first shape velocity parameter, changing a sharply to broadly peaked wind profile, increases the TC intensity and size by producing the corresponding central pressure fall. An increase (decrease) in the second (third) shape velocity parameter yields the pressure rise (fall) by decreasing (increasing) the inner (outer) wind profile inside (outside) the radius of the maximum. When a single-maximum tangential wind profile evolves to multiple-maxima tangential wind profiles during an eye replacement cycle, the pressure falls and rises are sensitively fluctuated.

Corresponding author address: Vincent T. Wood, 120 David L. Boren Blvd., Room 3921, Norman, OK 73072-7323. E-mail: vincent.wood@noaa.gov

Abstract

A new parametric tropical cyclone (TC) wind profile model is presented for depicting representative surface pressure profiles corresponding to multiple-maxima wind profiles that exhibit single-, dual-, and triple-maximum concentric-eyewall wind peaks associated with the primary (inner), secondary (first outer), and tertiary (second outer) complete rings of enhanced radar reflectivity. One profile employs five key parameters: tangential velocity maximum, radius of the maximum, and three different shape velocity parameters related to the shape of the profile. After tailoring the model for TC applications, a gradient wind is computed from a cyclostrophic wind formulated in terms of the cyclostrophic Rossby number. A pressure, via cyclostrophic balance, was partitioned into separate pressure components that corresponded to multiple-maxima cyclostrophic wind profiles in order to quantitatively evaluate the significant fluctuations in central pressure deficits. The model TC intensity in terms of varying growth, size, and decay velocity profiles was analyzed in relation to changing each of five key parameters. Analytical results show that the first shape velocity parameter, changing a sharply to broadly peaked wind profile, increases the TC intensity and size by producing the corresponding central pressure fall. An increase (decrease) in the second (third) shape velocity parameter yields the pressure rise (fall) by decreasing (increasing) the inner (outer) wind profile inside (outside) the radius of the maximum. When a single-maximum tangential wind profile evolves to multiple-maxima tangential wind profiles during an eye replacement cycle, the pressure falls and rises are sensitively fluctuated.

Corresponding author address: Vincent T. Wood, 120 David L. Boren Blvd., Room 3921, Norman, OK 73072-7323. E-mail: vincent.wood@noaa.gov
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