Rapid intensification and the bimodal distribution of tropical cyclone intensity

Chia-Ying Lee (), Michael K. Tippett, Adam H. Sobel and Suzana J. Camargo
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Chia-Ying Lee: International Research Institute of Climate and Society, Columbia University
Michael K. Tippett: Columbia University
Adam H. Sobel: Columbia University
Suzana J. Camargo: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-5

Abstract: Abstract The severity of a tropical cyclone (TC) is often summarized by its lifetime maximum intensity (LMI), and the climatological LMI distribution is a fundamental feature of the climate system. The distinctive bimodality of the LMI distribution means that major storms (LMI >96 kt) are not very rare compared with less intense storms. Rapid intensification (RI) is the dramatic strengthening of a TC in a short time, and is notoriously difficult to forecast or simulate. Here we show that the bimodality of the LMI distribution reflects two types of storms: those that undergo RI during their lifetime (RI storms) and those that do not (non-RI storms). The vast majority (79%) of major storms are RI storms. Few non-RI storms (6%) become major storms. While the importance of RI has been recognized in weather forecasting, our results demonstrate that RI also plays a crucial role in the TC climatology.

Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10625

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10625

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