Modeling seasonal tropical cyclone activity in the Fiji region as a binary classification problem
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 25, no. 14 (2012), p. 5057-5071
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- Description: This study presents a binary classification model for the prediction of tropical cyclone (TC) activity in the Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga regions (the FST region) using the accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) as a proxy of TC activity. A probit regression model, which is a suitable probabilitymodel for describing binary response data, is developed to determine at least a fewmonths in advance (by July in this case) the probability that an upcoming TC season may have for high or low TC activity. Years of "high TC activity" are defined as those years when ACE values exceeded the sample climatology (i.e., the 1985-2008 mean value). Model parameters are determined using the Bayesian method. Various combinations of the El Nin{ogonek} o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices and large-scale environmental conditions that are known to affect TCs in the FST region are examined as potential predictors. It was found that a set of predictors comprising low-level relative vorticity, upper-level divergence, and midtropspheric relative humidity provided the best skill in terms of minimum hindcast error. Results based on hindcast verification clearly suggest that the model predicts TC activity in the FST region with substantial skill up to the May-July preseason for all years considered in the analysis, in particular for ENSO-neutral years when TC activity is known to show large variations. © 2012 American Meteorological Society.
The different impact of positive-neutral and negative-neutral ENSO regimes on Australian tropical cyclones
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Tory, Kevin , McBride, John , Wheeler, Matthew , Dare, Richard , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 26, no. 20 (October 2013), p. 8008-8016
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- Description: The number of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Australian region exhibits a large variation between different ENSO regimes. While the difference in TC numbers and spatial distribution of genesis locations between the canonical El Nino and La Nina regimes is well known, the authors demonstrate that a statistically significant difference in TC numbers also exists between the recently identified negative-neutral and positive-neutral regimes. Compared to the negative-neutral and La Nina regimes, significantly fewer TCs form in the Australian region during the positive-neutral regime, particularly in the eastern subregion. This difference is attributed to concomitant changes in various large-scale environmental conditions such as sea level pressure, relative vorticity, vertical motion, and sea surface temperature.
Tropical cyclone activity in the Fiji region: Spatial patterns and relationship to large-scale circulation
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 22, no. 14 (2009), p. 3877-3893
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- Description: This study examines the variations in tropical cyclone (TC) genesis positions and their subsequent tracks for different phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon in the Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga region (FST region) using Joint Typhoon Warning Center best-track data. Over the 36-yr period from 1970/71 to 2005/06, 122 cyclones are observed in the FST region. A large spread in the genesis positions is noted. During El Niño years, genesis is enhanced east of the date line, extending from north of Fiji to over Samoa, with the highest density centered around 10°S, 180°. During neutral years, maximum genesis occurs immediately north of Fiji with enhanced genesis south of Samoa. In La Niña years, there are fewer cyclones forming in the region than during El Niño and neutral years. During La Niña years, the genesis positions are displaced poleward of 12°S, with maximum density centered around 15°S, 170°E and south of Fiji. The cyclone tracks over the FST region are also investigated using cluster analysis. Tracks during the period 1970/71-2005/06 are conveniently described using three separate clusters, with distinct characteristics associated with different ENSO phases. Finally, the role of large-scale environmental factors affecting interannual variability of TC genesis positions and their subsequent tracks in the FST region are investigated. Favorable genesis positions are observed where large-scale environments have the following seasonal average thresholds: (i) 850-hPa cyclonic relative vorticity between -16 and -4 (×10-6 s-1), (ii) 200-hPa divergence between 2 and 8 (×10-6 s-1), and (iii) environmental vertical wind shear between 0 and 8 m s-1. The subsequent TC tracks are observed to be steered by mean 700-500-hPa winds. © 2009 American Meteorological Society.
The influence of the Madden-Julian oscillation on tropical cyclone activity in the Fiji region
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 23, no. 4 (2010), p. 868-886
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- Description: This study examines the modulation of tropical cyclone (TC) activity by the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) in the Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga regions (FST region), using Joint Typhoon Warning Center best-track cyclone data and the MJO index developed by Wheeler and Hendon. Results suggest strong MJO-TC relationships in the FST region. The TC genesis patterns are significantly altered over the FST region with approximately 5 times more cyclones forming in the active phase than in the inactive phase of the MJO. This modulation is further strengthened during El Niño periods. The large-scale environmental conditions (i.e., low-level relative vorticity, upper-level divergence, and vertical wind shear) associated with TC genesis show a distinct patterns of variability for the active and inactive MJO phases. The MJO also has a significant effect on hurricane category and combined gale and storm category cyclones in the FST region. The occurrences of both these cyclone categories are increased in the active phase of the MJO, which is associated with enhanced convective activity. The TCs in the other MJO phases where convective activity is relatively low, however, show a consistent pattern of increase in hurricane category cyclones and a concomitant decrease in gale and storm category cyclones. Finally, TC tracks in different MJO phases are also objectively described using a cluster analysis technique. Patterns seen in the clustered track regimes are well explained here in terms of 700-500-hPa mean steering flow. © 2010 American Meteorological Society.
Projected increase in El Niño-driven tropical cyclone frequency in the Pacific
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Tory, Kevin , Ye, Hua , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nature Climate Change Vol. 7, no. 2 (2017), p. 123-127
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- Description: The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) drives substantial variability in tropical cyclone (TC) activity around the world. However, it remains uncertain how the projected future changes in ENSO under greenhouse warming will affect TC activity, apart from an expectation that the overall frequency of TCs is likely to decrease for most ocean basins. Here we show robust changes in ENSO-driven variability in TC occurrence by the late twenty-first century. In particular, we show that TCs become more frequent (â 1/420-40%) during future-climate El Niño events compared with present-climate El Niño events - and less frequent during future-climate La Niña events - around a group of small island nations (for example, Fiji, Vanuatu, Marshall Islands and Hawaii) in the Pacific. We examine TCs across 20 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 database, forced under historical and greenhouse warming conditions. The 12 most realistic models identified show a strong consensus on El Niño-driven changes in future-climate large-scale environmental conditions that modulate development of TCs over the off-equatorial western Pacific and the central North Pacific regions. These results have important implications for climate change and adaptation pathways for the vulnerable Pacific island nations. © 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved.
Impact of different ENSO regimes on southwest pacific tropical cyclones
- Authors: Chand, Savin , McBride, John , Tory, Kevin , Wheeler, Matthew , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 26, no. 2 (2013), p. 600-608
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- Description: The influence of different types of ENSO on tropical cyclone (TC) interannual variability in the central southwest Pacific region (58-258S, 1708E-1708W) is investigated. Using empirical orthogonal function analysis and an agglomerative hierarchical clustering of early tropical cyclone season Pacific sea surface temperature, years are classified into four separate regimes (i.e., canonical El Niño, canonical La Niña, positive-neutral, and negative-neutral) for the period between 1970 and 2009.These regimes are found to have a large impact on TC genesis over the central southwest Pacific region. Both the canonical El Niño and the positive-neutral years have increased numbers of cyclones, with an average of 4.3 yr-1 for positive-neutral and 4 yr-1 for canonical El Niño. In contrast, during a La Niña and negative-neutral events, substantially fewer TCs (averages of ;2.2 and 2.4 yr-1, respectively) are observed in the central southwest Pacific. The enhancement of TC numbers in both canonical El Niño and positive-neutral years is associated with the extension of favorable low-level cyclonic relative vorticity, and low vertical wind shear eastward across the date line. Relative humidity and SST are also very conducive forgenesis in this region during canonical El Niño and positiveneutral events. The patterns are quite different, however, with the favorable conditions concentrated in the date line region for the positive-neutral, as compared with conditions farther eastward for the canonical El Niño regime. A significant result of the study is the demonstration that ENSO-neutralevents can be objectively clustered into two separate regimes, each with very different impacts on TCgenesis. © 2013 American Meteorological Society.
Forecasting tropical cyclone formation in the Fiji region: A probit regression approach using bayesian fitting
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Weather and Forecasting Vol. 26, no. 2 (2011), p. 150-165
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- Description: An objective methodology for forecasting the probability of tropical cyclone (TC) formation in the Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga regions (collectively the FST region) using antecedent large-scale environmental conditions is investigated. Three separate probabilistic forecast schemes are developed using a probit regression approach where model parameters are determined via Bayesian fitting. These schemes provide forecasts of TC formation from an existing system (i) within the next 24 h (W24h), (ii) within the next 48 h (W48h), and (iii) within the next 72 h (W72h). To assess the performance of the three forecast schemes in practice, verification methods such as the posterior expected error, Brier skill scores, and relative operating characteristic skill scores are applied. Results suggest that the W24h scheme, which is formulated using large-scale environmental parameters, on average, performs better than that formulated using climatology and persistence (CLIPER) variables. In contrast, the W48h (W72h) scheme formulated using large-scale environmental parameters performs similar to (poorer than) that formulated using CLIPER variables. Therefore, large-scale environmental parameters (CLIPER variables) are preferred as predictors when forecasting TC formation in the FST region within 24 h (at least 48 h) using models formulated in the present investigation. © 2011 American Meteorological Society.
Review of tropical cyclones in the Australian region : Climatology, variability, predictability, and trends
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Dowdy, Andrew , Ramsay, Hamish , Walsh, Kevin , Tory, Kevin , Power, Scott , Bell, Samuel , Lavender, Sally , Ye, Hua , Kuleshov, Yuri
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change Vol. 10, no. 5 (2019), p. 1-17
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- Description: Tropical cyclones (TCs) can have severe impacts on Australia. These include extreme rainfall and winds, and coastal hazards such as destructive waves, storm surges, estuarine flooding, and coastal erosion. Various aspects of TCs in the Australian region have been documented over the past several decades. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on human-induced climate change effects on TCs in the Australian region and elsewhere around the globe. However, large natural variability and the lack of consistent long-term TC observations have often complicated the detection and attribution of TC trends. Efforts have been made to improve TC records for Australia over the past decades, but it is still unclear whether such records are sufficient to provide better understanding of the impacts of natural climate variability and climate change. It is important to note that the damage costs associated with tropical cyclones in Australia have increased in recent decades and will continue to increase due to growing coastal settlement and infrastructure development. Therefore, it is critical that any coastal infrastructure planning and engineering decisions, as well as disaster management decisions, strongly consider future risks from tropical cyclones. A better understanding of tropical cyclones in a changing climate will provide key insights that can help mitigate impacts of tropical cyclones on vulnerable communities. An objective assessment of the Australian TCs at regional scale and its link with climate variability and change using improved and up-to-date data records is more imperative now than before. This article is categorized under: Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Modern Climate Change.
Influence of ENSO on tropical cyclone intensity in the Fiji region
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 24, no. 15 (2011), p. 4096-4108
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- Description: This study examines the variation in tropical cyclone (TC) intensity for different phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon in the Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga (FST) region. The variation in TC intensity is inferred from the accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), which is constructed from the 6-hourly Joint Typhoon Warning Center best-track data for the period 1985-2006. Overall, results suggest that ACE in the FST region is considerably influenced by the ENSO signal. A substantial contribution to this ENSO signal in ACE comes from the region equatorward of 15°S where TC numbers, lifetime, and intensity all play a significant role. However, the ACE-ENSO relationship weakens substantially poleward of 15°S where large-scale environmental variables affecting TC intensity are found to be less favorable during El Niño years than during La Niña years; in the region equatorward of 15°S, the reverse is true. Therefore, TCs entering this region poleward of 15°S are able to sustain their intensity for a longer period of time during La Niña years as opposed to TCs entering the region during El Niñao years, when they decay more rapidly. © 2011 American Meteorological Society.
A bayesian regression approach to seasonal prediction of tropical cyclones affecting the Fiji region
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin , Chan, Johnny
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Climate Vol. 23, no. 13 (2010), p. 3425-3445
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- Description: This study presents seasonal prediction schemes for tropical cyclones (TCs) affecting the Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga (FST) region. Two separate Bayesian regression models are developed: (i) for cyclones forming within the FST region (FORM) and (ii) for cyclones entering the FST region (ENT). Predictors examined include various El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices and large-scale environmental parameters. Only those predictors that showed significant correlations with FORM and ENT are retained. Significant preseason correlations are found as early as May-July (approximately three months in advance). Therefore, May-July predictors are used to make initial predictions, and updated predictions are issued later using October-December early-cyclone-season predictors. A number of predictor combinations are evaluated through a cross-validation technique. Results suggest that a model based on relative vorticity and the Niño-4 index is optimal to predict the annual number of TCs associated with FORM, as it has the smallest RMSE associated with its hindcasts (RMSE = 1.63). Similarly, the all-parameter-combined model, which includes the Niño-4 index and some large-scale environmental fields over the East China Sea, appears appropriate to predict the annual number of TCs associated with ENT (RMSE = 0.98). While the all-parameter-combined ENT model appears to have good skill over all years, the May-July prediction of the annual number of TCs associated with FORM has two limitations. First, it underestimates (overestimates) the formation for years where the onset of El Niño (La Niña) events is after the May-July preseason or where a previous La Niña (El Niño) event continued through May-July during its decay phase. Second, its performance in neutral conditions is quite variable. Overall, no significant skill can be achieved for neutral conditions even after an October-December update. This is contrary to the performance during El Niño or La Niña events, where model performance is improved substantially after an October-December early-cyclone-season update. © 2010 American Meteorological Society.
Declining tropical cyclone frequency under global warming
- Authors: Chand, Savin , Walsh, Kevin , Camargo, Suzana , Kossin, James , Tory, Kevin , Wehner, Michael , Chan, Johnny , Klotzbach, Philip , Dowdy, Andrew , Bell, Samuel , Ramsay, Hamish , Murakami, Hiroyuki
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nature Climate Change Vol. 12, no. 7 (2022), p. 655-661
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- Description: Assessing the role of anthropogenic warming from temporally inhomogeneous historical data in the presence of large natural variability is difficult and has caused conflicting conclusions on detection and attribution of tropical cyclone (TC) trends. Here, using a reconstructed long-term proxy of annual TC numbers together with high-resolution climate model experiments, we show robust declining trends in the annual number of TCs at global and regional scales during the twentieth century. The Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR) dataset is used for reconstruction because, compared with other reanalyses, it assimilates only sea-level pressure fields rather than utilize all available observations in the troposphere, making it less sensitive to temporal inhomogeneities in the observations. It can also capture TC signatures from the pre-satellite era reasonably well. The declining trends found are consistent with the twentieth century weakening of the Hadley and Walker circulations, which make conditions for TC formation less favourable. © 2022, The Author(s).