Improved track forecasting of a typhoon reaching landfall from four‐dimensional variational data assimilation of AMSU‐A retrieved data

Abstract

In this study, an attempt to improve typhoon forecasts is made by incorporating three‐dimensional Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit‐A (AMSU‐A) retrieved wind and temperature and the central sea level pressure of cyclones from typhoon reports or bogus surface low data into initial conditions, on the basis of the Fifth‐Generation National Center for Atmospheric Research/Pennsylvania State University Mesoscale Model (MM5) four‐dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVar) system with a full‐physics adjoint model. All the above‐mentioned data are found to be useful for improvement of typhoon forecasts in this mesoscale data assimilation experiment. The comparison tests showed the following results: (1) The assimilation of the satellite‐retrieved data was found to have a positive impact on the typhoon track forecast, but the landing position error is ∼150 km. (2) The assimilation of both the satellite‐retrieved data and moving information of the typhoon center dramatically improved the track forecast and captured the recurvature and landfall. The mean track error during the 72‐hour forecast is 69 km. The predicted typhoon intensity, however, is much weaker than that from observations. (3) The assimilation of both the satellite‐retrieved data and the bogus surface low data improved the intensity and track forecasts more significantly than the assimilation of only bogus surface low data (bogus data assimilation) did. The mean errors during the 72‐hour forecast are 2.6 hPa for the minimum sea level pressure and 87 km for track position. However, the forecasted landing time is ∼6 hours earlier than the observed one.