Dynamics of Orographic Effects on Tropical Cyclones

Dear Colleagues,

When a tropical cyclone (TC) approaches over a mesoscale mountain range, its precipitation (TCP) may be enhanced or weakened significantly in local areas, which can produce extreme rainfall and possibly floods, mudslides, landslides, and/or debris flow along the path of the TC on the mountain slopes or in nearby areas, leading to loss of property and life. For example, the world rainfall records of 12, 24, 72, and 96 hours all occurred in La Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean, when tropical cyclones pass by the island. Numerous examples of orographically enhanced extreme rainfall can be found worldwide. Although many heavy orographic rain events associated with TCs passing over or by those mountain ranges have been studied extensively, robust quantitative precipitation forecasting (QPF) remains challenging. Part of the inaccuracy of QPF associated with orographic TCP is due to a lack of improvement in intensity and TC track forecasting; in our understanding of the complicated interactions of microphysical, dynamical, and orographic forcing; and in the parameterizations of physical processes in numerical models. Since the impacts of gusty wind and the maximum amount and distribution of precipitation are dictated by the TC track, making accurate predictions of TC track is essential. Orographic influence on TC track deflection has been observed and investigated intensively for hurricanes passing over mesoscale mountains around the world. However, some basic dynamics of the orographic influence on TC track deflection, such as upstream track deflection and looping, potential vorticity generation and redistribution over the mountainous region, regeneration of the cyclone on the lee, moisture flow regime transition, and control parameters, are still not well understood and deserve further studies.

This Special Issue is expected to advance our understanding and provide reliable analysis and prediction for the orographic effects on tropical cyclone track and precipitation. Thus, we invite authors to submit original and review articles that aim to study the effects of orography on tropical cyclone track and precipitation. In addition, we hope to receive the tentative abstracts before 1 October 2019.

Prof. Yuh-Lang Lin
Guest Editor

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• tropical Cyclone, hurricane, or typhoon
• track deflection
• orographic precipitation or rain
• orographic effects