Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China
In this paper, we apply finite-mixture-model-based clustering algorithms to cluster post-landfall tracks of tropical cyclones (TCs) making landfall over China. Because existing studies find that landfall surfaces or elevations affect post-landfall TC movements, we also take account of elevations in...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Springer
2013
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/57035 |
| _version_ | 1848759999210192896 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhang, W. Leung, Yee-Hong Wang, Y. |
| author_facet | Zhang, W. Leung, Yee-Hong Wang, Y. |
| author_sort | Zhang, W. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In this paper, we apply finite-mixture-model-based clustering algorithms to cluster post-landfall tracks of tropical cyclones (TCs) making landfall over China. Because existing studies find that landfall surfaces or elevations affect post-landfall TC movements, we also take account of elevations in addition to time orders in this model. Our study reveals three clusters, with cluster 1 making landfall in Hainan province and moving across the western coast of Guangdong province. Most of the TC tracks in cluster 1 move over the ocean and make secondary landfalls over Yunnan province of China and Vietnam. Cluster 1 finally dissipates inland and moves westward as a result of the westward-shift subtropical high, westward steering flow, easterly vertical wind shear and strong mountainous blocking. Cluster 2 makes landfall over Guangdong and Fujian provinces. TCs in cluster 2 subsequently move inland and disappear due largely to westward-shift subtropical high, easterly steering flow, easterly vertical wind shear and relatively strong mountainous blocking. Cluster 3 makes landfall along the Fujian and Zhejiang coast and sustains a long period of time, recurving mostly to the mid-latitude region owing to the surrounding eastward-shift subtropical high, westerly vertical wind shear, weak mountainous blocking and westerly steering flow. Because cluster 2 is significantly associated with La Niña events, TCs more li kely make landfall over southeastern China coast and move westward or northwestward without recurving. Cluster 3 sustains a longer time than clusters 1 and 2 in spite of its weak horizontal and vertical water vapor supply. TCs in cluster 3 interact actively with westerlies during the post-landfall period. However, we cannot observe any analogous interactions with the mid-latitude westerlies in clusters 1 and 2. TCs of clusters 1 and 2 are influenced by summer monsoon flows. Moreover, summer monsoon exerts a greater influence on cluster 1 than cluster 2. The composite 200 hPa divergence of cluster 3 is stronger than that of clusters 1 and 2. This explains to some degree why cluster 3 sustains longer than clusters 1 and 2 after making landfall. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:08:48Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-57035 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:08:48Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Springer |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-570352018-01-17T05:15:59Z Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China Zhang, W. Leung, Yee-Hong Wang, Y. In this paper, we apply finite-mixture-model-based clustering algorithms to cluster post-landfall tracks of tropical cyclones (TCs) making landfall over China. Because existing studies find that landfall surfaces or elevations affect post-landfall TC movements, we also take account of elevations in addition to time orders in this model. Our study reveals three clusters, with cluster 1 making landfall in Hainan province and moving across the western coast of Guangdong province. Most of the TC tracks in cluster 1 move over the ocean and make secondary landfalls over Yunnan province of China and Vietnam. Cluster 1 finally dissipates inland and moves westward as a result of the westward-shift subtropical high, westward steering flow, easterly vertical wind shear and strong mountainous blocking. Cluster 2 makes landfall over Guangdong and Fujian provinces. TCs in cluster 2 subsequently move inland and disappear due largely to westward-shift subtropical high, easterly steering flow, easterly vertical wind shear and relatively strong mountainous blocking. Cluster 3 makes landfall along the Fujian and Zhejiang coast and sustains a long period of time, recurving mostly to the mid-latitude region owing to the surrounding eastward-shift subtropical high, westerly vertical wind shear, weak mountainous blocking and westerly steering flow. Because cluster 2 is significantly associated with La Niña events, TCs more li kely make landfall over southeastern China coast and move westward or northwestward without recurving. Cluster 3 sustains a longer time than clusters 1 and 2 in spite of its weak horizontal and vertical water vapor supply. TCs in cluster 3 interact actively with westerlies during the post-landfall period. However, we cannot observe any analogous interactions with the mid-latitude westerlies in clusters 1 and 2. TCs of clusters 1 and 2 are influenced by summer monsoon flows. Moreover, summer monsoon exerts a greater influence on cluster 1 than cluster 2. The composite 200 hPa divergence of cluster 3 is stronger than that of clusters 1 and 2. This explains to some degree why cluster 3 sustains longer than clusters 1 and 2 after making landfall. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/57035 10.1007/s00382-012-1519-5 Springer restricted |
| spellingShingle | Zhang, W. Leung, Yee-Hong Wang, Y. Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China |
| title | Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China |
| title_full | Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China |
| title_fullStr | Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China |
| title_short | Cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over China |
| title_sort | cluster analysis of post-landfall tracks of landfalling tropical cyclones over china |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/57035 |