Impact of the Madden–Julian Oscillation on Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclogenesis Associated with Large-Scale Patterns

• Published in: Journal of applied meteorology and climatology 2015-07, Vol.54 (7), p.1413-1429
• Main Authors: Zhao, Haikun, Yoshida, Ryuji, Raga, G. B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anomalies; Basins; Climatology; Cyclogenesis; Cyclones; Easterly waves; Environmental changes; Environmental factors; Genuine progress indicator; Humidity; Madden-Julian Oscillation; Meteorology; Meteors; Monsoons; Oscillation; Rain; Relative humidity; Relative vorticity; Seasonal variations; Shear lines; Studies; Tropical cyclogenesis; Vertical wind shear; Vorticity; Wave power; Wind shear
• ISSN: 1558-8424; 1558-8432
• DOI: 10.1175/JAMC-D-14-0254.1

The intraseasonal variability of tropical cyclogenesis in the western North Pacific (WNP) basin is explored in this study. The relation of cyclogenesis in each of the five large-scale patterns identified in recent work by Yoshida and Ishikawa is associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). Confirming previous results, more events of cyclogenesis are found during the active MJO phase in the WNP. Furthermore, results indicate that most of the tropical cyclogenesis is associated with the monsoon shear line large-scale pattern during the active phase. The genesis potential index (GPI) and its individual components are used to evaluate the environmental factors that most contribute toward cyclogenesis under the different phases of the MJO. GPI exhibits a large positive anomaly during the active phase of the MJO, and such an anomaly is spatially correlated with the events of cyclogenesis. The analysis of each factor indicates that low-level relative vorticity and midlevel relative humidity are the two dominant contributors to the MJO-composited GPI anomalies. The positive GPI anomalies during the active phase are partially offset by the negative contributions from vertical wind shear and potential intensity. This is valid for all five large-scale patterns. It is noteworthy that the easterly wave (EW) large-scale pattern, while exhibiting the same influence of relative vorticity and midlevel humidity contributing toward positive GPI anomalies, presents slightly more cyclogenesis events under the inactive phase of the MJO. This unexpected result suggests that other factors not included in the definition of the GPI and/or changes in environmental flows on other time scales contribute to the tropical cyclogenesis associated with the EW large-scale pattern.