Genesis of tropical cyclone Nargis revealed by multiple satellite observations
Abstract
Tropical cyclone (TC) Nargis recently battered Myanmar on May 2 2008 is one of the most deadly tropical storms in history. Nargis was initiated by an abnormally strong intraseasonal westerly event associated with Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) in the eastern Indian Ocean. An incipient cyclonic disturbance emerged as an emanation of Rossby wave-induced vortex when the intraseasonal convective anomaly reached the Maritime Continent. The northeastward movement of MJO convection facilitated further development of the disturbance. The incipient disturbance became a tropical disturbance (TD) with a central warm-core structure on April 26. The further development from the TD to TC formation on April 28 is characterized by two distinctive stages: a radial contraction followed by a rapid intensification. The processes responsible for contraction and rapid intensification are discussed by diagnosis of multiple satellite data. This proposed new scenario is instrumental for understanding how a major TC develops in the northern Indian Ocean.
- Publication:
-
Geophysical Research Letters
- Pub Date:
- March 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1029/2009GL037296
- Bibcode:
- 2009GeoRL..36.6811K
- Keywords:
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- Atmospheric Processes: Tropical meteorology;
- Atmospheric Processes: Precipitation (1854);
- Atmospheric Processes: Convective processes