A Comparative Study on Wind Profiles and Surface Aerodynamic Parameters of Typhoons Over Coastland and Coastal Sea

Abstract

AbstractUnderstanding the aerodynamic characteristics of landfalling typhoons is of great importance for both wind engineering and meteorology. This study comparatively investigated the near‐surface wind profiles and aerodynamic parameters over coastland and coastal sea areas using typhoon observational data collected by Doppler wind lidars and wind tower anemometers during the passage of 15 typhoons that made landfall over China during 2009–2020. Specifically, the three surface aerodynamic parameters of roughness length, friction velocity, and drag coefficient (Cd) were obtained using the logarithmic law wind profile method. Results showed that the near‐surface wind profiles became much closer to the power law wind profile with increase in wind speed. The values of roughness length and friction velocity over the coastal sea were found to exceed those over coastland areas when the 10‐m wind speed (U(10)) was larger than 18 m s−1. The critical wind speed at which Cd peaks over the coastal sea was found to be 24 m s−1. There are two peaks in the variation of Cd with U(10) under the condition of onshore wind over the sea, which has never been reported in previous observational studies. Finally, a formula for Cd was proposed to describe the variation in Cd with U(10) under the condition of onshore wind over land, which is expected to be applied in the typhoon surface layer scheme to improve numerical simulation of landfalling typhoons.