Observed decadal shifts and trends in global tropical cyclone activities from 1980 to 2021

Abstract

This study investigates the variability of annual tropical cyclone (TC) frequency and intensity over six major ocean basins from 1980 to 2021. Statistical change-point and trend analyses were performed on the TC time series to detect significant decadal variation in TC activities. In the middle of the last decade of the 20th century, the frequency of TC genesis in the North Atlantic basin (NA) and North Indian Ocean (NIO) increased dramatically. In contrast, the frequency in the western North Pacific (WNP) decreased significantly at the end of the century. The other three basins—the East Pacific, southern Indian, and South Pacific—all experienced a declining trend in annual TC frequency. Over recent decades, the average TC intensity has decreased in the East Pacific and the NA, whereas it has risen in the other ocean basins. Specifically, from 2013 to 2021, the average peak TC intensity in the NIO has enhanced significantly. The magnitude of the Genesis Potential Index exhibits fluctuation that is consistent with large-scale parameters in the NIO, NA, and WNP, emphasizing the enhancing and declining trends in TCs. In addition, a trend and correlation analysis of the averaged large-scale characteristics with TCs revealed significant associations between the vertical wind shear and TC frequency over the NIO, NA, and WNP. Therefore, global TC trends and decadal variations associated with environmental parameters deserve further investigation in the future, mainly linked to the significant climate modes.摘要研究发现在1980–2021期间全球6个海域每年热带气旋的发生频次和强度具有显著年代际变化规律, 最近几十年, 北大西洋和北印度洋的热带气旋发生频次明显增加, 但西北太平洋的热带气旋却显著下降. 另外三个海域, 东太平洋, 南印度洋和南太平洋发现所生成的热带气旋有减少趋势. 但在过去十几年, 平均热带气旋的强度除了在东太平洋和北大西洋有所减弱但在其他几个海域有所加强, 特别是在 2013–2021期间, 北印度洋的平均热带气旋的强度增强明显. 热带气旋的潜在生成指数 (GPI) 增加或减少趋势变化与北印度洋, 北大西洋和西太平洋热带气旋变化相关的大尺度环流一致. 另外, 北印度洋, 北大西洋和西太平洋上空的垂直风切变是影响其区域热带气旋发生频次变化的主要因子, 不同的气候模态也可能对全球热带气旋的趋势变化和年代际变化有影响, 值得进一步研究.