Simulation of Tropical Cyclone ‘Phailin’ Using WRF Modeling System

Abstract

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the most devasting and deadliest meteorological phenomena worldwide. This devastation is mainly due to torrential rains, high winds and associated storm surges (Mohapatra et al. Nat Hazard 63(3). doi: 10.1007/s11069-011-9891-8, 2012, J Earth Syst Sci 124:861–874. doi: 10.1007/s12040-015-0581-x, 2015). The TC genesis has been attributed to both thermodynamic and dynamical factors. Palmen (Geophysica 3:26–38, 1948) showed that TCs form over regions where sea surface temperature (SST) is greater than 26 °C. In addition to SST, other important factors for genesis of TCs are: large Coriolis force (LCF), high low-level relative vorticity, weak vertical wind shear, moisture in the middle troposphere and convective instability. In the regions, moist convection dominates the process of transporting mass, energy, and momentum through the atmosphere. On longer timescales, the large-scale environment can influence and control the mesoscale organisation and activities. The long chain of multi-scale interactions of physical parameters is challenging task to handle in the numerical models of weather systems and hence, genesis of TCs is a particular example that has motivated the present study.