An Operational Rapid Intensification Prediction Aid for the Western North Pacific

Abstract

Abstract This work describes tropical cyclone rapid intensification forecast aids designed for the western North Pacific tropical cyclone basin and for use at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Two statistical methods, linear discriminant analysis and logistic regression, are used to create probabilistic forecasts for seven intensification thresholds including 25-, 30-, 35-, and 40-kt changes in 24 h, 45- and 55-kt in 36 h, and 70-kt in 48 h (1 kt = 0.514 m s−1). These forecast probabilities are further used to create an equally weighted probability consensus that is then used to trigger deterministic forecasts equal to the intensification thresholds once the probability in the consensus reaches 40%. These deterministic forecasts are incorporated into an operational intensity consensus forecast as additional members, resulting in an improved intensity consensus for these important and difficult to predict cases. Development of these methods is based on the 2000–15 typhoon seasons, and independent performance is assessed using the 2016 and 2017 typhoon seasons. In many cases, the probabilities have skill relative to climatology and adding the rapid intensification deterministic aids to the operational intensity consensus significantly reduces the negative forecast biases.