A Study on Typhoon-Induced Rainfalls over Beijing: Statistics and Case Analysis

Based on the Shanghai Typhoon Institute (STI) Typhoon Year Book and typhoon precipitation data, Japan Meteorological Agency satellite TBB data, and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data, the climatic characteristics of rainfalls in Beijing associated with typhoons were analyzed for the period 1949–2006, and two typhoon cases with remarkable differences in rainfall intensity over Beijing were compared and diagnosed. The 58-yr statistical results show that rainfall events associated with typhoons occurred in Beijing about once every three years during June–September. These typhoons were mainly active in the region 20?–50?N, 109?–128?E and most of them moved northwestward while the others turned to the northeast. The typhoon rainfall over Beijing in general sustained for 2–5 days. Typhoon centers were usually located in the areas from Jiangxi to Anhui, the Yellow Sea, or near Beijing, when rainstorms occurred over Beijing. Case study indicates that the 2-day torrential rainfall event that happened in Beijing in 1984 was due to the interaction between Typhoon Freda (8407) and a westerly trough, while only a medium-strength rainfall event occurred in Beijing in 2005 in spite of the dominating cyclonic circulation of Typhoon Matsa (0509) directly over Beijing. It is found that both Freda and Matsa underwent extratropical transition and possessed an asymmetric structure. The rainfall difference was caused by the fact that Beijing was located in different convective development areas of the two typhoons. On the other hand, the lifting conditions were different although plentiful atmospheric moisture and convective unstable energy existed over Beijing during both events. The ascending motion of warm southerly in Beijing was stronger and deeper and a larger vertical wind shear was associated with Typhoon Freda. However, the lifting of water vapor was restrained by the descending motion of northerly cold airflow in Beijing under the impact of Typhoon Matsa. Besides, it is also found that topography played an important role in the typhoon rainfall over Beijing.