On the realism of tropical cyclone intensification in global storm-resolving climate models

Baker, A. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2697-1350, Vannière, B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8600-400X and Vidale, P. L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1800-8460 (2024) On the realism of tropical cyclone intensification in global storm-resolving climate models. Geophysical Research Letters, 51 (17). e2024GL109841. ISSN 0094-8276 doi: 10.1029/2024GL109841

Abstract/Summary

The physical processes governing a tropical cyclone's lifecycle are largely understood, but key processes occur at scales below those resolved by global climate models. Increased resolution may help simulate realistic tropical cyclone intensification. We examined fully coupled, global storm-resolving models run at resolutions in the range 28–2.8 km in the atmosphere and 28–5 km in the ocean. Simulated tropical cyclone activity, peak intensity, intensification rate, and horizontal wind structure are all more realistic at a resolution of ∼5 km compared with coarser resolutions. Rapid intensification, which is absent at typical climate model resolutions, is also captured, and exhibits sensitivity to how, and if, deep convection is parameterized. Additionally, the observed decrease in inner-core horizontal size with increasing intensification rate is captured at storm-resolving resolution. These findings highlight the importance of global storm-resolving models for quantifying risk and understanding the role of intense tropical cyclones in the climate system.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/117918
Identification Number/DOI	10.1029/2024GL109841
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > NCAS Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
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