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The role of baroclinic waves in the initiation of tropical cyclones across the southern Indian Ocean

2012; Wiley; Volume: 13; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/asl.369

1530-261X

Billy Payne, John Methven,

Ocean Waves and Remote Sensing

Abstract Cases where tropical storms are initiated simultaneously along one latitude are investigated. It is argued that such structure arises as part of a baroclinic wave. A case from February 2008 is examined using European Centre for Medium‐Range Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses; the birth of three tropical cyclones in the low‐level cyclonic regions to the east of upper‐level troughs suggests that the wave was instrumental for initiation. Archived satellite imagery and storm warnings reveal that baroclinic waves over the southern Indian Ocean accompany tropical cyclogenesis twice a season on average, mainly in late summer, when breaking Rossby waves on the subtropical westerly jet are closest to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society