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- Title
Variations in the Intensity and Spatial Extent of Tropical Cyclone Precipitation.
- Authors
Touma, Danielle; Stevenson, Samantha; Camargo, Suzana J.; Horton, Daniel E.; Diffenbaugh, Noah S.
- Abstract
The intensity and spatial extent of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) often shapes the risk posed by landfalling storms. Here we provide a comprehensive climatology of landfalling TCP characteristics as a function of tropical cyclone strength, using daily precipitation station data and Atlantic U.S. landfalling tropical cyclone tracks from 1900 to 2017. We analyze the intensity and spatial extent of ≥1 mm/day TCP (Z1) and ≥50 mm/day TCP (Z50) over land. We show that the highest median intensity and largest median spatial extent of Z1 and Z50 occur for major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical storms, indicating greater flood risk despite weaker wind speeds. We also find some signs of TCP change in recent decades. In particular, for major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical storms, Z50 intensity has significantly increased, indicating possible increases in flood risk to coastal communities in more recent years. Plain Language Summary: Heavy and widespread rainfall during landfalling tropical cyclones can cause severe damage and large financial losses. Here we investigate the differences in rainfall along tracks of tropical cyclones of different intensities. To do this, we examine the tracks of Atlantic tropical cyclones that made landfall in the southeastern and eastern United States during the 20th century. Across all major hurricanes, the largest areas and heaviest intensities of rainfall over land occur after they have weakened to tropical storms. These major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical storms also have heavier rainfall over land during the most recent six decades compared to the first six decades of our study period. Our findings indicate that after landfall occurs, the greatest risks of heavy and widespread rainfall are associated with major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical storms and that these risks may have grown in the past century. Key Points: Precipitation extent and intensity vary strongly among categories of tropical cyclonesThe largest extents and heaviest intensities of overall rainfall over land occur for major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical stormsHeavy precipitation has significantly increased between 1900–1957 and 1958–2017 for major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical storms
- Subjects
TROPICAL cyclones; METEOROLOGICAL precipitation; STORMS; FLOOD risk; RAINFALL
- Publication
Geophysical Research Letters, 2019, Vol 46, Issue 23, p13992
- ISSN
0094-8276
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2019GL083452