Asymmetric Structures in a Simulated Landfalling Hurricane

Abstract

Highly asymmetric structures in a landfalling hurricane can lead to the formation of heavy rains, wind gusts, and tornados at prefered locations relative to the center of the hurricane. In this study, the development of asymmetric structures in an explicitly simulated idealized hurricane during landfall was investigated. It was found that the boundary layer friction and its associated convection produce a low-level positive potential vorticity (PV) band ahead of the hurricane. The interaction between the PV band and the eyewall PV ring leads to a temporary weakening and reintensifying cycle. Asymmetric structures arise from the near discontinuity of the surface friction and the latent heat flux. The breaking of the eyewall in the rear quadrants is favorable for the intrusion of the low moist entropy air into the core. Consequently, PV increases significantly in the core, in and just above the boundary layer due to the stabilization. After the hurricane makes landfall, the diabatic heating in the eyewall is reduced and cannot generate enough PV to maintain the PV ring in the middle and upper troposphere. The PV ring evolves into a monopolar structure through the nonlinear mixing process. The Eliassen?Palm (EP) flux and its divergence in the Eulerian mean equations in isentropic coordinates are applied to explore the wave dynamics and wave?mean flow interactions. The vortex Rossby wave?related eddy momentum and heat transports, indicated by the EP flux, vary as a response to the evolution of the PV structure. The wave?mean flow interaction has a significant effect on the tangential wind, which is dominated by the mean circulation, especially the symmetric diabatic heating. Together with the asymmetric diabatic heating, the waves tend to counteract the effect of the mean circulation.