This study investigates the contributions of incipient vortex circulation and midlevel moisture to tropical cyclone (TC) expansion within an idealized numerical modeling framework. We find that the incipient vortex circulation places the primary constraint on TC expansion. Increasing the midlevel moisture further promotes expansion but mostly expedites the intensification process. The expansion rate for initially large vortices exhibits a stronger response to increasing the midlevel moisture compared to initially small vortices. Previous studies have noted a proclivity for relatively small TCs to stay small and relatively large TCs to stay large; that is, TCs possess a sort of “memory” with respect to their incipient circulation. We reproduce this finding with an independent modeling framework and further demonstrate that an initially large vortex can expand more quickly than its relatively smaller counterpart; therefore, with all other factors contributing to expansion held constant, the contrast in size between the two vortices will
- Award ID(s):
- 1912130
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10250123
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences
- Volume:
- 77
- Issue:
- 8
- ISSN:
- 0022-4928
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 2847 to 2863
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1175/JAS-D-20-0021.1
