Inter-comparison of climatological TC winds and pressures in the Western North Pacific

The activity of typhoons in the western North Pacific Ocean has come under scrutiny after reports of both increasing and decreasing activity. However, these analyses have thus far depended upon reported winds, which have large ranges in uncertainty depending on how the wind speed was estiamted. Minimum central pressure has primarily been estimated in a consistent manner during the period of aircraft reconnaissance (1945-1987) and then using satellite data afterward (1988 to present). As an extension of previous work, this analysis will use current wind pressure relationships to estimate typhoon winds from analyzed pressure data. Measures of typhoon activity (e.g., ACE or PDI) based on pressure show more agreement between agencies. Furthermore, the analysis also shows temporal differences from the more traditional wind-based measures of activity. The result is a new time series of activity. However, a period in the 1990s is still not easily reconciled between agencies.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and findings contained in this manuscript are those of the authors and should not be construed as an official National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or U.S. government position, policy, or decision.