Characteristics of tropical cyclones generated in South China Sea and their landfalls over China and Vietnam

Abstract

This study conducted a statistical analysis of the landfalls over China and Vietnam by using the positioning dataset of tropical cyclone (TC) from 1949 to 2014 for 66 years. The climate characteristics of South China Sea-generated tropical cyclones (SCS-G TCs) (105–120°E, 5–20°N) were analyzed; the characteristics that were analyzed include landfall frequency, intensity, average dates of first and last TC in years, landfall site, average latitudes at which the SCS-G TCs land, and time evolution characteristics. Results showed that the annual number of SCS-G TC landfalls over China and Vietnam presented a decreasing linear trend in 66 years from 1949 to 2014. Moreover, the landfall frequency of TCs clearly showed interannual and interdecadal variability. Comparison analysis showed that 152 and 147 landfall occurrences of SCS-G TCs were found over China and Vietnam in 66 years, respectively. The average landfall dates of SCS-G TCs occurred earlier in China than in Vietnam by a month, but both showed normally distributed characteristics and generated source latitude distribution. However, the peak source of landfalls over Vietnam was less than that over China by two latitudes. Furthermore, the largest proportions of SCS-G TCs with landfall occurred over the two countries.