Simulation of hurricane-type vortices in a general circulation model.

Abstract

A study of intense hurricane-type vortices in the ECMWF operational model is reported. These vortices develop around day 4 in the forecast and occur in the tropical belt in areas and at times where intense tropical cyclones normally occur. The life time of the vortices and their 3-dimensional structure agree in some fundamental ways with observations although, because of the resolution, the systems are less intense than the observed ones. The general large-scale conditions for active and inactive cyclone-periods are discussed. -from Authors