Tropical cyclone forecast verification - northern hemisphere 2016
A summary of tropical cyclone activity in the Northern Hemisphere for the 2016 season together with an assessment of the performance of the Met Office global model in predicting the track and intensity of these tropical cyclones.
1. Introduction
A summary of tropical cyclone activity in the Northern Hemisphere for the 2016 season is presented below together with an assessment of the performance of the Met Office global model in predicting the track and intensity of these tropical cyclones.
Tropical cyclones are experienced in the North Pacific, North Atlantic and North Indian Oceans and nearby tropical seas. For the purpose of tropical cyclone verification the northern hemisphere is divided in to four basins; the North-West Pacific (west of 180° E to the Malay Peninsula), the North-East Pacific (east of 180° E), the North Atlantic and the North Indian Ocean (west of the Malay Peninsula). Mean error statistics for each basin are presented together with a table of statistics for the whole Northern Hemisphere. Verification is performed at 12-hour intervals up to forecast time T+168, although statistics are only presented at 24-hour intervals in this report. The global model resolution in operation was 0.234375° x 0.15625° x 70 levels. This is equivalent to a horizontal resolution of 26 km × 17 km at the equator.
Tropical cyclone forecast verification - measures of error
Advisory positions received in real time from RSMC Tokyo, JTWC Hawaii, NHC Miami and CPHC Honolulu are used as verifying observations of storm location. Best track data from these centres will be obtained once they become available. Past experience shows that use of best track rather than real time data usually only makes minor differences to seasonal error statistics. Some mean error statistics for last season are also included for the purposes of a comparison. Forecast tracks are only verified when a depression reaches tropical storm status.
2. Tropical cyclone activity
| NWP | NEP | NAT | NI | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical depressions (<34 knots) | 7 (3) | 1 (5) | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 9 (9) |
| Tropical storms (34-63 knots) | 11 (7) | 8 (9) | 8 (7) | 4 (3) | 31 (26) |
| Hurricanes/typhoons (>63 knots) | 13 (19) | 13 (17) | 7 (4) | 1 (2) | 34 (42) |
| Total | 31 (29) | 22 (31) | 16 (12) | 5 (5) | 74 (77) |
Categories assigned based on 1-minute averaged winds
Basin name abbreviations:NWP : North-west Pacific (west of 180° E)
NEP : North-east Pacific (east of 180° E)
NAT : North Atlantic
NI : North Indian (west of Malay Peninsula)
The number in brackets indicates the figure for the 2015 season.
3. Summary of all northern hemisphere storms
3.1 North-west Pacific basin storms
| T+0 | T+24 | T+48 | T+72 | T+96 | T+120 | T+144 | T+168 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possibly verified | 221 | 174 | 132 | 94 | 62 | 39 | 21 | 15 |
| Detection rate (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 93 |
| AT error (km) | -3 | -12 | -27 | -73 | -71 | -102 | -275 | -488 |
| CT error (km) | -6 | -8 | -23 | -30 | 20 | 54 | 84 | 76 |
| Track skill (%) | ***** | 65 | 71 | 69 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| * 2015 skill (%) | ***** | 56 | 64 | 66 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| DPE (km) | 41 | 72 | 133 | 222 | 296 | 422 | 568 | 841 |
| * 2015 DPE (km) | 38 | 77 | 125 | 183 | 246 | 326 | 422 | 564 |
| Central pressure bias (mb) | 14.4 | 16.9 | 17.5 | 15.5 | 10.1 | 4.5 | 6.1 | 4.9 |
* DPE and skill for all north-west Pacific storms in 2015 season
Plot of the observed tracks of all storms in the north-west Pacific basin
Track forecast errors in the north-west Pacific basin
Track forecast skill in the north-west Pacific basin
2016 saw a similar number of tropical cyclones to 2015, although fewer at the higher end of the intensity scale. Track forecast errors were mostly a little higher than last season's values, particularly at longer lead times. However, skill against CLIPER was at its highest values ever achieved. There was a weak bias at short lead times which reduced with increasing lead time.
3.2 North-east Pacific basin storms
| T+0 | T+24 | T+48 | T+72 | T+96 | T+120 | T+144 | T+168 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possibly verified | 216 | 174 | 135 | 103 | 77 | 54 | 37 | 24 |
| Detection rate (%) | 100 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 92 | 96 |
| AT error (km) | 9 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 35 | 19 | 52 | 6 |
| CT error (km) | -4 | -9 | -19 | -25 | -13 | 7 | -17 | -39 |
| Track skill (%) | ***** | 66 | 75 | 66 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| * 2015 skill (%) | ***** | 47 | 60 | 62 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| DPE (km) | 35 | 75 | 115 | 163 | 213 | 281 | 313 | 414 |
| * 2015 DPE (km) | 39 | 80 | 134 | 206 | 244 | 301 | 383 | 444 |
| Central pressure bias (mb) | 6.7 | 9.0 | 10.8 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.6 |
* DPE and skill for all north-east Pacific storms in 2015 season
Plot of the observed tracks of all storms in the north-east Pacific basin
Track forecast errors in the north-east Pacific basin
Track forecast skill in the north-east Pacific basin
Despite being an active season, 2016 was quieter than the exceptionally active 2015. Track forecast errors were at their lowest ever recorded at nearly all lead times. Skill scores against CLIPER were higher than last season. There was a weak bias at all lead times.
3.3 North Atlantic basin storms
| T+0 | T+24 | T+48 | T+72 | T+96 | T+120 | T+144 | T+168 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possibly verified | 160 | 129 | 103 | 81 | 64 | 53 | 46 | 36 |
| Detection rate (%) | 100 | 98 | 96 | 96 | 98 | 100 | 93 | 94 |
| AT error (km) | -2 | -7 | -6 | -25 | -53 | -39 | -105 | -39 |
| CT error (km) | 1 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 12 | 5 | -36 | -83 |
| Track skill (%) | ***** | 66 | 76 | 76 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| * 2015 skill (%) | ***** | 65 | 71 | 69 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| DPE (km) | 29 | 70 | 105 | 152 | 239 | 353 | 438 | 536 |
| * 2015 DPE (km) | 30 | 71 | 133 | 208 | 386 | 673 | 921 | 1548 |
| Central pressure bias (mb) | 4.6 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 2.0 | 0.8 | -3.5 | -5.7 |
* DPE and skill for all North Atlantic storms in 2015 season
Plot of the observed tracks of all storms in the North Atlantic basin
Track forecast errors in the North Atlantic basin
Track forecast skill in the North Atlantic basin
2016 saw higher levels of activity than 2015. Track forecast errors were at their lowest ever at short lead times and at longer lead times were much lower than last year's large values. Skill scores against CLIPER were higher than last season's values. There was a weak bias at short lead times which reversed to a strong bias at the longest lead times. The model was particularly skilful at predicting the most noteworthy tropical cyclone of the season, Hurricane Matthew.
3.4 North Indian Basin Storms
| T+0 | T+24 | T+48 | T+72 | T+96 | T+120 | T+144 | T+168 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possibly verified | 29 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Detection rate (%) | 100 | 95 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | ***** | ***** |
| AT error (km) | -11 | -23 | -20 | -65 | -46 | -270 | ***** | ***** |
| CT error (km) | -3 | 27 | 78 | 148 | 194 | 136 | ***** | ***** |
| Track skill (%) | ***** | 58 | 69 | 59 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| * 2015 skill (%) | ***** | 35 | 61 | 63 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| DPE (km) | 41 | 87 | 125 | 184 | 202 | 303 | ***** | ***** |
| * 2015 DPE (km) | 42 | 77 | 114 | 165 | 218 | 138 | ***** | ***** |
| Central pressure bias (mb) | -2.1 | -2.8 | -2.7 | -1.5 | 12.0 | 9.0 | ***** | ***** |
* DPE and skill for all North Indian storms in 2015 season
Plot of the observed tracks of all storms in the North Indian basin
Track forecast errors in the North Indian basin
Track forecast skill in the North Indian basin
Cyclone activity was similar to 2015. Track forecast errors were mostly a little higher than last season, although skill scores against CLIPER were mostly higher. At short lead times there was a small negative (strong) bias in forecast central pressure.
3.5 Combined statistics for whole northern hemisphere
| T+0 | T+24 | T+48 | T+72 | T+96 | T+120 | T+144 | T+168 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possibly verified | 626 | 496 | 380 | 284 | 206 | 147 | 104 | 75 |
| Detection rate (%) | 100 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 94 | 95 |
| AT error (km) | 1 | -1 | -4 | -23 | -26 | -37 | -87 | -113 |
| CT error (km) | -4 | -5 | -12 | -11 | 8 | 20 | -4 | -38 |
| Track skill (%) | ***** | 65 | 74 | 70 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| * 2015 skill (%) | ***** | 54 | 63 | 65 | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** |
| DPE (km) | 36 | 73 | 119 | 180 | 246 | 346 | 422 | 557 |
| * 2015 DPE (km) | 38 | 77 | 129 | 192 | 254 | 334 | 427 | 545 |
| Central pressure bias (mb) | 6.8 | 9.2 | 10.7 | 9.7 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 3.4 | 1.6 |
* DPE and skill for all northern hemisphere storms in 2015 season
Northern hemisphere activity was a little lower than last year with fewer intense tropical cyclones in particular.
Track forecast errors were the lowest ever achieved up to 96 hours and close to the values of the last two seasons at longer lead times. Skill scores against CLIPER were the highest ever achieved. Hence, the large improvement in performance seen since the 2014 has continued and has been built upon. Cross track errors were mostly small, although larger than last season. There was a slight slow bias at longer lead times. Detection percentages were high.
Track forecast errors for the whole northern hemisphere
Track forecast skill for the whole northern hemisphere
Cross-track errors for the whole northern hemisphere
Along-track errors for the whole northern hemisphere
With this season's track forecast errors at similar or lower values to the last two seasons, the five-year running mean of track forecast errors shows a continued acceleration of the long term downwards trend.
Five-year running mean track forecast errors for the whole northern hemisphere
There were slight increases in the the mean bias in central pressure and 10m wind compared to 2015. However, the biases were still mostly lower than those seen in earlier years.
Central pressure forecast bias for the whole northern hemisphere
Peak 10m wind forecast bias for the whole northern hemisphere
4. Further tropical cyclone information
The Met Office tropical cyclone web pages contain information on tropical cyclone forecasting at the Met Office. Monthly updates of tropical cyclone activity and forecasts are made, together with observed and forecast information of recent storms, track and intensity prediction error statistics, lists of names and real time tropical cyclone forecast guidance.
For further information on tropical cyclone forecasting email the Met Office.
