The role of surface heat fluxes on the size of Typhoon Megi (2016)

The Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (ARW-WRF) Model (version 3.5.1) is used to simulate Typhoon Megi (2016). A series of numerical experiments are carried out, including a control simulation and several sensitivity experiments with surface heat fluxes suppressed in different TC regions [to mimic the reduction of the wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) feedback in the inner and/or outer core].

The results show that with surface heat fluxes suppressed in the entire domain, the TC tends to be smaller. Meanwhile, the TC size is more sensitive to the surface heat flux change in the outer core than to that in the inner core. Suppressing surface heat fluxes can weaken the rainbands around the suppressed area, which in turn slows down the secondary circulation.