The effects of orography on cloud and rainfall patterns during typhoon Ketsana (2009)

摘要

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of orography on the rainfall, wind, and cloud systems of the TCs in Malaysia and Indochina. To determine the relationship of the typhoon with the orographic effect, remote sensing techniques such as the Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite, rainfall data from the Fengyun 2D (FY-2D), and radiosonde data were applied in this study. From this study, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) rainfall tends to be distributed over high mountain regions; 2) wind flow will change its direction upon encountering any restrictions, especially those of high terrain regions; and 3) cloud patterns are deformed by high mountains and tend to flow with the mountains' structure because of the orographic effects. The regions most affected by Typhoon Ketsana in the study area were Vietnam in Indochina, Sabah in East Malaysia (EM), Kelantan and Terengganu in Peninsular Malaysia (PM). From the comparison among the study areas, it was found that Indochina had the most significant results for the orographic effects on typhoon activity, followed by the tail effects in EM. This phenomenon was found in PM, although it was not as significant as the other study areas. This remote sensing technique allows tropical cyclones to be forecasted and their impacts to be defined, and it allows disaster zones to be determined.