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Tropical cyclone activity and forecasts - June 2005

1. Tropical cyclone activity

1.1 Tropical cyclones ending during the month

  NWP NEP NAT NI SWI AUS TOTAL
Total number ending during the month 1 2 2 0 0 0 5
 
Name Identifier Basin Start Date End Date 1-minute MSW 10-minute MSW
Nesat 04W NWP 30 May 11 June 125 95
Arlene 01L NAT 08 June 12 June 60 -
Beatriz 02E NEP 21 June 24 June 45 -
Calvin 03E NEP 26 June 29 June 45 -
Bret 02L NAT 28 June 30 June 35 -

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)
SWI : South-West Indian (west of 90°E)
AUS : Australian (east of 90°E)

1-minute MSW: Maximum sustained wind (knots) averaged over 1 minute (JTWC Hawaii, NHC Miami, CPHC Hawaii)
10-minute MSW: Maximum sustained wind (knots) averaged over 10 minutes (JMA Japan, Southern Hemisphere RSMCs and TCWCs)

Note: Although 1-minute average winds should be stronger than 10-minute average, this may not be the case here since estimates are obtained from different warning centres.

1.2 Tropical cyclones still active at the end of the month

None

2. FORECAST ERROR STATISTICS

The Met Office global Numerical Weather Prediction model produces a 6-day forecast every 12 hours. The performance of the model in forecasting this month's tropical cyclones is assessed below. Mean error statistics for each storm that ended during the month are presented together with a final
Table of statistics for all storms ending this month. Verification is performed at 24 hour intervals up to forecast time T+120. Some mean error statistics for last year's storms are included for the purposes of a comparison. The present global model has a resolution of 0.83°x 0.55°x 38 levels. This is equivalent to a horizontal resolution of 93km x 62km at the equator.

2.1 Individual Tropical Cyclone Summaries

Name: NESAT Identifier: 04W
Basin: NORTH-WEST PACIFIC
Start date: 30.05.2005 End date: 11.06.2005
1-minute MSW: 125 knots 10-minute MSW: 95 knots

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 23 21 19 17 15 13
Detection Rate (%) 100 100 100 100 100 100
Mean DX 10 -26 -47 -26 89 186
Mean DY 3 -2 -8 -18 -32 -39
Mean AT 0 -21 -54 -42 1 48
Mean CT 3 0 -5 19 73 155
Track skill (%) **** 47 49 51 **** ****
Mean DPE 35 86 191 283 273 419
2004 DPE * 49 134 228 367 498 610
Intensity skill (%) **** 81 68 88 60 85


* DPE for all storms in the 2004 season in the NWP basin

Link to plot A plot of the storm's observed track and forecasts.

Forecasts were very good for Nesat. Track errors were below last season's average and skill scores were high. The recurvature was well forecast as was the northward jolt later in the storm's lifetime.

Name: ARLENE Identifier: 01L
Basin: NORTH ATLANTIC
Start date: 08.06.2005 End date: 12.06.2005
1-minute MSW: 60 knots 10-minute MSW: -

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 5 3 1 0 0 0
Detection Rate (%) 100 100 100 **** **** ****
Mean DX 3 -38 -48 **** **** ****
Mean DY -27 -26 133 **** **** ****
Mean AT -25 -13 135 **** **** ****
Mean CT 0 -41 20 **** **** ****
Track skill (%) **** 80 **** **** **** ****
Mean DPE 60 62 137 **** **** ****
2004 DPE * 51 135 222 296 367 569
Intensity skill (%) **** 33 100 **** **** ****


* DPE for all storms in the 2004 season in the NAT basin

Link to plot A plot of the storm's observed track and forecasts.

Arlene was relatively short-lived, but the forecast track including location of landfall was well predicted.

 

Name: BEATRIZ Identifier: 02E
Basin: NORTH-EAST PACIFIC
Start date: 21.06.2005 End date: 24.06.2005
1-minute MSW: 45 knots 10-minute MSW: -

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 3 1 0 0 0 0
Detection Rate (%) 100 100 **** **** **** ****
Mean DX -4 -43 **** **** **** ****
Mean DY -30 -44 **** **** **** ****
Mean AT -8 16 **** **** **** ****
Mean CT -25 -63 **** **** **** ****
Mean DPE 30 66 **** **** **** ****
2004 DPE * 50 118 188 248 379 481
Intensity skill (%) **** 100 **** **** **** ****


* DPE for all storms in the 2004 season in the NEP basin

Link to plot A plot of the storm's observed track and forecasts.

Just one forecast was verified for this storm. The track forecast error was small.

 

Name: CALVIN Identifier: 03E
Basin: NORTH-EAST PACIFIC
Start date: 26.06.2005 End date: 29.06.2005
1-minute MSW: 45 knots 10-minute MSW: -

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 4 2 0 0 0 0
Detection Rate (%) 100 100 **** **** **** ****
Mean DX 31 155 **** **** **** ****
Mean DY -3 -28 **** **** **** ****
Mean AT -52 -160 **** **** **** ****
Mean CT 34 8 **** **** **** ****
Mean DPE 68 161 **** **** **** ****
2004 DPE * 50 118 188 248 379 481
Intensity skill (%) **** 100 **** **** **** ****


* DPE for all storms in the 2004 season in the NEP basin

Link to plot A plot of the storm's observed track and forecasts.

Just two forecasts were verified for this storm. The forecast error was above last season's average.

 

Name: BRET Identifier: 02L
Basin: NORTH ATLANTIC
Start date: 28.06.2005 End date: 30.06.2005
1-minute MSW: 35 knots 10-minute MSW: -

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 2 0 0 0 0 0
Detection Rate (%) 100 **** **** **** **** ****
Mean DX 37 **** **** **** **** ****
Mean DY 39 **** **** **** **** ****
Mean AT -4 **** **** **** **** ****
Mean CT 55 **** **** **** **** ****
Mean DPE 54 **** **** **** **** ****
2004 DPE * 51 135 222 296 367 569


* DPE for all storms in the 2004 season in the NAT basin

Link to plot A plot of the storm's observed track and forecasts.

No forecasts were verified for Bret which was a short-lived storm.

 

2.2 Summary of all Tropical Cyclones

Mean error statistics for all tropical cyclones (of at least tropical storm strength) which have ended this month are shown below.
Total number of depressions ending this month:- 5
Number of storms used in statistics below:- 5

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 37 27 20 17 15 13
Detection Rate (%) 100 100 100 100 100 100
Mean DX 12 -15 -47 -26 89 186
Mean DY -2 -8 -1 -18 -32 -39
Mean AT -9 -29 -44 -42 1 48
Mean CT 4 -6 -4 19 73 155
Track skill (%) **** 52 49 51 **** ****
Mean DPE 43 88 188 283 273 419
2004 DPE * 52 136 223 335 446 589
Intensity skill (%) **** 78 70 88 60 85


* DPE for all Northern Hemisphere storms in 2004 season
Comments:
Typhoon Nesat made up the bulk of this month's statistics. Overall, track forecast errors were low and skill scores high. There were no significant biases. The overall intensity tendency skill score was 76%.

 

3. TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE DURING 2004-5 SEASON

  SWI AUS TOTAL
Tropical Depressions 1(1) 2(1) 3(2)
Tropical Storms 6(5) 9(6) 15(11)
Hurricanes/Typhoons 4(4) 8(6) 12(11)
Total 11(10) 19(13) 30(24)

( ) The number in brackets indicates the figure for the 2003-4 season. Definitions based on RSMC 10-minute average wind speeds are used.

3.1 Summary of all Southern Hemisphere Storms in 2004-5

Mean error statistics for all Southern Hemisphere storms that occurred in the 2004-5 season are shown below. Only storms that reached tropical storm intensity at the time of a forecast are used in the statistics below.

Total number of tropical cyclones which occurred:- 30

Table of Mean Error Statistics
  T+0 T+24 T+48 T+72 T+96 T+120
Possibly Verified 209 159 117 89 61 42
Detection Rate (%) 100 100 100 100 100 90
Mean DX 0 -25 -82 -139 -157 -143
Mean DY 6 47 51 -13 -54 -55
Mean AT -1 -8 -15 -90 -169 -201
Mean CT 5 3 -25 -77 -93 -51
Skill (%) **** 38 48 54 **** ****
* 2003-4 Skill (%) **** 5 19 25 **** ****
Mean DPE 41 147 237 343 556 746
* 2003-4 DPE 64 161 279 387 462 651
Intensity skill (%) **** 33 25 44 28 5

* Best track figures for all Southern Hemisphere storms in 2003-4.

Comments:
Southern Hemisphere warning centres recorded 30 tropical cyclones in the 2004-5 season. The 2004-5 season was more active than last season, primarily due to greater activity in the Australian region. 12 of the 30 tropical cyclones reached hurricane/typhoon strength.

Link to plot SWI Link to plot Western AUS Link to plot Eastern AUS

The charts show forecast positional errors for the last few seasons. In the South-West Indian basin, forecast errors were similar to recent seasons at lead times up to T+72, but much higher at T+96 and T+120. The latter seems to be primarily due to some very poor longer range forecasts for TC Bento. In the Australian basin forecast errors were lower than last season at all lead times except T+96. Overall, errors were low up to T+72, but high at longer lead times.

Skill scores were very high and the highest ever achieved at T+48 and T+72. Cross track errors showed a right-of-track bias in forecasts, but smaller than previous seasons. Along track errors maintained fairly low values at short lead times.
Intensity tendency skill score averaged for all forecasts was 30% in the 2004-5 Southern Hemisphere season. This compares to the figure of 22% for the 2003-4 season.

A revised Southern Hemisphere summary will be issued once best track data has been collected later in the year.

Forecast positional errors
Link to graph Southern Hemisphere skill.
Link to graph Southern Hemisphere Cross Track errors.
Link to graph Southern Hemisphere Along Track errors.