ATMOSPHERIC WATER-BALANCE IN TYPHOON NINA AS DETERMINED FROM SSM/I SATELLITE DATA

Precipitation, cloud water amount and phase, and water vapor amount are very important parameters in understanding the development of typhoons and their influence on the atmosphere and ocean. In this paper, we investigate the atmospheric water balance of Typhoon Nina, which formed near (5-degrees-N, 160-degrees-E) on November 18, 1987 and moved northwestward during its development. Water vapor path, liquid water path, ice index, and precipitation amount are determined in the vicinity of the typhoon using data from the SSM/I (Special Sensor Microwave/Imager). The water balance of the typhoon cloud is then examined during its different development stages. An ice index is derived using SSM/I data that is used to investigate the overall ratio of ice/liquid water change of the typhoon during its development. By comparing the ice/water ratio of different mesoscale convective cells in the typhoon, attempts are made to interpret the different cloud structures and development stages of individual mesoscale cloud cells relative to their position from the typhoon center. It is found that the atmospheric water budget in the typhoon is mainly balanced by horizontal transport of water vapor into the region, evaporation from the ocean and precipitation. Of the two source terms, horizontal transport plays the major role with a contribution of more than 65% in all storm stages for 1-degree radial area or larger. In addition, the horizontal transport of water vapor seems to occur through several ''bands'' instead of uniform convergence. Mesoscale convective cells, which may consist of several cumulonimbus clouds in each, develop in the bands, with convectively more active cells occurring upwind and the dissipating one downwind. It is also found that the maximum latent heat release precedes the maximum storm intensity.