Asymmetry in TPARC Invest
As the West Pacific is fairly quiet, it is worth looking and some smaller features and at least examine connections between the surface and the atmosphere aloft.
Here is an IR image with upper-level AMVs and divergence contoured above it from 13z on 13 August, 2008 of TCS invest 014.
IR image, upper-level AMVs and upper-level divergence for TCS invest 014. The strongest convection and divergence lie on the eastern side of the invest.
The strongest convection, outflow and divergence seem to be to the east. What’s causing this asymmetry? One possibility is to look at the Ocean Heat Content product:
Ocean Heat Content for TCS invest 014, valid 12Z 2008, August 13th. As seen in the image, the ocean surface may be fueling this asymmetry.
A more difficult question to answer is whether the divergence is a reaction to the intensification from the ocean surface, or whether the divergence helps intensify the storm. It’s a question that will hopefully be addressed with some research from this experiment.
Tags: TCS 014