General description of the retrieved Tropical Cyclone Size Dataset (v3.0)

The satellite analysis dataset of tropical cyclone size (version 3.0) includes 6-hour position, intensity, and size information of all tropical cyclones observed in the Western North Pacific. The position and intensity data of tropical cyclones are derived from the best track data provided by the China Meteorological Administration (https://tcdata.typhoon.org.cn/zjljsjj.html). The size information comprises the maximum wind speed radius, and the wind radii of 34, 50, and 64 kt in the NE, SE, SW, and NW quadrants. The spatial coverage extends north of the equator, west of 180°, and encompasses the South China Sea. The dataset spans from 1981 to 2020.

Details:

Citation

Please indicate that the Tropical Cyclone size data was obtained from “Satellite analysis dataset of tropical cyclone size from the Shanghai Typhoon Institute of the China Meteorological Administration (tcdata.typhoon.org.cn)”, and refer to the following papers in any written work using the dataset:

  • Lu, X., W.-K. Wong, H. Yu, X. Yang, 2022: Tropical cyclone size identification over the Western North Pacific using support vector machine and general regression neural network. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 100(6), 927-941, https://doi.org/10.2151/jmsj.2022-048
  • Xiaoqin Lu, Hui Yu, Xiaoming Yang and Xiaofeng Li, 2017: Estimating Tropical Cyclone Size in the Northwestern Pacific from Geostationary Satellite Infrared Images. Remote Sens. 9: 728. doi:10.3390/rs907072

Dataset Format:

File name format

CHYYYYBST_Experimental_ANN.txt ——

CH: First label of the dataset, denotes CHINA.

YYYY: Four-digit calendar year.

BST: Second label of the dataset, denotes BEST TRACK data.

_Experimental_ANN: indicating that this dataset is a scientific experimental dataset constructed using artificial neural network algorithms.

File Content Format

1) Header record:

Consult the header record description of the CMA Best Path Dataset ;

2)Data record

YYYYMMDDHH
Date and time in UTC: 4-digit year, 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and 2-digit hour.
I
Intensity category according to the Chinese National Standard for Grade of Tropical Cyclones (which has been used since 15 June 2006):
0 –– Weaker than Tropical Depression or unknown intensity;
1 –– Tropical Depression (TD: 10.8–17.1 m/s);
2 –– Tropical Storm (TS:17.2–24.4 m/s);
3 –– Severe Tropical Storm (STS: 24.5–32.6 m/s);
4 –– Typhoon (TY: 32.7–41.4 m/s);
5 –– Severe Typhoon (STY: 41.5–50.9 m/s);
6 –– Super Typhoon (SuperTY: ≥51.0 m/s);
9 –– Extratropical Cyclone (ET) stage.
LAT
Latitude (0.1°N);
LON
Longitude (0.1°E);
PRES
Minimum pressure (hPa) near the TC center.
WND
Two-minute mean maximum sustained wind (MSW; m/s) near the TC center.
WND = 9 indicates MSW ≶ 10 m/s,
WND = 0 indicates unknown intensity.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Three groups of 16 digits from left to right, separated by spaces; Each group consists of 16 digits, with 4 sets of 4 digits indicating the gale wind radii (km) of the 4 quadrants (NE, SE, SW, NW) at 34, 50, and 64 knots, respectively. If strong winds do not reach this intensity level, they are represented as 9999.
RMW
Radius of maximum wind, 4-digit;
SAT
5 characters indicating the satellite used for tropical cyclone size estimation.,including GOES-1~13, Meteosat-2~9, GMS-1~5、MTSAT-1R, MTS-2, and FY2-C/E/G.

Data Download

General description of the retrieved Tropical Cyclone Size Dataset (v2.0)

The retrieved Tropical Cyclone Size Dataset covers tropical cyclones that developed over the western North Pacific and captured by satellites. The basin is to the north of the equator and to the west of 180°E, and includes the South China Sea (SCS).

The present version (2.0) of the dataset includes 6-hourly track, intensity analyses and retrieval size between 1980 and 2016 for TCs with intensities of and above tropical storms (MSW>17.2m/s).

Details:

Citation

Please indicate that the Tropical Cyclone size data was obtained from tcdata.typhoon.org.cn, and refer to the following paper in any written work using the dataset:

  • Xiaoqin Lu, Hui Yu, Xiaoming Yang and Xiaofeng Li, 2017: Estimating Tropical Cyclone Size in the Northwestern Pacific from Geostationary Satellite Infrared Images. Remote Sens. 9: 728. doi:10.3390/rs907072

Data Format

YYYY
4-digit year;
NN
2-digit tropical cyclone serial number, same as the best track dataset "DDDD"
MMDDHH
Date and time in UTC: 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and 2-digit hour.
LAT
Latitude from International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS v03r02: Basin.WP.ibtracs_all.v03r08.csv) integrated with HURSAT.
LONG
Longitude from International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS v03r02: Basin.WP.ibtracs_all.v03r08.csv) integrated with HURSAT.
PRS
Minimum pressure (hPa) near the TC center. It is from International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS v03r02: Basin.WP.ibtracs_all.v03r08.csv) integrated with HURSAT.
WND
The maximum sustained wind (MSW; m/s) near the TC center. It is from International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS v03r02: Basin.WP.ibtracs_all.v03r08.csv) integrated with HURSAT.
SiR34
The radius (km) of 34kt (i.e., TC size).
SATSer
Satellite serious used in this retrieval. Including GOES-1 to 13, Meteosat-2 to 9, GMS-1 to 5、MTSAT-1R, MTS-2 and FY2-C/E.

Data Download

Updates and downloads:

Recently updated: Mar., 2024

Since Nov., 2020, the total number of downloads:

Statement
  • This website provides tropical cyclone related data in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China and meteorological data sharing provisions. The data of this website is for research reference only and shall not be used for commercial purposes. China Meteorological Administration, Shanghai Typhoon Institute and the website are not responsible for any loss caused by the use (or inability to use) of the data of this website.