The Tropical Cyclone Yearbook collates information and data related to the western North Pacific tropical cyclones. In particular, it includes an annual overview of tropical cyclone activity, tropical cyclone tracks, satellite imagery, the evolution of severe wind areas, the distribution of TC-induced severe wind and windy days, the distribution of TC-induced precipitation and rainy days, best track data, and disaster data. The CD version of the Tropical Cyclone Yearbook has also been available since 2001. The time zone used in the yearbooks is Beijing Time (BJT; i.e., GMT+8). In its current format, the Tropical Cyclone Yearbook includes:

(1) An annual overview and statistics related to tropical cyclone activity.

(2) Tropical cyclone best track data:

• the central pressure is the minimum sea level pressure (SLP) near the tropical cyclone center;
• the maximum wind speed is the near surface maximum sustained speed near the tropical cyclone center;
• the triangle marker (△) denotes the transition from a tropical cyclone to an extratropical cyclone.

(3) List of the names of tropical cyclones for the year.

• The first location of the best track may not necessarily be the genesis location of a tropical cyclone due to insufficient data and imperfect analysis techniques.
• Tropical cyclone landfalling locations may be a county, or a region spanning more than one county. Among the coastal islands of China, only Taiwan, the Zhoushan Archipelago, Hong Kong, Hainan, and Chongming are treated as landfalling locations. Data are listed in chronological order when a tropical cyclone makes landfall on China more than once.
• The recurving TCs are divided into five classes:

• (a) west: TCs that recurve at longitudes of 120°–125°E;

  (b) middle: TCs that recurve at longitudes of 125°–140°E;

  (c) east: TCs that recurve at longitudes to the east of 140°E;

  (d) SCS: TCs that recurve over the SCS; and

  (e) landfalling: TCs that recurve over the land area of China.

(4) Distribution of tropical cyclone precipitation.

• Includes precipitation induced by tropical cyclones and the interaction of tropical cyclones with other weather systems.
• The daily storm precipitation distribution of a particular tropical cyclone is based on the precipitation recorded from the previous day at 2000 BJT (i.e., 1200 UTC) to 2000 BJT on the day in question.
• The total storm precipitation of a particular tropical cyclone is calculated as the total precipitation observed during the influence of the cyclone over China. The contours of the precipitation are in general 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mm, and the maximum amounts of precipitation are stated.
• Tropical cyclone rainy days are based on stations with total storm precipitation of > 10 mm.
• The amount of tropical cyclone-induced precipitation recorded on the various islands around China is indicated.

(5) Distribution of tropical cyclone severe wind.

• Includes severe wind induced by tropical cyclones and the interaction of tropical cyclones with other weather systems.
• The evolution of a tropical cyclone severe-wind region is based on observations from islands and the ocean surface wind analysis derived from satellite data (i.e., QuikSCAT, TRMM, etc.). The number labeled in the plot is the date and time, the dotted line denotes wind of Beaufort Scale 6, the dashed line denotes wind of Beaufort Scale 8, and the solid line denotes wind of Beaufort Scale 10.

(6) Tropical cyclone disasters.

• Cited from the bulletin and data issued by the Disaster Reduction Center and various local institutions of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the P. R. China.
• Cited from the proceedings of the Typhoon and Marine Meteorology Expert Team Meeting.
• Cited from the Climate Impact Assessment of China issued by the National Climate Center of the China Meteorological Administration.
• Cited from the Marine Disaster Bulletin of China issued by the State Oceanic Administration of P. R. China.

(7) Satellite imagery.

• Data provided by the National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration.

(8) Plot of 500 hPa geopotential height.

• Data from NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis (Kalnay et al., 1996).

According to the Chinese National Standard for Grade of Tropical Cyclones, the intensity categories used in the yearbooks are as follows:

• Tropical Depression (10.8–17.1 m/s; i.e., Beaufort Scale 6–7);
• Tropical Storm (17.2–24.4 m/s; i.e., Beaufort Scale 8–9);
• Severe Tropical Storm (24.5–32.6 m/s; i.e., Beaufort Scale 10–11);
• Typhoon (32.7–41.4 m/s; i.e., Beaufort Scale 12–13);
• Severe Typhoon (41.5–50.9 m/s; i.e., Beaufort Scale 14–15);
• Super Typhoon (≥51.0 m/s; i.e., Beaufort Scale ≥16).

Notes:

(1) In this table, ‘●’ denotes added materials, while ‘×’ denotes missing or canceled materials.

(2) The western North Pacific aircraft reconnaissance was stopped on 15 August 1987.

Users who wish to order the Tropical Cyclone Yearbook or CD can contact the Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration (click Contact Us).