Role of barrier layer in the developing phase of “Category 6” super typhoon Haiyan

Abstract

With the remarkable intensity of 170 knots, Typhoon Haiyan started as a tropical depression on November 3 and developed to the peak as super tropical cyclone (TC) on November 7 in 2013. This intensity makes Haiyan one of the strongest TCs record ever observed and 35 knots higher than the maximum of the existing highest category. Haiyan originated from the eastern part of the Northwest Pacific Warm Pool and moved westward over warm water with a thick barrier layer (BL). The BL reduced the vertical mixing and entrainment caused by Haiyan and prevented the cold thermocline water into the mixed layer (ML). As a result, sea temperature cooling associated with wind stirring was suppressed. Relative high sea surface temperature (SST) kept fueling Haiyan via latent heat flux release, which favored the rapid development of a “Category 6” super typhoon