WUHAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese meteorologists are leveraging a container-based mobile meteorological observation system to collect higher-resolution data and decode the multi-scale evolution patterns of heavy rainfall, sharpening the precision and timeliness of weather forecasts and disaster response.
The newly-installed Mobile Observing System of Atmospheric Vertical Profiles integrates multiple types of instruments, allowing meteorologists to conduct round-the-clock observations at a site in the field experimental base for monitoring heavy rain in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. This base is affiliated with the Wuhan Institute of Heavy Rain (IHR) under the China Meteorological Administration.
"Watching the sky nonstop 24 hours a day, it serves as an integrated platform for a variety of detection equipment. Moreover, it is also a shelter for field researchers and meteorologists working in severe weather, protecting them from wind and heavy rainfall," said Zhang Wengang, director of the heavy rain monitoring and early warning research department of the IHR, which is based in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.
Zhang explained that the profiles describe the vertical distribution of atmospheric information such as wind speed, temperature and water vapor from the ground to higher altitudes.
"The detection devices send electromagnetic waves to probe clouds, raindrops and wind at different heights. It works like a CT scan of the atmosphere, capturing the evolution of heavy rainfall and revealing the formation mechanisms," Zhang noted.
The installed micro-rain radar can obtain the size and falling speed of raindrops, while the microwave radiometer can receive microwave signals to calculate temperature and water vapor from the ground to high altitudes. Moreover, a wind profiler radar performs a "wind field scan" of the atmosphere to obtain wind direction and wind speed at different altitudes.
Weather conditions, including wind and rainfall, can change rapidly. Therefore, weather forecasting is a rather challenging endeavor, especially on occasions of extreme weather conditions like gales or torrential rain, which may trigger disasters. Traditional fixed monitoring stations normally wait passively for weather systems to pass through, like "waiting by a tree stump for a hare," Zhang said.
In contrast, the container-based system can be moved to actively track precipitation systems. Notably, before and after extreme rainfall events, the container can be swiftly transported to affected areas for intensified observation, providing critical emergency support. Meanwhile, forecasters can use the real-time data display system to closely analyze the vertical distribution of wind fields, temperature and moisture at an early stage, reducing forecast errors.
The middle reaches of the Yangtze River lie in the East Asian monsoon zone, featuring complex terrain and frequent meso- and small-scale convective systems. Observing the formation process of heavy rainfall in the Yangtze River basin and studying its formation mechanisms are of great significance for disaster prevention and mitigation work. Large-scale monitoring of high-precision ground data can verify and correct satellite monitoring results, making the "brain" that currently forecasts weather even "smarter," according to Zhang.
To date, the IHR has established a vast monitoring network across multiple cities in Hubei, with experiment bases and diverse new equipment in use, including the Mobile Observing System of Atmospheric Vertical Profiles.
"This year, we have joined efforts with provinces across the Yangtze River basin to carry out collaborative observation experiments on heavy rainfall," said Zhang, adding that large-scale heavy rainfall in the Yangtze River basin exhibits significant upstream-downstream correlation in weather.
"With this new system, massive refined data will help us better track and uncover the multi-scale evolution patterns of heavy rainfall, building a solid tech safeguard for flood prevention and disaster relief endeavors," Zhang said. ■
