Predicting rapid intensification of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific: a machine learning and net energy gain rate approach

Abstract

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In this study, a machine learning (ML)-based Tropical Cyclones (TCs) Rapid Intensification (RI) prediction model has been developed by using the Net Energy Gain Rate Index (NGR). This index realistically captures the energy exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere during the intensification of TCs. It does so by incorporating the thermal conditions of the upper ocean and using an accurate parameterization for sea surface roughness. To evaluate the effectiveness of NGR in enhancing prediction accuracy, five distinct ML algorithms were utilized: Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Feed-forward Neural Network. Two sets of experiments were performed for each algorithm. The first set used only traditional predictors, while the second set incorporated NGR. The outcomes revealed that models trained with the inclusion of NGR exhibited superior performance compared to those that only used traditional predictors. Additionally, an ensemble model was developed by utilizing a hard-voting method, combining the predictions of all five individual algorithms. This ensemble approach showed a noteworthy improvement of approximately 10% in the skill score of RI prediction when NGR was included. The findings of this study emphasize the potential of NGR in refining TC intensity prediction and underline the effectiveness of ensemble ML models in RI event detection.

Keywords

• rapid intensification of the tropical cyclone
• drag coefficient
• tropical cyclone-ocean interaction
• tropical cyclone-induced vertical ocean mixing
• machine learning