Clustering tropical cyclone genesis on ENSO timescales in the Southwest Pacific

Abstract

Tropical cyclones (TCs) as a natural hazard pose a major threat and risk to the human population globally. This threat is expected to increase in a warming climate as the frequency of severe TCs is expected to increase. In this study, the influence of different monthly sea surface temperature (SST) patterns on the locations and frequency of tropical cyclone genesis (TCG) in the Southwest Pacific (SWP) region is investigated. Using principal component analysis and k-means clustering of monthly SST between 1970 and 2019, nine statistically different SST patterns are identified. Our findings show that the more prominent ENSO patterns such as the Modoki El Niño (i.e., Modoki I and Modoki II) and Eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño impact the frequency and location of TCG significantly. Our results enhance the overall understanding of the TCG variability and the relationship between TCG and SST configurations in the SWP region. The results of this study may support early warning system in SWP by improving seasonal outlooks and quantification of the level of TC-related risks for the vulnerable Pacific Island communities.