Student Research Reports

This study investigates the impact of air-sea thermodynamics and orographic lifting on heavy rainfall during the Northeast (NE) monsoon in northeastern Taiwan. The research team analyzed Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data from NOAA OISST (2021–2025) alongside meteorological data from the Central Weather Administration’s stations at Pengjia Islet, Sanhe, Wuzhishan, and Quchi. The primary objective was to evaluate the correlation between SST, wind patterns, and precipitation levels. The results indicate a strong positive correlation between SST and extreme rainfall events (daily rainfall > 100 mm). Specifically, the Wuzhishan station, characterized by its mountainous terrain, showed an R-squared value of 0.57 (correlation coefficient R ≈ 0.76), demonstrating that orographic lifting significantly amplifies rainfall intensity. The study concludes that high SST serves as a crucial source of latent heat and moisture. When coupled with strong, steady NE monsoonal winds (speeds > 8 m/s), this moisture is efficiently transported inland and forced upward by terrain, leading to heavy precipitation. Furthermore, the research suggests that for every 1°C increase in SST, atmospheric moisture capacity increases by approximately 7%. The findings highlight that incorporating SST data and air-sea temperature gaps into meteorological forecasting models can substantially improve the accuracy of early warnings for heavy rainfall in northeastern Taiwan.