The prediction of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity remains a major scientific challenge. Recent studies indicate that cloud-radiation feedback plays a positive role in the intensification of TCs during their genesis periods. However, little attention has been given to how cloud-radiation feedback affects TC intensity after genesis. This study shows that cloud-radiation feedback may prevents TCs from attaining higher maximum intensities during their life cycles. It is revealed that the ascending motion induced by the anomalous radiative heating of TC promotes more latent heating on the outer side of the upper eyewall, thus resulting in a more tilted eyewall. A more tilted eyewall leads to a larger inner-core size and less inward flux of absolute vertical vorticity within the inner core, thus preventing the TC from reaching higher intensity. This work is the first to highlight that cloud-radiation feedback may affect TC intensity by modulating the structure of the inner-core convection, and further advances our understanding of the interaction between radiation effect and TC dynamics.

tropical cyclone,radiation feedback