Dynamical linkage of tropical and subtropical weather systems to the intraseasonal oscillations of the Indian summer monsoon rainfall. Part I: observations

The Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) over the Western Ghats (WG) and the Bay of Bengal (BoB) is marked by the intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) with preferred 10–20-day and 30–50-day bands. On the basis of pentad Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis Precipitation and daily sea level pressure and winds at 850?hPa derived from European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecast reanalysis, we present the structure and evolution of the ISOs linked to the ISMR variations over the WG and the BoB and the associated anomalies of the atmospheric circulation using the approaches of wavelet analysis, bandpass filtering and composite analysis. This study reveals that the activities of both the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) contribute strongly to the structure and propagation of the ISOs on intraseasonal time scales. Northward development and propagation of the ITCZ plays a critical role in the northward-propagating ISOs, but not in the westward-propagating BoB 10–20-day ISOs. The latter ISOs may be linked, instead, to the activity of synoptic-scale weather systems to the east over the western tropical Pacific. The enhanced ITCZ in the tropical Indian Ocean plays a strong role in the sudden strengthening of the WPSH during the transition from the break to active phase of the 30–50-day ISOs. We find that the strong WPSH in the Asian summer monsoon season, with generally northward advance and eastward withdrawal, promotes the formation of a northwest to southeast tilted anomalous rainfall belt over the East Asian tropical summer monsoon region and the western tropical Pacific in the 30–50-day low-frequency band. Positive (Negative) elongated rainfall anomalies with an unbroken northwest-southeast tilt, strong easterly (westerly) anomalies in the tropical Pacific, and northward advance and eastward movement of strong (weak) WPSH are favorable for maintaining the eastward propagation of the 30–50-day ISOs in the Pacific. Daily high-resolution sea surface temperature obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is used to explain the propagation features of the 10–20-day ISOs in the Indian Ocean.     

南海—热带西北太平洋地区季节内尺度海气变化关系

本文系统地回顾了作者近年来关于南海-热带西北太平洋地区大气和海洋季节内尺度变化关系方面的主要研究成果。文中对10~20天和30~60天两种季节内振荡海气变化关系的不同以及冬、夏季间的差异进行了系统地比较。相比较而言,大气中10~20天振荡所占比例大于30~60天振荡,海表温度30~60天的振荡在南海和西北太平洋副热带地区比10~20天振荡的贡献大,而在低纬度西太平洋地区10~20天振荡与30~60天振荡贡献相近或稍大。在北半球夏季,10~20天低频振荡的分布呈西南—东北走向,由赤道西太平洋地区向西北偏西方向传播,而30~60天低频振荡则以东西向分布为主,表现为由南向北的传播特征。在北半球冬季,10~20天和30~60天两种低频振荡的水平结构类似,均表现为西南—东北走向;同时,南海地区季节内变化信号表现出明显的向南传播的独特特征,并与东亚冬季风的季节内变化密切相关。北半球夏季,南海—菲律宾海地区10~20天低频振荡强度在厄尔尼诺发展年得到加强,而30~60天低频振荡强度则在拉尼娜衰减年得以加强。分析还指出,热带西北太平洋地区夏季热带辐合带附近的季节内变化,尤其是10~20天尺度变化,对季节平均海表温度异常有显著的反馈作用。     

Influence of Eurasian snow on Indian summer monsoon in NCEP CFSv2 freerun

The latest version of the state-of-the-art global land–atmosphere–ocean coupled climate forecast system of NCEP has shown considerable improvement in various aspects of the Indian summer monsoon. However, climatological mean dry bias over the Indian sub-continent is further increased as compared to the previous version. Here we have attempted to link this dry bias with climatological mean bias in the Eurasian winter/spring snow, which is one of the important predictors of the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR). Simulation of interannual variability of the Eurasian snow and its teleconnection with the ISMR are quite reasonable in the model. Using composite analysis it is shown that a positive snow anomaly, which is comparable to the systematic bias in the model, results into significant decrease in the summer monsoon rainfall over the central India and part of the Equatorial Indian Ocean. Decrease in the summer monsoon rainfall is also found to be linked with weaker northward propagation of intraseasonal oscillation (ISO). A barotropic stationary wave triggered by positive snow anomaly over west Eurasia weakens the upper level monsoon circulation, which in turn reduces the zonal wind shear and hence, weakens the northward propagation of summer monsoon ISOs. A sensitivity experiment by reducing snow fall over Eurasian region causes decrease in winter and spring snow depth, which in turn leads to decrease in Indian summer monsoon rainfall. Results from the sensitivity experiment corroborate with those of composite analysis based on long free run. This study suggests that further improvements in the snow parametrization schemes as well as Arctic sea ice are needed to reduce the Eurasian snow bias during winter/spring, which may reduce the dry bias over Indian sub-continent and hence predictability aspect of the model.     

Comparison of the Structure and Evolution of Intraseasonal Oscillations Before and After Onset of the Asian Summer Monsoon

High-resolution satellite-derived data and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data are used to investigate intraseasonal oscillations （ISO） over the tropical Indian Ocean.A composite evolution of the ISO life cycle is constructed,including the initiation,development,and propagation of rainfall anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean.The characteristics of ISO over the tropical Indian Ocean are profoundly different before and after the onset of the Indian summer monsoon.Positive precipitation anomalies before monsoon onset appear one phase earlier than those after monsoon onset.Before monsoon onset,precipitation anomalies associated with ISO first initiate in the western tropical Indian Ocean and then propagate eastward along the equator.After monsoon onset,convective anomalies propagate northward over the Indian summer monsoon region after an initial eastward propagation over the equatorial Indian Ocean.Surface wind convergence and air-sea interaction play critical roles in initiating each new cycle of ISO convection.     

Synoptic climatology of transient tropical intraseasonal convection anomalies: 1975–1985

Summary Pentad mean anomaly maps were used to study the climatology of tropical intraseasonal convection anomaly (TICA) as a dynamic system. One hundred and twenty-two events were identified and classified into three categories: eastward (77), independent northward (27), and westward (18) propagation. The eastward propagation is more active in boreal winter than in summer, while the independent northward propagation, which is not associated with equatorial eastward propagation, occurs in boreal summer from May to October.The eastward moving TICA exhibits three major paths: 1) eastward along the equator from Africa to the mid-Pacific, 2) first eastward along the equator, then either turning north-east to the northwest Pacific or turning southeast to the southwest Pacific at the maritime continent, and 3) the main anomaly moves eastward along the equator with split center(s) moving northward over the Indian and/or western Pacific Oceans. The equatorial Indian Ocean and the western Pacific intertropical convergence zone are preferred geographic locations for their development, while the maritime continent and central Pacific are regions of dissipation.Independent northward propagation is confined to the Indian and western Pacific monsoon regions. Its existence suggests that the mechanism responsible for meridional propagation may differ from that for eastward propagation.The dynamic effect of the equator and the thermodynamic effect of the underlying warm ocean water are basic factors in trapping TICA in the deep tropics, while the annual march of maximum SST (thermal equator) and the monsoon circulation have profound influences on the annual variation and meridional movement of TICA.With 12 FiguresContribution No. 89-11, Department of Meteorology, University of Hawaii.     

Evaluation of mean and intraseasonal variability of Indian summer monsoon simulation in ECHAM5: identification of possible source of bias

The performance of ECHAM5 atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) is evaluated to simulate the seasonal mean and intraseasonal variability of Indian summer monsoon (ISM). The model is simulated at two different vertical resolutions, with 19 and 31 levels (L19 and L31, respectively), using observed monthly mean sea surface temperature and compared with the observation. The analyses examine the biases present in the internal dynamics of the model in simulating the mean monsoon and the evolution of the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) and attempts to unveil the reason behind them. The model reasonably simulates the seasonal mean-state of the atmosphere during ISM. However, some notable discrepancies are found in the simulated summer mean moisture and rainfall distribution. Both the vertical resolutions, overestimate the seasonal mean precipitation over the oceanic regions, but underestimate the precipitation over the Indian landmass. The performance of the model improves with the increment of the vertical resolution. The AGCM reasonably simulates some salient features of BSISO, but fails to show the eastward propagation of the convection across the Maritime Continent in L19 simulation. The propagation across the Maritime Continent and tilted rainband structure improve as one moves from L19 to L31. The model unlikely shows prominent westward propagation that originates over the tropical western Pacific region. L31 also produces some of the observed characteristics of the northward propagating BSISOs. However, the northward propagating convection becomes stationary in phase 5–7. The simulation of shallow diabatic heating structure and the heavy rainfall activity over the Bay of Bengal indicate the abundance of the premature convection-generated precipitation events in the model. It is found that the moist physics is responsible for the poor simulation of the northward propagating convection anomalies.     

The tropical intraseasonal oscillation in SAMIL coupled and uncoupled general circulation models

Simulations of tropical intraseasonal oscillation(TISO) in SAMIL,the Spectral Atmospheric Model from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics(IAP) State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics(LASG) coupled and uncoupled general circulation models were comprehensively evaluated in this study.Compared to the uncoupled model,the atmosphere-ocean coupled model improved the TISO simulation in the following aspects:(1) the spectral intensity for the 30-80-day peak eastward periods was more realistic;(2) the eastward propagation signals over western Pacific were stronger;and(3) the variance distribution and stronger signals of Kelvin waves and mixed Rossby gravity waves were more realistic.Better performance in the coupled run was assumed to be associated with a better mean state and a more realistic relationship between precipitation and SST.In both the coupled and uncoupled runs,the unrealistic simulation of the eastward propagation over the equatorial Indian Ocean might have been associated with the biases of the precipitation mean state over the Indian Ocean,and the unrealistic split of maximum TISO precipitation variance over the Pacific might have corresponded to the exaggeration of the double Intertropical Convergence Zone(ITCZ) structure in precipitation mean state.However,whether a better mean state leads to better TISO activity remains questionable.Notably,the northward propagation over the Indian Ocean during summer was not improved in the mean lead-lag correlation analysis,but case studies have shown some strong cases to yield remarkably realistic northward propagation in coupled runs.     

南亚高压季节内变化与热带季节内振荡之间的关系

采用观测分析和数值试验等方法,分析夏季南亚高压与热带季节内振荡（ISO）之间的关系,并对两者之间的相互作用进行量化诊断,探讨其物理过程。主要结果表明:南亚高压ISO与热带ISO活动关系密切,当热带ISO处于印度洋位相（第1、2、3位相）,则南亚高压东脊点位置偏西,当ISO处于太平洋位相（第5、6、7位相）,则南亚高压东脊点位置偏东。与热带ISO关系最密切的是南亚高压东部附近区域,即东亚—西太平洋地区（15°～25°N,110°～140°E）,该关键区也是南亚高压ISO最显著区域。在热带ISO的调制下,关键区对流层大气垂直结构产生斜压性异常变化,导致高层南亚高压东脊点的东伸（西退）对应中低层西太平洋副热带高压西脊点的东退（西伸）。在南亚高压与热带ISO之间关系中,主要是热带ISO对南亚高压的影响,南亚高压东部关键区ISO强度40%来源于热带ISO的贡献,而南亚高压对热带ISO平均强度的影响很弱。热带ISO影响南亚高压的物理过程如下,热带ISO从印度洋向东传播至西太平洋时,强对流产生分支,部分由于东亚—西太平洋的有利夏季风背景转为向北传播,ISO向北传播过程中对流强度进一度加强,这就相当于存在一个赤道非对称热源。在热源的作用下,大气产生异常响应,在热源的西北侧,即东亚—西太平洋地区,对流层低层为气旋性环流异常、位势高度负异常,对流层高层为反气旋性环流异常、位势高度正异常,从而导致南亚高压东脊点偏东。而当热带ISO处于印度洋位相时,大气异常响应与上述相反,南亚高压东部位势高度降低,南亚高压东脊点西撤。     

On the characteristics of propagation of intraseasonal oscillations and their observed association with tropical synoptic waves in the Asian-western Pacific region in boreal summer

Using the daily average outgoing longwave radiation and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data in boreal summer (Mays to Octobers) from 1979 to 2007, the propagating characteristics of convection intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) in the Asian-western Pacific (AWP) region and the relationship between tropical synoptic waves and ISOs are examined by means of finite-domain wavenumber-frequency energy spectrum analysis and lagged linear regression technique. The results are shown as follows. (1) The AWP ISOs propagate both eastward and westward, showing seasonality and regionality. The ISOs propagate eastward with a period of 30 to 60 days over equatorial regions in the whole AWP region, while the westward propagation occurs over 10 to 20? N western Pacific or in the late summers (August, September and October) with periods of 20 to 40 days. The ISOs eastward propagation mainly occurs in primary summers while the westward propagation enhances in late summers. (2) Deep ISO convections associate with westerly and cyclonic circulation anomalies that first form in the Indian Ocean, propagate eastward to the dateline in the Pacific and then turn northwestward. The ISOs convections show northwestward propagating characteristics in the western North Pacific. (3) The ISOs link with the tropical synoptic waves closely. Both convection signals, though with different spatio-temporal scale, enhance simutaneously in the northwestern Pacific, and the ISOs facilitate the forming of a cluster of tropical cyclones (TCs), while a cluster of TCs convection becomes one portion of the northwestward ISOs.     

Structures and mechanisms of the first-branch northward-propagating intraseasonal oscillation over the tropical Indian Ocean

The first-branch northward-propagating intraseasonal oscillation (FNISO) over the tropical Indian Ocean (IO) often triggers the onset of the Asian summer monsoon. In this study we investigate the structures and mechanisms associated with FNISO through the diagnosis of ERA-Interim reanalysis data for the period of 1990–2009. A composite analysis is conducted to reveal the structure and evolution characteristics of the FNISO and associated background circulation changes. It is found that the FNISO convection originates from the southwestern IO and propagates eastward. After reaching the eastern IO, the major convective branch moves northward toward the northern Bay of Bengal (BoB). Two possible mechanisms may contribute to the northward propagation of the FNISO. One is the meridional asymmetry of the background convective instability. A greater background convective instability over the northern BoB may destabilize Rossby waves and cause convection to shift northward. The other is the meridional phase leading of perturbation humidity in the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Maximum PBL moisture appears to the north of the convection center, which promotes a convectively unstable stratification ahead of the convection and leads to the northward propagation of the FNISO. A PBL moisture budget analysis reveals that anomalous zonal advection is a dominant process in contributing to the moisture asymmetry.     

Structure and characteristics of submonthly-scale waves along the Indian Ocean ITCZ

This study examines wave disturbances on submonthly (6–30-day) timescales over the tropical Indian Ocean during Southern Hemisphere summer using Japanese Reanalysis (JRA25-JCDAS) products and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration outgoing longwave radiation data. The analysis period is December–February for the 29 years from 1979/1980 through 2007/2008. An extended empirical orthogonal function (EEOF) analysis of daily 850-hPa meridional wind anomalies reveals a well-organized wave-train pattern as a dominant mode of variability over the tropical Indian Ocean. Daily lagged composite analyses for various atmospheric variables based on the EEOF result show the structure and evolution of a wave train consisting of meridionally elongated troughs and ridges along the Indian Ocean Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The wave train is oriented in a northeast–southwest direction from Sumatra toward Madagascar. The waves have zonal wavelengths of about 3,000–5,000 km and exhibit westward and southwestward phase propagation. Individual troughs and ridges as part of the wave train sequentially travel westward and southwestward from the west of Sumatra into Madagascar. Meanwhile, eastward and northeastward amplification of the wave train occurs associated with the successive growth of new troughs and ridges over the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean. This could be induced by eastward and northeastward wave energy dispersion from the southwestern to eastern Indian Ocean along the mean monsoon westerly flow. In addition, the waves modulate the ITCZ convection. Correlation statistics show the average behavior of the wave disturbances over the tropical Indian Ocean. These statistics and other diagnostic measures are used to characterize the waves obtained from the composite analysis. The waves appear to be connected to the monsoon westerly flow. The waves tend to propagate through a band of the large meridional gradient of absolute vorticity produced by the mean monsoon westerly flow. This suggests that the monsoon westerly flow provides favorable background conditions for the propagation and maintenance of the waves and acts as a waveguide over the tropical Indian Ocean. The horizontal structure of the wave train may be interpreted as that of a mixture of equatorial Rossby waves and mixed Rossby-gravity wavelike gyres.     

Asian summer monsoon prediction in ECMWF System 4 and NCEP CFSv2 retrospective seasonal forecasts

The seasonal prediction skill of the Asian summer monsoon is assessed using retrospective predictions (1982–2009) from the ECMWF System 4 (SYS4) and NCEP CFS version 2 (CFSv2) seasonal prediction systems. In both SYS4 and CFSv2, a cold bias of sea-surface temperature (SST) is found over the equatorial Pacific, North Atlantic, Indian Oceans and over a broad region in the Southern Hemisphere relative to observations. In contrast, a warm bias is found over the northern part of North Pacific and North Atlantic. Excessive precipitation is found along the ITCZ, equatorial Atlantic, equatorial Indian Ocean and the maritime continent. The southwest monsoon flow and the Somali Jet are stronger in SYS4, while the south-easterly trade winds over the tropical Indian Ocean, the Somali Jet and the subtropical northwestern Pacific high are weaker in CFSv2 relative to the reanalysis. In both systems, the prediction of SST, precipitation and low-level zonal wind has greatest skill in the tropical belt, especially over the central and eastern Pacific where the influence of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is dominant. Both modeling systems capture the global monsoon and the large-scale monsoon wind variability well, while at the same time performing poorly in simulating monsoon precipitation. The Asian monsoon prediction skill increases with the ENSO amplitude, although the models simulate an overly strong impact of ENSO on the monsoon. Overall, the monsoon predictive skill is lower than the ENSO skill in both modeling systems but both systems show greater predictive skill compared to persistence.     

Impact of MJO on the intraseasonal variation of summer monsoon rainfall over India

The summer monsoon rainfall over India exhibits strong intraseasonal variability. Earlier studies have identified Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) as one of the most influencing factors of the intraseasonal variability of the monsoon rainfall. In this study, using India Meteorological Department (IMD) high resolution daily gridded rainfall data and Wheeler?CHendon MJO indices, the intra-seasonal variation of daily rainfall distribution over India associated with various Phases of eastward propagating MJO life cycle was examined to understand the mechanism linking the MJO to the intraseasonal variability. During MJO Phases of 1 and 2, formation of MJO associated positive convective anomaly over the equatorial Indian Ocean activated the oceanic tropical convergence zone (OTCZ) and the resultant changes in the monsoon circulation caused break monsoon type rainfall distribution. Associated with this, negative convective anomalies over monsoon trough zone region extended eastwards to date line indicating weaker than normal northern hemisphere inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The positive convective anomalies over OTCZ and negative convective anomalies over ITCZ formed a dipole like pattern. Subsequently, as the MJO propagated eastwards to west equatorial Pacific through the maritime continent, a gradual northward shift of the OTCZ was observed and negative convective anomalies started appearing over equatorial Indian Ocean. During Phase 4, while the eastwards propagating MJO linked positive convective anomalies activated the eastern part of the ITCZ, the northward propagating OTCZ merged with monsoon trough (western part of the ITCZ) and induced positive convective anomalies over the region. During Phases 5 and 6, the dipole pattern in convective anomalies was reversed compared to that during Phases 1 and 2. This resulted active monsoon type rainfall distribution over India. During the subsequent Phases (7 and 8), the convective and lower tropospheric anomaly patterns were very similar to that during Phase 1 and 2 except for above normal convective anomalies over equatorial Indian Ocean. A general decrease in the rainfall was also observed over most parts of the country. The associated dry conditions extended up to northwest Pacific. Thus the impact of the MJO on the monsoon was not limited to the Indian region. The impact was rather felt over larger spatial scale extending up to Pacific. This study also revealed that the onset of break and active events over India and the duration of these events are strongly related to the Phase and strength of the MJO. The break events were relatively better associated with the strong MJO Phases than the active events. About 83% of the break events were found to be set in during the Phases 7, 8, 1 and 2 of MJO with maximum during Phase 1 (40%). On the other hand, about 70% of the active events were set in during the MJO Phases of 3 to 6 with maximum during Phase 4 (21%). The results of this study indicate an opportunity for using the real time information and skillful prediction of MJO Phases for the prediction of break and active conditions which are very crucial for agriculture decisions.     

Evaluation of the ENSEMBLES multi-model seasonal forecasts of Indian summer monsoon variability

The performance of the new multi-model seasonal prediction system developed in the frame work of the ENSEMBLES EU project for the seasonal forecasts of India summer monsoon variability is compared with the results from the previous EU project, DEMETER. We have considered the results of six participating ocean-atmosphere coupled models with 9 ensemble members each for the common period of 1960–2005 with May initial conditions. The ENSEMBLES multi-model ensemble (MME) results show systematic biases in the representation of mean monsoon seasonal rainfall over the Indian region, which are similar to that of DEMETER. The ENSEMBLES coupled models are characterized by an excessive oceanic forcing on the atmosphere over the equatorial Indian Ocean. The skill of the seasonal forecasts of Indian summer monsoon rainfall by the ENSEMBLES MME has however improved significantly compared to the DEMETER MME. Its performance in the drought years like 1972, 1974, 1982 and the excess year of 1961 was in particular better than the DEMETER MME. The ENSEMBLES MME could not capture the recent weakening of the ENSO-Indian monsoon relationship resulting in a decrease in the prediction skill compared to the “perfect model” skill during the recent years. The ENSEMBLES MME however correctly captures the north Atlantic-Indian monsoon teleconnections, which are independent of ENSO.     

Coupled model simulations of boreal summer intraseasonal (30–50 day) variability, Part 1: Systematic errors and caution on use of metrics

Boreal summer intraseasonal (30–50 day) variability (BSISV) over the Asian monsoon region is more complex than its boreal winter counterpart, the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), since it also exhibits northward and northwestward propagating convective components near India and over the west Pacific. Here we analyze the BSISV in the CMIP3 and two CMIP2+ coupled ocean–atmosphere models. Though most models exhibit eastward propagation of convective anomalies over the Indian Ocean, difficulty remains in simulating the life cycle of the BSISV, as few represent its eastward extension into the western/central Pacific. As such, few models produce statistically significant anomalies that comprise the northwest to southeast tilted convection, which results from the forced Rossby waves that are excited by the near-equatorial convective anomalies. Our results indicate that it is a necessary, but not sufficient condition, that the locations the time-mean monsoon heat sources and the easterly wind shear be simulated correctly in order for the life cycle of the BSISV to be represented realistically. Extreme caution is needed when using metrics, such as the pattern correlation, for assessing the fidelity of model performance, as models with the most physically realistic BSISV do not necessarily exhibit the highest pattern correlations with observations. Furthermore, diagnostic latitude-time plots to evaluate the northward propagation of convection from the equator to India and the Bay of Bengal also need to be used with caution. Here, incorrectly representing extratropical–tropical interactions can give rise to “apparent” northward propagation when none exists in association with the eastward propagating equatorial convection. Despite these cautions, the use of multiple cross-checking diagnostics enables the fidelity of the simulation of the BSISV to be meaningfully assessed.     

Indian summer monsoon rainfall predictability and variability associated with Northwest Pacific circulation in a suit of coupled model hindcasts

The Northwest Pacific (NWP) circulation (subtropical high) is an important component of the East Asian summer monsoon system. During summer (June–August), anomalous lower tropospheric anticyclonic (cyclonic) circulation appears over NWP in some years, which is an indicative of stronger (weaker) than normal subtropical high. The anomalous NWP cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation years are associated with negative (positive) precipitation anomalies over most of Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) region. This indicates concurrent relationship between NWP circulation and convection over the ISMR region. Dry wind advection from subtropical land regions and moisture divergence over the southern peninsular India during the NWP cyclonic circulation years are mainly responsible for the negative rainfall anomalies over the ISMR region. In contrast, during anticyclonic years, warm north Indian Ocean and moisture divergence over the head Bay of Bengal-Gangetic Plain region support moisture instability and convergence in the southern flank of ridge region, which favors positive rainfall over most of the ISMR region. The interaction between NWP circulation (anticyclonic or cyclonic) and ISMR and their predictability during these anomalous years are examined in the present study. Seven coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation models from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Climate Center and their multimodel ensemble mean skills in predicting the seasonal rainfall and circulation anomalies over the ISMR region and NWP for the period 1982–2004 are assessed. Analysis reveals that three (two) out of seven models are unable to predict negative (positive) precipitation anomalies over the Indian subcontinent during the NWP cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation years at 1-month lead (model is initialized on 1 May). The limited westward extension of the NWP circulation and misrepresentation of SST anomalies over the north Indian Ocean are found to be the main reasons for the poor skill (of some models) in rainfall prediction over the Indian subcontinent. This study demonstrates the importance of the NWP circulation variability in predicting summer monsoon precipitation over South Asia. Considering the predictability of the NWP circulation, the current study provides an insight into the predictability of ISMR. Long lead prediction of the ISMR associated with anomalous NWP circulation is also discussed.     

Role of convective and microphysical processes on the simulation of monsoon intraseasonal oscillation

Climate Dynamics - The study explores the role of ice-phase microphysics and convection for the better simulation of Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) and monsoon intraseasonal oscillation...     

Relationship of boreal summer 10–20-day and 30–60-day intraseasonal oscillation intensity over the tropical western North Pacific to tropical Indo-Pacific SST

Climate Dynamics - The present study contrasts interannual variations in the intensity of boreal summer 10–20-day and 30–60-day intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) over the tropical...     

Intensified Eastward and Northward Propagation of Tropical Intraseasonal Oscillation over the Equatorial Indian Ocean in a Global Warming Scenario

Northward propagation in summer and eastward propagation in winter are two distinguished features of tropical intraseasonal oscillation(TISO) over the equatorial Indian Ocean.According to numerical modeling results,under a global warming scenario,both propagations were intensified.The enhanced northward propagation in summer can be attributed to the enhanced atmosphere-ocean interaction and the strengthened mean southerly wind;and the intensified eastward propagation in winter is associated with the enhanced convection-wind coupling process and the strengthened equatorial Kevin wave.Future changes of TISO propagations need to be explored in more climate models.