北方雨季中国东部降水异常模态的环流特征及成因分析

根据1958～2011年中国东部（105°E以东）316站逐日降水资料及NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料,利用统计分析、物理量诊断等方法,探讨北方雨季（7月11日至8月31日）中国东部降水异常模态及同期、前期的大气环流特征。分析发现,北方雨季中国东部降水异常表现为三个相互独立的降水模态:第一模态为偏西型,当其时间系数为正（负）时,河套地区降水偏多（少）,江淮流域上游降水偏少（多）,南方大部降水偏多（少）;第二模态为北方一致型,当其时间系数为正（负）时,北方降水一致偏多（少）,长江流域降水偏少（多）;第三模态为偏东型,当其时间系数为正（负）时,东北南部至长江中游降水偏多（少）,华东沿海降水偏少（多）。研究发现,造成北方雨季三个降水异常模态的环流特征各不相同:偏西型降水主要受西亚高空副热带西风急流位置南北偏移影响;北方一致型降水主要由东亚-太平洋遥相关波列导致;偏东型降水主要与海陆气压异常对比造成的东亚夏季风变化有关。此外,三个模态与前期环流异常有密切联系。第一模态的正（负）异常由7月上旬200 hPa来自北大西洋的异常波列造成乌拉尔山位势高度负（正）异常和巴尔喀什湖以南位势高度正（负）异常引起。第二模态的正（负）异常与前期7月上旬200 hPa北大西洋上位势高度负（正）异常产生的沿中纬度（高纬度）路径向下游传播的波列有关。第三模态的正（负）异常由春季3月份低层蒙古上空异常的气旋（反气旋）持续至同期造成。     

我国东部梅雨期降水的年际和年代际变化特征及其与大气环流和海温的关系

基于我国160站59年(1951～2009年)的月降水观测资料、美国气象环境预报中心和国家大气研究中心(NCEP/NCAR)提供的再分析资料和Hadley中心的海表温度(Sea Surface Temperature,简称SST)资料,对我国东部(100°E以东,15°N～40°N)梅雨期(6月和7月)降水的时空变化特...     

Dominant Modes of Interannual Variability in Atmospheric Water Vapor Content over East Asia during Winter and Their Associated Mechanisms

Atmospheric water vapor content(WVC) is a critical factor for East Asian winter precipitation. This study investigates the dominant modes of interannual variability in WVC over East Asia during winter and their underlying mechanisms.Based on the empirical orthogonal function(EOF) method, the leading mode(EOF1, R~2 = 28.9%) of the interannual variability in the East Asian winter WVC exhibits a meridional dipole pattern characterized by opposite WVC anomalies over northeastern China and eastern China; the second mode(EOF2, R~2 = 24.3%) of the interannual variability in the East Asian winter WVC exhibits a monopole pattern characterized by consistent WVC anomalies over eastern China. EOF1 is mainly modulated by two anomalous zonal water vapor transport(WVT) branches over northeastern China and eastern China, which are associated with an anomalous atmospheric wave train over Eurasia affected by sea ice cover in the Kara Sea-Barents Sea(SIC-KSBS) area in the preceding October-November(ON). EOF2 is mainly modulated by an anomalous westerly WVT branch over eastern China, which is associated with a circumglobal atmospheric zonal wave train in the Northern Hemisphere. This circumglobal zonal wave train is modulated by concurrent central and eastern tropical Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies. The SIC-KSBS anomalies in ON and the concurrent SST anomalies over tropical Pacific may partially account for the interannual variability of EOF1 and EOF2 winter WVC, and thus may provide a theoretical basis for improving the prediction of winter climate over East Asia.     

The Major Interannual Modes of Late-Summer Precipitation Over the Northern China Monsoon Region

ABSTRACT

Summer precipitation in the northern China monsoon region (NCMR; 35°–55°N, 108°–135°E) shows significant intraseasonal variability. The early-summer (June) and late-summer (July–August) precipitation patterns show clear differences in their formation mechanisms and the systems that affect them. We used empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis to investigate the two leading modes of July–August precipitation over the NCMR and their associated atmospheric circulation anomalies using linear regression. The results show that the first (EOF1) and second (EOF2) modes correspond to a pan-NCMR precipitation variation pattern and a precipitation oscillation pattern between North China (NC) and Northeast China (NEC), respectively. These two modes account for 22.1% and 10.1% of the total variance, respectively. The associated principal components (PCs) both have significant interannual variability with a period of 2–4 years. In addition, PC1 has significant interdecadal variability with a period of 20–30 years. Further analysis suggests that EOF1 and EOF2 clearly have a different relationship with the summer monsoon circulation system. In the positive phase of PC1, the East Asian subtropical westerly jet stream (EAWJS) shows a northward trend with higher intensity than normal the blocking high at mid- to high latitudes is inactive; and the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) is located to the north of its normal position. The NCMR is controlled by stronger southerly winds, which cause the convergence of water vapour, favouring more precipitation in this region and vice versa. In the positive phase of PC2, the EAWJS swings to the south of Lake Baikal. Significant positive height anomalies exist from western NC to NEC. Significant negative height anomalies occur to the subtropical northwestern Pacific. This indicates that the cold vortex in Northeast China is inactive, the WPSH tends to be weaker and located to the south of its normal position, and NEC (NC) is dominated by anomalous northeasterly (southeasterly) winds. The convergence (divergence) of water vapour in NC (NEC) favours more (less) precipitation in NC (NEC) and vice versa. Therefore, EOF1 is related to the large-scale circulation anomalies over East Asia and the northwest Pacific in July and August, whereas EOF2 is more closely related to the anomalies in the regional circulation over the NCMR and the subtropical northwestern Pacific.     

Impacts of the leading modes of tropical Indian Ocean sea surface temperature anomaly on sub-seasonal evolution of the circulation and rainfall over East Asia during boreal spring and summer

The two leading modes of the interannual variability of the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly are the Indian Ocean basin mode (IOBM) and the Indian Ocean dipole mode (IODM) from March to August. In this paper, the relationship between the TIO SST anomaly and the sub-seasonal evolution of the circulation and rainfall over East Asia during boreal spring and summer is investigated by using correlation analysis and composite analysis based on multi-source observation data from 1979 to 2013, together with numerical simulations from an atmospheric general circulation model. The results indicate that the impacts of the IOBM on the circulation and rainfall over East Asia vary remarkably from spring to summer. The anomalous anticyclone over the tropical Northwest Pacific induced by the warm IOBM is closely linked with the Pacific–Japan or East Asia–Pacific teleconnection pattern, which persists from March to August. In the upper troposphere over East Asia, the warm phase of the IOBM generates a significant anticyclonic response from March to May. In June and July, however, the circulation response is characterized by enhanced subtropical westerly flow. A distinct anomalous cyclone is found in August. Overall, the IOBM can exert significant influence on the western North Pacific subtropical high, the South Asian high, and the East Asian jet, which collectively modulate the precipitation anomaly over East Asia. In contrast, the effects of the IODM on the climate anomaly over East Asia are relatively weak in boreal spring and summer. Therefore, studying the impacts of the TIO SST anomaly on the climate anomaly in East Asia should take full account of the different sub-seasonal response during boreal spring and summer.     

Characterizing the winter concurrent variation patterns of the subtropical and polar-front jets over East Asia

In this study, the concurrent variation relationships between the East Asian subtropical jet (EASJ) and polar-front jet (PFJ) over the East Asian land mass in the winter season on different timescales are identified and the impacts of the jet concurrent variation patterns on the atmospheric circulation in mid–high latitude regions and climate anomalies in China are examined, using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data and observational data. The major variability modes of the winter upper-level wind field on interannual timescales are characterized by the meridional shift of the PFJ and out-of-phase variation in the intensity of the subtropical jet and PFJ. On subseasonal and synoptic timescales, the concurrent variation relationships can be categorized into four configuration patterns: a strong (weak) subtropical jet accompanied by a weak (strong) PFJ, or a strong (weak) subtropical jet with a strong (weak) PFJ. The out-ofphase variation [i.e., a stronger (weaker) EASJ and weaker (stronger) PFJ] is found to be more common than the inphase variation [i.e., a stronger (weaker) EASJ and stronger (weaker) PFJ]. These concurrent variation relationships represent the integral structure and variation features of the atmospheric general circulation over East Asia, and have significant impacts on the weather and climate. The strong subtropical jet/weak PFJ (weak subtropical jet/strong PFJ) pattern leads to anomalous negative (positive) geopotential height in midlatitude regions and favors cold (warm) conditions, and positive (negative) rainfall anomalies in southern China. For both strong jet configurations, the geopotential height anomaly in the mid–high latitudes shows a northwest–southeast tilted dipole pattern, resulting in northern warm–southern cold temperature anomalies, and positive rainfall anomalies in southern China. For both weak jet situations, positive geopotential height anomalies dominate the East Asian area, and warm conditions occur over most areas in China, corresponding to less negative rainfall anomalies in southern China. The complicated rainfall and temperature anomaly patterns in China can be explained by the concurrent variation relationships between the two jets. A close relationship may exist between the synoptic-scale transient eddy activity (STEA) and the intensity of jet streams, especially for the PFJ. Significantly reduced (strengthened) STEA over the polar-front area is intimately associated with a decreased (increased) intensity of the PFJ.     

Northern East Asian low and its impact on the interannual variation of East Asian summer rainfall

The strength of the East Asian summer monsoon and associated rainfall has been linked to the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) and the lower-tropospheric low pressure system over continental East Asia (EA). In contrast to the large number of studies devoted to the WNPSH, little is known about the variability of the East Asian continental low. The present study delineates the East Asian continental low using 850-hPa geopotential height. Since the low is centered over northern EA (NEA), we refer to it as the NEA low (NEAL). We show that the intensity of the NEAL has large interannual variation, with a dominant period of 2–4 years. An enhanced NEAL exhibits a barotropic structure throughout the whole troposphere, which accelerates the summer-mean upper-tropospheric westerly jet and lower-tropospheric monsoon westerly to its south. We carefully identify the anomalous NEAL-induced rainfall anomalies by removal of the tropical heating effects. An enhanced NEAL not only increases rainfall locally in northern Northeast China, but also shifts the East Asian subtropical front northward, causing above-normal rainfall extending eastward from the Huai River valley across central-northern Japan and below-normal rainfall in South China. The northward shift of the East Asian subtropical front is attributed to the following processes without change in the WNPSH: an enhanced NEAL increases meridional pressure gradients and the monsoon westerly along the East Asian subtropical front, which in turn induces a cyclonic shear vorticity anomaly to its northern side. The associated Ekman pumping induces moisture flux convergence that shifts the East Asian subtropical front northward. In addition, the frequent occurrence of synoptic cut-off lows is found to be associated with an enhanced NEAL. Wave activity analysis indicates that the interannual intensity change of the NEAL is significantly associated with the extratropical Polar Eurasian teleconnection, in addition to the forcing of the tropical WNP heating.     

东北冷涡及其气候影响

基于自动识别、追踪方法得到的近50年东北冷涡数据集, 本文研究了东北冷涡的年际变率及演变趋势, 并分析了其持续性活动对我国气候的影响及相关联的大尺度环流异常特征。结果表明, 东北冷涡具有很明显的年际变率, 且存在2.5年左右的主振荡周期, 但没有显著的长期变化趋势。东北局地在持续性冷涡控制下, 四季气温均明显偏低, 并在春季和夏季能造成局部降水偏多。在东北冷涡活跃的夏季, 长江流域往往降水显著偏多; 而在冬季东北冷涡频繁活动时, 我国大部分地区往往低温少雨, 这与强盛的东亚冬季风密切相关。研究结果表明, 冬季东北冷涡活动和东亚冬季风强度之间的相关系数达到99%的信度水平。在东北冷涡活跃的夏季, 东亚地区对流层维持着深厚的偶极型位势高度异常, 高空急流向南偏移并略加强, 低层西北太平洋反气旋异常和中纬度地区的东风异常有助于局地的水汽通量的辐合, 进而有利于降水的偏多。     

Weakening of Interannual Variability in the Summer East Asian Upper-tropospheric Westerly Jet since the Mid-1990s

In this study,we found that the intensity of interannual variability in the summer upper-tropospheric zonal wind has significantly weakened over Northeast Asia and the subtropical western North Pacific(WNP) since the mid-1990s,concurrent with the previously documented decrease of the westerly jet over North China and Northwest China.Corresponding to this weakening of zonal wind variability,the meridional displacement of the East Asian westerly jet(EAJ) manifested as the leading mode of zonal wind variability over the WNP and East Asia(WNP-EA) before the mid-1990s but not afterward.The energetics of the anomalous pattern associated with the meridional displacement of the EAJ suggests that barotropic energy conversion,from basic flow to anomalous patterns,has led to the weakening of the variability in the EAJ meridional displacement and to a change in the leading dominant mode since the mid-1990s.The barotropic energy conversion efficiently maintained the anomalies associated with the variability in the EAJ meridional displacement during 1979-1993 but acted to dampen the anomalies during 1994-2008.A further investigation of the energetics suggests that the difference in the patterns of the circulation anomaly associated with either the first leading mode or the meridional displacement of the EAJ,i.e.,a southwest-northeast tilted pattern during 1979-1993 and a zonally oriented pattern during 1994-2008,has contributed greatly to the change in barotropic energy conversion.     

夏季亚洲高空急流纬向非对称变异与北大西洋海温和欧亚陆面热力异常的可能联系

基于1979~2015年ERA-Interim再分析资料,分析了夏季亚洲高空急流纬向非对称变异特征及其可能的外强迫因子。研究发现夏季亚洲200 hPa纬向风异常EOF第二模态（方差贡献为16.4%）主要表现出了急流纬向非对称的空间异常形态,反映了西亚和东亚区域急流南北偏移的反位相变化。通过进一步的诊断分析,我们发现急流纬向非对称变异与北大西洋海表温度（简称海温）和欧亚陆面热力异常可能存在一定的联系。北大西洋三极型海温异常会激发出向下游传播的异常波列,夏季该波列在欧亚大陆上空的异常环流中心与急流纬向非对称相关的异常环流中心对应一致,其中东欧平原的异常反气旋和巴尔喀什湖附近的异常气旋对西亚急流变化存在影响,东亚地区急流的变化与贝加尔湖北部异常气旋和贝加尔湖南部的异常反气旋有关。对比欧亚土壤湿度关键区内垂直环流,陆面热力异常可能会改变局地环流进而影响急流变异,且这种影响存在区域差异。     

The interannual variation in monthly temperature over Northeast China during summer

The interannual variations of summer surface air temperature over Northeast China （NEC） were investigated through a month-to-month analysis from May to August. The results suggested that the warmer temperature over NEC is related to a local positive 500-hPa geopotential height anomaly for all four months. However, the teleconnection patterns of atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the monthly surface air temperature over NEC behave as a distinguished subseasonal variation, although the local positive height anomaly is common from month to month. In May and June, the teleconnection pattern is characterized by a wave train in the upper and middle troposphere from the Indian Peninsula to NEC. This wave train is stronger in June than in May, possibly due to the positive feedback between the wave train and the South Asian rainfall anomaly in June, when the South Asian summer monsoon has been established. In July and August, however, the teleconnection pattern associated with the NEC temperature anomalies is characterized by an East Asia/Pacific （EAP） or Pacific/Japan （PJ） pattern, with the existence of precipitation anomalies over the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. This pattern is much clearer in July corresponding to the stronger convection over the Philippine Sea compared to that in August.     

前、后冬的东亚冬季风年际变异及其与东亚降水的关系

利用ERA-Interim的再分析资料和NOAA海温、降水量等资料对前、后冬的东亚冬季风的年际变异特征及其与东亚降水的关系进行对比分析,并讨论了热带和中高纬系统影响东亚冬季风变异的相对重要性。前冬的东亚冬季风变异的主导模态为东亚全区一致变异型,即一致的北风偏弱或偏强;其次为南部变异型,主要表现为在我国南方-南海北部的东北风偏弱或偏强。而后冬的东亚冬季风变异的主导模态则为南部变异型,其次为东亚全区一致变异型。从前冬到后冬,东亚冬季风的主要变异模态的次序出现交叉更替。前、后冬的冬季风主要模态以年际变化为主,但后冬主导模态还显示出冬季风有变强的趋势。前、后冬的东亚冬季风的主导变异模态也影响东亚降水异常的位置。在前冬,冬季风异常主要影响我国华北、渤海-黄海海域以及朝鲜半岛和日本南部区域的降水异常,而后冬的冬季风异常则主要导致我国东南地区及其东侧附近的西北太平洋海区的降水异常。前冬的东亚冬季风的前两种主要变异模态都受到印度洋-太平洋海温和中高纬环流系统共同的影响;后冬的东亚冬季风的前两种主要变异模态则分别主要受ENSO和中高纬系统的影响。      

亚洲—太平洋地区冬季海平面气压异常偶极模与我国冬季气候异常的关系

利用全球月平均海平面气压资料和各标准等压面的位势场、风场,以及我国160站的降水和温度资料,研究了亚洲—太平洋（20°N~70°N,40°E~120°W）地区（简称亚太地区）冬季（12~2月）海平面气压异常偶极型振荡（偶极模）的时间变化特征,以及该异常偶极模与我国冬季气候异常的关系。结果表明：近半个世纪以来,亚太地区冬季海平面气压场异常以经向型（ME）偶极模负异常和纬向型（ZO）偶极模正异常为主,其中又以ZO正异常发生的频数较高。对应ME模,其各空间层的高度场异常形势和高度场与MEI（经向型指数）的相关系数分布形势十分类似;对应ZO模则主要表现为与阿留申地区高相关中心的一致性特征,说明阿留申低压的变化对其起着重要作用。ME模与我国冬季东部的降水异常和气温异常关系密切,ZO模仅对东北地区的降水异常有影响,因为ZO模的异常对我国上空大气环流异常的影响相对较小;这一结果同我们传统上在冬季比较关注纬向气压差的变化（即ZO模）有些相左,提示我们在冬季更要关注ME模的情况。大气环流形势的分析表明, MEI正异常时,即西伯利亚—蒙古冷高压的北半部气压异常偏高,副热带西北太平洋地区气压偏低时,利于东亚大槽的加深加强,东亚冬季风因而也会偏强;但是由于此时我国东部主要为下沉气流控制,暖湿气流难于源源不断地输送到我国境内,从而造成此时冬季我国东部尤其是长江中下游地区降水偏少。反之,当MEI负位相时,大气环流异常利于造成我国东部大范围的冬季降水。     

Predictability of the summer East Asian upper-tropospheric westerly jet in ENSEMBLES multi-model forecasts

The interannual variation of the East Asian upper-tropospheric westerly jet(EAJ) significantly affects East Asian climate in summer. Identifying its performance in model prediction may provide us another viewpoint,from the perspective of uppertropospheric circulation,to understand the predictability of summer climate anomalies in East Asia. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of year-to-year variability of the EAJ based on retrospective seasonal forecasts,initiated from1 May,in the five state-of-the-art coupled models from ENSEMBLES during 1960–2005. It is found that the coupled models show certain capability in describing the interannual meridional displacement of the EAJ,which reflects the models' performance in the first leading empirical orthogonal function(EOF) mode. This capability is mainly shown over the region south of the EAJ axis. Additionally,the models generally capture well the main features of atmospheric circulation and SST anomalies related to the interannual meridional displacement of the EAJ. Further analysis suggests that the predicted warm SST anomalies in the concurrent summer over the tropical eastern Pacific and northern Indian Ocean are the two main sources of the potential prediction skill of the southward shift of the EAJ. In contrast,the models are powerless in describing the variation over the region north of the EAJ axis,associated with the meridional displacement,and interannual intensity change of the EAJ,the second leading EOF mode,meaning it still remains a challenge to better predict the EAJ and,subsequently,summer climate in East Asia,using current coupled models.     

Impacts of large-scale teleconnections on climate variability over Southwest Asia

The atmospheric low frequency variability at a regional or global scale is represented by teleconnection. Using monthly dataset of the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) for the period 1971–2016, the impacts of four large-scale teleconnection patterns on the climate variability over Southwest Asia are investigated. The large-scale features include the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the East Atlantic (EA) teleconnection patterns, as well as western tropical Indian Ocean (WTIO) sea surface temperature anomaly index. Results indicate that ENSO and EA are the first leading modes that explain variation of Southwest Asian precipitation, with positive (negative) anomalies during El Niño (La Niña) and the negative (positive) phase of EA. Variation of Southwest Asian near-surface temperature is most strongly related to WTIO index, with above-average (below-average) temperature during the positive (negative) phase of WTIO index, although the negative (positive) phase of NAO also favours the above-average (below-average) temperature. On the other hand, temperature (precipitation) over Southwest Asia shows the least response to ENSO (WTIO). ENSO and EA individually explain 13 percent annual variance of precipitation, while WTIO index explains 36 percent annual variance of near-surface temperature over Southwest Asia. Analysis of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis Interim (ERA-Interim) data indicated establishments of negative (positive) geopotential height anomalies in the middle troposphere over Southwest Asia during El Niño (La Niña) or the negative (positive) phase of NAO, EA and WTIO. The response of precipitation variability over Southwest Asia to NAO is opposite to that expected from the geopotential height anomalies, but the correlation between precipitation and NAO is not statistically significant. Due to predictability of large-scale teleconnections, results of this study are encouraging for improvement of the state-of-the-art seasonal prediction of the climate over Southwest Asia.     

东亚-太平洋型季节内演变和维持机理研究

利用850hPa的纬向风异常建立一个逐候东亚-太平洋(East Asian Pacific,EAP)型指数,研究其季节内演变特征,发现东亚-太平洋型经向波列是东亚夏季风季节内变化的主要模态.其演变过程为:扰动首先出现在北太平洋中部,并通过正压不稳定过程从基本气流中获得能量而发展,在高层罗斯贝波能量向南频散,激发热带对流异常和赤道罗斯贝波,并相互锁相,因赤道罗斯贝波受β效应影响而共同向西移动.热带对流和环流异常在菲律宾附近达到最强,此时在东亚沿岸出现经向三极型波列,此后中低纬度异常继续向西北方向移动,使降水异常在长江流域能维持较长时间.东亚-太平洋型在东亚发展和维持有以下原因:首先,菲律宾暖水上空的对流和低层环流之间存在正反馈;其次,由于海陆热力差异导致暖大陆和冷海洋之间存在特殊的纬向温度梯度和北风垂直切变,东亚-太平洋型在经向上有向北倾斜的斜压结构,能通过斜压能量转换从平均有效位能中获得能量,同时,也能从经向温度梯度的平均有效位能中获得能量.     

Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific Strengthen the East Asia–Pacific Pattern during Summer

The contribution of tropical cyclones(TCs)to the East Asia–Pacific(EAP)teleconnection pattern during summer was investigated using the best track data of the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and NCEP-2 reanalysis datasets from 1979 to2018.The results showed that the TCs over the western North Pacific(WNP)correspond to a strengthened EAP pattern:During the summers of strong convection over the tropical WNP,TC days correspond to a stronger cyclonic circulation anomaly over the WNP in the lower troposphere,an enhanced seesaw pattern of negative and positive geopotential height anomalies over the subtropical WNP and midlatitude East Asia in the middle troposphere,and a more northward shift of the East Asian westerly jet in the upper troposphere.Further analyses indicated that two types of TCs with distinctly different tracks,i.e.,westward-moving TCs and northward-moving TCs,both favor the EAP pattern.The present results imply that TCs over the WNP,as extreme weather,can contribute significantly to summer-mean climate anomalies over the WNP and East Asia.     

Variation in Principal Modes of Midsummer Precipitation over Northeast China and Its Associated Atmospheric Circulation

This study documents the first two principal modes of interannual variability of midsummer precipitation over Northeast China(NEC) and their associated atmospheric circulation anomalies. It is shown that the first principal mode exhibits the largest amount of variability in precipitation over the south of NEC(referred to as the south mode), whereas the second principal mode behaves with the greatest precipitation anomaly over the north of NEC(referred to as the north mode). Further findings reveal that, through modulating moisture transportation and upper-and lower-troposphere divergence circulation as well as vertical movement over NEC, the anomalous northwestern Pacific anticyclone and the anticyclone centered over northern NEC exert the dominant influence on the south and north modes, respectively. Additionally, it is quantitatively estimated that water vapor across the southern boundary of NEC dominates the moisture budget for the south mode, while the north mode has a close connection with moisture through NEC's northern and western boundaries. Furthermore, the north(south) mode is strongly related to the intensity(meridional shift) of the East Asian westerly jet.     

How predictable is the northern hemisphere summer upper-tropospheric circulation?

The retrospective forecast skill of three coupled climate models (NCEP CFS, GFDL CM2.1, and CAWCR POAMA 1.5) and their multi-model ensemble (MME) is evaluated, focusing on the Northern Hemisphere (NH) summer upper-tropospheric circulation along with surface temperature and precipitation for the 25-year period of 1981–2005. The seasonal prediction skill for the NH 200-hPa geopotential height basically comes from the coupled models’ ability in predicting the first two empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes of interannual variability, because the models cannot replicate the residual higher modes. The first two leading EOF modes of the summer 200-hPa circulation account for about 84% (35.4%) of the total variability over the NH tropics (extratropics) and offer a hint of realizable potential predictability. The MME is able to predict both spatial and temporal characteristics of the first EOF mode (EOF1) even at a 5-month lead (January initial condition) with a pattern correlation coefficient (PCC) skill of 0.96 and a temporal correlation coefficient (TCC) skill of 0.62. This long-lead predictability of the EOF1 comes mainly from the prolonged impacts of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as the EOF1 tends to occur during the summer after the mature phase of ENSO. The second EOF mode (EOF2), on the other hand, is related to the developing ENSO and also the interdecadal variability of the sea surface temperature over the North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocean. The MME also captures the EOF2 at a 5-month lead with a PCC skill of 0.87 and a TCC skill of 0.67, but these skills are mainly obtained from the zonally symmetric component of the EOF2, not the prominent wavelike structure, the so-called circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) pattern. In both observation and the 1-month lead MME prediction, the first two leading modes are accompanied by significant rainfall and surface air temperature anomalies in the continental regions of the NH extratropics. The MME’s success in predicting the EOF1 (EOF2) is likely to lead to a better prediction of JJA precipitation anomalies over East Asia and the North Pacific (central and southern Europe and western North America).     

Spatial and interannual variations of spring rainfall over eastern China in association with PDO–ENSO events

The spatio-temporal variations of eastern China spring rainfall are identified via empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of rain-gauge (gridded) precipitation datasets for the period 1958–2013 (1920–2013). The interannual variations of the first two leading EOF modes are linked with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), with this linkage being modulated by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The EOF1 mode, characterized by predominant rainfall anomalies from the Yangtze River to North China (YNC), is more likely associated with out-of-phase PDO–ENSO events [i.e., El Niño during cold PDO (EN_CPDO) and La Niña during warm PDO (LN_WPDO)]. The sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) distributions of EN_CPDO (LN_WPDO) events induce a significant anomalous anticyclone (cyclone) over the western North Pacific stretching northward to the Korean Peninsula and southern Japan, resulting in anomalous southwesterlies (northeasterlies) prevailing over eastern China and above-normal (below-normal) rainfall over YNC. In contrast, EOF2 exhibits a dipole pattern with predominantly positive rainfall anomalies over southern China along with negative anomalies over YNC, which is more likely connected to in-phase PDO–ENSO events [i.e., El Niño during warm PDO (EN_WPDO) and La Niña during cold PDO (LN_CPDO)]. EN_WPDO (LN_CPDO) events force a southwest–northeast oriented dipole-like circulation pattern leading to significant anomalous southwesterlies (northeasterlies) and above-normal (below-normal) rainfall over southern China. Numerical experiments with the CAM5 model forced by the SSTA patterns of EN_WPDO and EN_CPDO events reproduce reasonably well the corresponding anomalous atmospheric circulation patterns and spring rainfall modes over eastern China, validating the related mechanisms.