An analysis of regional climate model performance over the tropical Americas. Part I: simulating seasonal variability of precipitation associated with ENSO forcing

Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies associated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) constitute a major source of predictability in the tropics. We evaluate the ability of a regional climate model (the Rossby Centre Atmospheric Model; RCA) to downscale SST and large-scale atmospheric anomalies associated with ENSO. RCA is configured over the tropical east Pacific and tropical Americas and runs for the period 1979–2005, using European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) lateral and surface boundary conditions. We study the ability of RCA to represent regional patterns of precipitation, with respect to both the climatology and interannual variability associated with ENSO. The latter is achieved by grouping the simulations into El Niño and La Niña composites and studying the delayed response of precipitation to SST forcing in four regions of Central and South America.
In this paper, we concentrate on seasonal mean timescales. We find that RCA accurately simulates the main features of the precipitation climatology over the four regions and also reproduces the majority of the documented regional responses to ENSO forcing. Furthermore, the model captures the variability in precipitation anomalies between different ENSO events. The model exhibits a wet bias over the northern Amazon and slightly overestimates the magnitude of ENSO anomalies over Central America.     

Decadal variability in an OGCM Southern Ocean: Intrinsic modes,forced modes and metastable states

An ocean general circulation model (OGCM) is used to identify a Southern Ocean southeast Pacific intrinsic mode of low frequency variability. Using CORE data a comprehensive suite of experiments were carried out to elucidate excitation and amplification responses of this intrinsic mode to low frequency forcing (ENSO, SAM) and stochastic forcing due to high frequency winds. Subsurface anomalies were found to teleconnect the Pacific and Atlantic regions of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) thermocline. The Pacific region of the ACC is characterised by intrinsic baroclinic disturbances that respond to both SAM and ENSO, while the Atlantic sector of the ACC is sensitive to higher frequency winds that act to amplify thermocline anomalies propagating downstream from the Pacific. Non-stationary cluster analysis was used to identify the system’s dynamical regimes and characterise meta-stability, persistence and transitions between the respective states. This analysis reveals significant trends, indicating fundamental changes to the meta-stability of the ocean dynamics in response to changes in atmospheric forcing. Intrinsic variability in sea-ice concentration was found to be coupled to thermocline processes. Sea-ice variability localised in the Atlantic was most closely associated with high frequency weather forcing. The SAM was associated with a circumpolar sea-ice response whereas ENSO was found to be a major driver of sea-ice variability only in the Pacific. This simulation study identifies plausible mechanisms that determine the predictability of the Southern Ocean climate on multi-decadal timescales.     

Periodic Forcing and ENSO Suppression in the Cane-Zebiak Model

The effect of a periodic forcing on the intensity of El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is studied using the Cane-Zebiak model. With a basic seasonal climate close to the present, ENSO can be suppressed by a substantially enhanced seasonal external equatorial wind, which could be induced by monsoon forcing. ENSO suppression is usually more effective for an unstable self-exciting ENSO than for a stable stochastic-exciting ENSO. In addition, ENSO also tends to be suppressed by sufficiently strong periodic forcings of longer periods. The suppression of ENSO seems to be related to the nonlinear mechanism of frequency entrainment. These conclusions are in qualitative agreement with previous studies of conceptual ENSO models, although the Cane-Zebiak model shows a much more complicated dependence of the amplitude of ENSO on periodic forcing.     

Surface salinity in the Atlantic Ocean (30°S–50°N)

Sea surface salinity (SSS) data in the Atlantic Ocean is investigated between 50°N and 30°S based on data collected mostly during the period 1977–2002. Monthly mapping of SSS is done to extract the large-scale variability. This mapped variability indicates fairly long (seasonal) time scales outside the equatorial region. The spatial scales of the seasonal anomalies are regional, but not basin-wide (typically 500–1000 km). These seasonal SSS anomalies are found to respond with a 1–2 month lag to freshwater flux anomalies at the air–sea interface or to the horizontal Ekman advection. This relation presents a seasonal cycle in the northern subtropics and north-east Atlantic indicating that the late-boreal spring/summer season is less active than the boreal winter/early-spring season in forcing the seasonal SSS variability. In the north-eastern mid-latitude Atlantic, SSS is positively correlated to SST, with SSS slightly lagging SST. There are noticeable long-lasting larger-scale signals overlaid on this regional variability. Part of it is related to known climate signals, for example ENSO and NAO. A linear trend is present during the first half of the period in some parts of the basin (usually towards increasing salinities, at least between 20°N and 45°N). Based on a linear regression analysis, these signals combined can locally represent up to 20% of SSS variance (in particular near 30°N/60°W or 40°N/10–30°W), but usually represent less than 10% of the variance.     

东亚夏季风降雨的可预报性研究

本文根据CMAP(The Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation)观测资料,使用相关系数和均方根误差,对CHFP2(Coupled Historical Forecast Project, phase 2 )的2个模式对东亚夏季降雨的季节预报技巧作出评价。在完美模式的理论框架下,分别使用基于信噪比的潜在相关系数和基于信息熵的潜在可预报性指标,对该区域主要针对夏季降雨的可预报性作出评价。通过最可预报分量分析(PrCA),得到季节降雨的最可预报型。将最可预报型投影到海温场,得到了降水最可预报型对应的海温分布。研究发现:相关系数所反映的预报和观测的线性相关程度总体上是低纬度海洋区域比高纬度陆地区域高,而均方根误差反映的则是在海洋区域降雨预报偏离实际值的程度较陆地区域大,预报水平与目前降雨的季节预报水平相符。潜在可预报性估计表明,潜在可预报率存在空间上的变化,从低纬度向高纬度、从海洋到内陆,呈衰减趋势。同时,信号和噪音的分析表明,信号成分占主导作用,形成了潜在可预报率的空间分布格局,暗示了海洋外强迫的重要作用;中国大陆缺少像海洋区域那样明显的外强迫,因此降水季节预报技巧相比热带海洋区域非常有限。海温投影的分析表明海洋的外强迫是东亚降雨季节预报的重要来源。尽管厄尔尼诺本身的复杂性,它对东亚夏季风的重要影响及其与东亚降雨预报之间的遥相关揭示了它们内在的联系。     

大气模式中季节内振荡特征对不同海温强迫场的响应

利用美国国家大气研究中心 (NCAR)的全球大气模式 (CCM3) ,分别以月平均和周平均海表温度 (SST)为强迫场进行 2个积分试验 (称为 CCMM和 CCMW试验 )。积分结果与观测资料的对比分析发现 ,CCM3模拟大气季节内振荡 (MJO)信号的强度均较观测资料偏弱 ,而其中以CCMW模拟的强度略大而较接近真实。表明 SST强迫场包含更真实的季节内变化信息对提高模拟 MJO强度有作用。 CCMM与 CCMW模拟 MJO活动的时间位相均与观测差别较大 ,直接原因在于 CCM3中降水季节内振荡与 SST变化的相关关系不正确 ,而更根本的问题在于大气模式无法反映资料分析发现的季节内时间尺度的 SST与大气的相互作用。     

ENSO variability and the eastern tropical Pacific: A review

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) encompasses variability in both the eastern and western tropical Pacific. During the warm phase of ENSO, the eastern tropical Pacific is characterized by equatorial positive sea surface temperature (SST) and negative sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies, while the western tropical Pacific is marked by off-equatorial negative SST and positive SLP anomalies. Corresponding to this distribution are equatorial westerly wind anomalies in the central Pacific and equatorial easterly wind anomalies in the far western Pacific. Occurrence of ENSO has been explained as either a self-sustained, naturally oscillatory mode of the coupled ocean–atmosphere system or a stable mode triggered by stochastic forcing. Whatever the case, ENSO involves the positive ocean–atmosphere feedback hypothesized by Bjerknes. After an El Niño reaches its mature phase, negative feedbacks are required to terminate growth of the mature El Niño anomalies in the central and eastern Pacific. Four requisite negative feedbacks have been proposed: reflected Kelvin waves at the ocean western boundary, a discharge process due to Sverdrup transport, western Pacific wind-forced Kelvin waves, and anomalous zonal advections. These negative feedbacks may work together for terminating El Niño, with their relative importance being time-dependent.ENSO variability is most pronounced along the equator and the coast of Ecuador and Peru. However, the eastern tropical Pacific also includes a warm pool north of the equator where important variability occurs. Seasonally, ocean advection seems to play an important role for SST variations of the eastern Pacific warm pool. Interannual variability in the eastern Pacific warm pool may be largely due to a direct oceanic connection with the ENSO variability at the equator. Variations in temperature, stratification, insolation, and productivity associated with ENSO have implications for phytoplankton productivity and for fish, birds, and other organisms in the region. Long-term changes in ENSO variability may be occurring and are briefly discussed. This paper is part of a comprehensive review of the oceanography of the eastern tropical Pacific.     

南海沿海季节性海平面异常变化特征及成因分析

Based on sea level, air temperature, sea surface temperature(SST), air pressure and wind data during 1980–2014,this paper uses Morlet wavelet transform, Estuarine Coastal Ocean Model(ECOM) and so on to investigate the characteristics and possible causes of seasonal sea level anomalies along the South China Sea(SCS) coast. The research results show that:(1) Seasonal sea level anomalies often occur from January to February and from June to October. The frequency of sea level anomalies is the most in August, showing a growing trend in recent years. In addition, the occurring frequency of negative sea level anomaly accounts for 50% of the total abnormal number.(2) The seasonal sea level anomalies are closely related to ENSO events. The negative anomalies always occurred during the El Ni?o events, while the positive anomalies occurred during the La Ni?a(late El Ni?o) events. In addition, the seasonal sea level oscillation periods of 4–7 a associated with ENSO are the strongest in winter, with the amplitude over 2 cm.(3) Abnormal wind is an important factor to affect the seasonal sea level anomalies in the coastal region of the SCS. Wind-driven sea level height(SSH) is basically consistent with the seasonal sea level anomalies. Moreover, the influence of the tropical cyclone in the coastal region of the SCS is concentrated in summer and autumn, contributing to the seasonal sea level anomalies.(4) Seasonal variations of sea level, SST and air temperature are basically consistent along the coast of the SCS, but the seasonal sea level anomalies have no much correlation with the SST and air temperature.     

一个重构的153年热带太平洋次表层上卷海温资料

次表层上卷海温对改进ENSO(厄尔尼诺-南方涛动,El Ni o-Southern Oscillation)模拟水平及ENSO年代际变化均具有重要作用。利用一个中等复杂程度耦合模式(intermediate coupled model,简称ICM)和Nudging(张弛逼近)同化方法,重构了1856—2008年间热带太平洋地区的次表层上卷海温。统计检验表明,重构的次表层上卷海温与近50年的3种分析资料间具有较高的相关性和较小的均方根误差。此外,通过此重构的次表层上卷海温资料重新驱动ICM模式,模拟得到的海表温度距平(sea surface temperature anomaly,简称SSTA)可以真实地反映出ENSO的年际和年代际变化,表明此重构的次表层上卷海温资料可用于气候研究,特别是用于ENSO的大尺度低频变化或年代际气候变化研究。     

ENSO对华东地区春季降水影响的不对称性

利用1958—2019年的观测和再分析数据集,对冷、暖两类厄尔尼诺-南方涛动（El Niño-Southern Oscillation,ENSO）事件与后期华东地区春季降水之间的关系进行了分析。结果表明：（1）在暖ENSO事件中,华东春季降水量与前冬季ENSO海面温度异常存在较强的正相关关系。在冷ENSO事件中,这种强正相关向内陆地区西移,主要集中在江西和湖南。（2）暖ENSO事件通常会导致浙江、江苏和福建等沿海省份春季降水量过剩,而冷ENSO事件往往导致江西和湖南降水偏少。这归因于ENSO对大气环流的非线性影响。（3）与暖ENSO事件相比,冷ENSO事件引起的海面温度异常中心明显西移,造成异常低层大气环流的西移,最终导致华东降水的西移效应。（4）通过分析和发现,强调了华东春季降水对ENSO的非线性响应,这对华东地区的季节性气候预测具有重要意义。     

Analysis of sea surface height variabilities in the Kuroshio Current region by using Geosat altimeter data

INTRODUCTIONBeing a current of high temperature and high salinity, the Kuroshio carries a large amount ofheat from low latitude tropical ocean to high latitude ocean, and plays an imPOrtant role in theheat balance in East Asia. The variability of the Kurosl,io can affect the climate of East Asia, aswell as the ocean environment and the fishery resources. A lot of studies showed that the variabilitiies of the Kuroshio were related to the global changes especially to the onset of ENSO.…     

Intrinsic and forced interannual variability of the Gulf of Alaska mesoscale circulation

The response of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) circulation to large-scale North Pacific climate variability is explored using three high resolution (15 km) regional ocean model ensembles over the period 1950-2004. On interannual and decadal timescales the mean circulation is strongly modulated by changes in the large scale climate forcing associated with PDO and ENSO. Intensification of the model gyre scale circulation occurs after the 1976-1977 climate shift, as well as during 1965-1970 and 1993-1995. From the model dynamical budgets we find that when the GOA experiences stronger southeasterly winds, typical during the positive phase of the PDO and ENSO, there is net large-scale Ekman convergence in the central and eastern coastal boundary. The geostrophic adjustment to higher sea surface height (SSH) and lower isopycnals lead to stronger cyclonic gyre scale circulation. The opposite situation occurs during stronger northwesterly winds (negative phase of the PDO).Along the eastern side of the GOA basin, interannual changes in the surface winds also modulate the seasonal development of high amplitude anticyclonic eddies (e.g. Haïda and Sitka eddies). Large interannual eddy events during winter-spring, are phase-locked with the seasonal cycle. The initial eddy dynamics are consistent with a quasi-linear Rossby wave response to positive SSH anomalies forced by stronger downwelling favorable winds (e.g. southwesterly during El Niño). However, because of the fast growth rate of baroclinic instability and the geographical focusing associated with the coastal geometry, most of the perturbation energy in the Rossby wave is locally trapped until converted into large scale nonlinear coherent eddies. Coastally trapped waves of tropical origin may also contribute to positive SSH anomalies that lead to higher amplitude eddies. However, their presence does not appear essential. The model ensembles, which do not include the effects of equatorial coastally trapped waves, capture the large Haïda and Sitka eddy events observed during 1982 and 1997 and explain between 40% and 70% of the tidal gauges variance along the GOA coast.In the western side of the GOA basin, interannual eddy variability located south of the Alaskan Stream is not correlated with large scale forcing and appears to be intrinsic. A comparison of the three model ensembles forced by NCEP winds and a multi-century-long integration forced only with the seasonal cycle, shows that the internal variability alone explains most of the eddy variance. The asymmetry between the eddy forced regime in the eastern basin, and the intrinsic regime in the western basin, has important implications for predicting the GOA response to climate change. If future climate change results in stronger wintertime winds and increased downwelling in the eastern basin, then increased mesoscale activity (perhaps more or larger eddies) might occur in this region. Conversely, the changes in the western basin are not predictable based on environmental forcing. Eastern eddies transport important biogeochemical quantities such as iron, oxygen and chlorophyll-a into the gyre interior, therefore having potential upscale effects on the GOA high-nutrient-low-chlorophyll region.     

赤道东印度洋和孟加拉湾障碍层厚度的年际变化及其影响机制

Interannual variability(IAV) in the barrier layer thickness(BLT) and forcing mechanisms in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean(EEIO) and Bay of Bengal(BoB) are examined using monthly Argo data sets during 2002–2017. The BLT during November–January(NDJ) in the EEIO shows strong IAV, which is associated with the Indian Ocean dipole mode(IOD), with the IOD leading the BLT by two months. During the negative IOD phase, the westerly wind anomalies driving the downwelling Kelvin waves increase the isothermal layer depth(ILD). Moreover, the variability in the mixed layer depth(MLD) is complex. Affected by the Wyrtki jet, the MLD presents negative anomalies west of 85°E and strong positive anomalies between 85°E and 93°E. Therefore, the BLT shows positive anomalies except between 86°E and 92°E in the EEIO. Additionally, the IAV in the BLT during December–February(DJF) in the BoB is also investigated. In the eastern and northeastern BoB, the IAV in the BLT is remotely forced by equatorial zonal wind stress anomalies associated with the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO). In the western BoB, the regional surface wind forcing-related ENSO modulates the BLT variations.     

Generation of equatorial Atlantic warm and cold events in a coupled general circulation model simulation

Warm and cold events in the Gulf of Guinea, characteristic of the tropical interannual variability, can be generated in several ways. This emerges from a statistical analysis of 200 years of interannual variability simulated by a coupled ocean–atmosphere General Circulation Model. The application of a clustering technique to the anomalies of the thermal energy stored in the upper oceanic layers leads to the separation of the events, either warm or cold, into a number of classes, each of them distinguished by a particular generation scheme. The physical mechanisms involved are identified by examining the contributions of the various terms in the mixed layer tendency equation.
Basically, those few classes can be sorted into two larger groups. In one of them, the onset stage is characterized by an eastward propagation of the anomalies. Atmospheric flows play a leading part in the generation of events within this group. In the second group, thermal energy anomalies are generated in situ in the Gulf of Guinea, and it is mixing that gives the most important contribution to the development of the events.
The different classes are related to different seasonal signatures and also to differences in the influence of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). While some of the classes are strongly influenced by ENSO, while in others this influence is not significant. This can explain the barely significant correlations between ENSO and the Atlantic warm events, a feature that the simulation analyzed here shares with the observations.     

Biogeography and phenology of satellite-measured phytoplankton seasonality in the California current

Thirteen years (1998–2010) of satellite-measured chlorophyll a are used to establish spatial patterns in climatological phytoplankton biomass seasonality across the California Current System (CCS) and its interannual variability. Multivariate clustering based on the shape of the local climatological seasonal cycle divides the study area into four groups: two with spring-summer maxima representing the northern and southern coastal upwelling zones, one with a summer minimum offshore in mid-latitudes and a fourth with very weak seasonality in between. Multivariate clustering on the seasonal cycles from all 13 years produces the same four seasonal cycle types and provides a view of the interannual variability in seasonal biogeography. Over the study period these seasonal cycles generally appear in similar locations as the climatological clusters. However, considerable interannual variability in the geography of the seasonal cycles is evident across the CCS, the most spatially extensive of which are associated with the 1997–1999 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signal and the 2005 delayed spring transition off the Oregon and northern and central California coasts. We quantify linear trends over the study period in the seasonal timing of the two seasonal cycles that represent the biologically productive coastal upwelling zones using four different metrics of phenology. In the northern upwelling region, the date of the spring maximum is delaying (1.34 days yr⁻¹) and the central tendency of the summer elevated chlorophyll period is advancing (0.63 days yr⁻¹). In the southern coastal upwelling region, both the initiation and cessation of the spring maximum are delaying (1.78 days yr⁻¹ and 2.44 days yr⁻¹, respectively) and the peak is increasing in duration over the study period. Connections between observed interannual shifts in phytoplankton seasonality and physical forcing, expressed as either basin-scale climate signals or local forcing, show phytoplankton seasonality in the CCS to be influenced by changes in the seasonality of the wind mixing power offshore, coastal upwelling in the near-shore regions and basin-scale signals such as ENSO across the study area.     

Sea surface height variability in the Rio de la Plata estuary from synoptic to inter-annual scales: Results of numerical simulations

A long term simulation of the barotropic circulation in the Río de la Plata estuary was performed with the aim of identifying the characteristic patterns of sea surface height (SSH) variability from synoptic to inter-annual time scales and their forcing mechanisms. Hamburg Shelf Ocean Model (HamSOM), forced by tides, monthly mean runoffs and 4-daily 10 m winds and surface atmospheric pressure from the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis was run. The solution was analyzed for the period 1965–2004. Inter-annual variability accounts for almost 10% of the variance. The first EOF mode of SSH variability on this time scale is associated with a mean anomaly of approximately 0.25 m at the upper estuary forced by both runoff and winds, which seems to be strongly associated with the ENSO cycles. Other two modes, with periodicities around 2.5 and 10 years were also found. Even though they are linked to weaker SSH anomalies, they are consistent with inter-annual modes of wind variability reported by other authors. Those modes are important, particularly if they act in phase, because they can provide a background for stronger surges. In contrast with the salinity field, SSH variability on seasonal time scales accounts for a very small percentage of variance and it is the combination of an annual and a semi-annual signal forced by winds and runoff, respectively. Approximately 90% of the variance is due to wind driven variability on sub-annual time scales. The most significant SSH anomalies in this band are associated with cyclogenetic events in the atmosphere, occurring either over Uruguay or over the Patagonian Shelf, whereas the strengthening or weakening of the semi-permanent South Atlantic anticyclone displays a relatively smaller influence. In agreement with previous publications, the estuary's spatial patterns in response to short-scale wind variability seem to be determined by wind direction more than by wind speed.     

Sea ice concentration anomalies as long range predictors of anomalous conditions in the North Atlantic basin

Long-range empirical forecasts of North Atlantic anomalous conditions are issued, using sea ice concentration anomalies in the same region as predictors. Conditions in the North Atlantic are characterized by anomalies of sea surface temperature, of 850 hPa air temperature and of sea level pressure. Using the Singular Value Decomposition of the cross-covariance matrix between the sea ice field (the predictor) and each of the predictand variables, empirical models are built, and forecasts at lead times from 3 to 18 months are presented. The forecasts of the air temperature anomalies score the highest levels of the skill, while forecasts of the sea level pressure anomalies are the less sucessful ones.
To investigate the sources of the forecast skill, we analyze their spatial patterns. In addition, we investigate the influence of major climatic signals on the forecast skill. In the case of the air temperature anomalies, the spatial pattern of the skill may be connected to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences. The ENSO signature is present in the predictor field, as shown in the composite analysis. The composite pattern indicates a higher (lower) sea ice concentration in the Labrador Sea and the opposite situation in the Greenland–Barents Seas during the warm (cold) phase of ENSO. The forecasts issued under the El Niño conditions show improved skill in the Labrador region, the Iberian Peninsula and south of Greenland for the lead times considered in this paper. For the Great Lakes region the skill increases when the predictor is under the influence of a cold phase. Some features in the spatial structure of the skill of the forecasts issued in the period of the Great Salinity Anomaly present similarities with those found for forecasts made during the cold phase of ENSO. The strength of the dependence on the Great Salinity Anomaly makes it very difficult to determine the influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation.     

Variability in upper-ocean salinity stratification in the tropical Pacific Ocean

Using a gridded array for real-time geostrophic oceanography(Argo) program float dataset, the features of upperocean salinity stratification in the tropical Pacific Ocean are studied. The salinity component of the squared Brunt-V?is?l? frequency N~2( N_S~2) is used to represent salinity stratification. Layer-max N_S~2(LMN), defined as the N_S~2 maximum over the upper 300 m depth, and halocline depth(HD), defined as the depth where the N_S~2 maximum is located, are used to specifically describe the intensity of salinity stratification. Salinity stratification in the Topical Pacific Ocean has both spatial and temporal variability. Over the western and eastern equatorial Pacific, the LMN has a large magnitude with a shallow HD, and both have completely opposite distributions outside of the equatorial region. An obvious seasonal cycle in the LMN occurs in the north side of eastern equatorial Pacific and freshwater flux forcing dominates the seasonal variations, followed by subsurface forcing.At the eastern edge of the western Pacific warm pool around the dateline, significant interannual variation of salinity stratification occurs and is closely related to the El Ni?o Southern Oscillation event. When an El Ni?o event occurs, the precipitation anomaly freshens sea surface and the thermocline shoaling induced by the westerly wind anomaly lifts salty water upward, together contribute to the positive salinity stratification anomaly over the eastern edge of the warm pool. The interannual variations in ocean stratification can slightly affect the propagation of first baroclinic gravity waves.     

福建省近50a降水趋势及区域变化特征

本文应用趋势分析方法分析了福建省35个代表站1961～2003年年、季降水的变化规律．结果表明全年、春季、夏季全省降水以正的趋势为主，而雨季降水以负趋势为主，秋冬季趋势不明显．其后应用旋转主因子分析方法对年、季降水进行区域性分析，结果表明全省降水变化主要以南北向变化为主，东西向为次，同时给出了各季具体的分区范围．最后选取4个代表站进行降水的年代际变化分析．     

江南雨季地理区域及起止时间的客观确定

本文基于国家气象信息中心整编的全国1 675个台站观测资料以及NCEP/NCAR的再分析资料,定义了候降水指数,利用旋转正交经验函数分解(REOF)法对全国候降水的季节进程进行了诊断分析,得到了表征气候态降水逐候进程的南、北方模态及各自的时间系数,发现REOF第二模态对应降水季节进程中的江南雨季。综合考虑我国南方(31°N以南、110°E以东区域)气候态降水的候进程、降水季节进程(4-6月降水指数减去6-8月降水指数)年际变率以及雨季(4-6月降水指数)降水年际变率的一致性,客观定义了江南雨季的地理范围。利用客观划定区域内的降水指数、925hPa经向风以及西北太平洋副热带高压500hPa脊线位置3个指标,制定了判定江南雨季起止时间的方法,进而对1961-2012年江南雨季起止时间进行了客观确定,给出了江南雨季起止时间序列。本文旨在为规范江南雨季的监测提供参考和借鉴,并为其预测提供科学基础。