Multi-stage onset of the summer monsoon over the western North Pacific

 The climatological summer monsoon onset displays a distinct step wise northeastward movement over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific (WNP) (110°–160°E, 10°–20°N). Monsoon rain commences over the South China Sea-Philippines region in mid-May, extends abruptly to the southwestern Philippine Sea in early to mid-June, and finally penetrates to the northeastern part of the domain around mid-July. In association, three abrupt changes are identified in the atmospheric circulation. Specifically, the WNP subtropical high displays a sudden eastward retreat or quick northward displacement and the monsoon trough pushes abruptly eastward or northeastward at the onset of the three stages. The step wise movement of the onset results from the slow northeastward seasonal evolution of large-scale circulation and the phase-locked intraseasonal oscillation (ISO). The seasonal evolution establishes a large-scale background for the development of convection and the ISO triggers deep convection. The ISO over the WNP has a dominant period of about 20–30 days. This determines up the time interval between the consecutive stages of the monsoon onset. From the atmospheric perspective, the seasonal sea surface temperature (SST) change in the WNP plays a critical role in the northeastward advance of the onset. The seasonal northeastward march of the warmest SST tongue (SST exceeding 29.5 °C) favors the northeastward movement of the monsoon trough and the high convective instability region. The seasonal SST change, in turn, is affected by the monsoon through cloud-radiation and wind-evaporation feedbacks. Received: 19 October 1999 / Accepted: 5 June 2000     

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.     

南海-西太平洋春季对流10~30天振荡强度对南海夏季风爆发早晚的影响

采用NCEP再分析资料,揭示了南海-西太平洋春季对流存在显著的10~30天振荡周期。在年际尺度上,南海-西太平洋春季对流10~30天振荡强度（简称SCSWP_SISO）与南海夏季风爆发日期存在显著的负相关关系。当春季菲律宾和西太平洋海温偏高、赤道太平洋中部及以东地区海温偏低时,索马里、110 °E越赤道气流会加强,南海-西太平洋偏西风加强,产生异常气旋性环流,垂直上升运动增强,水汽异常偏多,东西风切变增强,有利于SCSWP_SISO增强。而SCSWP_SISO增强时,有由南往北、自西向东的异常气旋传播,从而减弱低层副热带高压使之较早撤出南海,南海夏季风得以较早爆发。反之亦然。在不同的年代际背景下,SCSWP_SISO经历了偏弱、较弱和偏强的变化,但影响其变化的因子并不完全一致。在第一阶段（1958—1976年）,主导因子是南海-西太平洋冷的海温与异常下沉运动、异常减弱的水汽-对流条件。在第二阶段（1977—1993年）,主导因子为中东太平洋异常偏冷的海温以及局地异常减弱的风场垂直切变。在第三阶段（1994—2011年）,主导因子为热带海温的整体偏暖、风场垂直切变的增强以及水汽-对流的加强。但随着SCSWP_SISO的年代际增强,其与南海夏季风爆发日期的相关关系却呈现下降趋势。      

东亚夏季风强弱年大气环流和热源异常对比分析

根据黄刚等定义的东亚夏季风指数, 对强、弱东亚夏季风年大气环流、大气热源和外强迫源SST的差异进行分析, 结果表明:强 (弱) 东亚夏季风年前期冬季到夏季, 太平洋SSTA为La Ni?a (El Ni?o) 型分布, 西太平洋暖池SST暖 (冷), 使得暖池附近对流活动较强 (较弱)。与此同时, 南亚大陆从印度半岛、青藏高原南部、中南半岛至华南大气异常加热 (变冷), 并且海陆热力对比加强 (减弱), 有利于出现强 (弱) 的东亚夏季风。此外, 由于暖池附近对流活动强 (弱), 该地区上升气流较强 (弱), Walker环流增强 (减弱), 当强 (弱) 的东亚夏季风向北推进时, 副热带西风急流北撤位置偏北 (南), 副热带高压位置也偏北 (南), 7月至8月华北 (江淮流域) 位于副热带西风急流南侧, 降水偏多, 江淮流域 (华北) 降水偏少。并给出与东亚夏季风年际变异有关的大气环流和SST异常的物理图像。     

Effects of atmosphere-ocean interaction on the interannual variability of winter temperature in Taiwan and East Asia

 This study investigated the ocean-atmosphere interaction effect on the winter surface air temperature in Taiwan. Temperature fluctuations in Taiwan and marine East Asia correlated better with a SST dipole in the western North Pacific than the SST in the central/eastern equatorial Pacific. During the warm (cold) winters, a positive (negative) SST anomaly appears in marine East Asia and a negative (positive) SST anomaly appears in the Philippine Sea. The corresponding low-level atmospheric circulation is a cyclonic (anticyclonic) anomaly over the East Asian continent and an anticyclonic (cyclonic) circulation in the Philippine Sea during the warm (cold) winters. Based on the results of both numerical and empirical studies, it is proposed that a vigorous ocean-atmosphere interaction occurring in the western North Pacific modulates the strength of the East Asian winter monsoon and the winter temperature in marine East Asia. The mechanism is described as follows. The near-surface circulation anomalies, which are forced by the local SST anomaly, strengthen (weaken) the northeasterly trade winds in the Philippine Sea and weaken (strengthen) the northeasterly winter monsoon in East Asia during warm (cold) winters. The anomalous circulation causes the SST to fluctuate by modulating the heat flux at the ocean surface. The SST anomaly in turn enhances the anomalous circulation. Such an ocean-atmosphere interaction results in the rapid development of the anomalous circulation in the western North Pacific and the anomalous winter temperature in marine East Asia. This interaction is phase-locked with the seasonal cycle and occurs most efficiently in the boreal winters. Received: 22 October 1999 / Accepted: 5 June 2000     

PRELIMINARY ANALYSES OF THE ACTIVITIES OF SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON IN 1998

The NCEP reanalyzed data, OLR and SST observations are used to study the onset time and the multi-time scales features of the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon in 1998 and its interaction with the sea surface temperature and the effect on the precipitation in Guangdong province. It is found that the 1998 SCS summer monsoon set in on May 17 (in the fourth pentad of the month). The year witnesses a weak monsoon with the OLR oscillating at cycles of about 1 month and the Southwest Monsoon of about 1/2 month. The mon-soon over the Bay of Bengal and the cross-equatorial current near 105°are two driving forces for low-frequency variations of the SCS monsoon. The weak activity in the year was resulted from positive anomalies of SST in the equatorial eastern Pacific in early spring and subsequent formation of positive anomalies of SST in the SCS through the Arabian Sea.     

Cross-season relation of the South China Sea precipitation variability between winter and summer

The present study reveals cross-season connections of rainfall variability in the South China Sea (SCS) region between winter and summer. Rainfall anomalies over northern South China Sea in boreal summer tend to be preceded by the same sign rainfall anomalies over southern South China Sea in boreal winter (denoted as in-phase relation) and succeeded by opposite sign rainfall anomalies over southern South China Sea in the following winter (denoted as out-of-phase relation). Analysis shows that the in-phase relation from winter to summer occurs more often in El Niño/La Niña decaying years and the out-of-phase relation from summer to winter appears more frequently in El Niño/La Niña developing years. In the summer during the El Niño/La Niña decaying years, cold/warm and warm/cold sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies develop in tropical central North Pacific and the North Indian Ocean, respectively, forming an east–west contrast pattern. The in-phase relation is associated with the influence of anomalous heating/cooling over the equatorial central Pacific during the mature phase of El Niño/La Niña events that suppresses/enhances precipitation over southern South China Sea and the impact of the above east–west SST anomaly pattern that reduces/increases precipitation over northern South China Sea during the following summer. The impact of the east–west contrast SST anomaly pattern is confirmed by numerical experiments with specified SST anomalies. In the El Niño/La Niña developing years, regional air-sea interactions induce cold/warm SST anomalies in the equatorial western North Pacific. The out-of-phase relation is associated with a Rossby wave type response to anomalous heating/cooling over the equatorial central Pacific during summer and the combined effect of warm/cold SST anomalies in the equatorial central Pacific and cold/warm SST anomalies in the western North Pacific during the mature phase of El Niño/La Niña events.     

Climatology and Interannual Variability of the Southeast Asian Summer Monsoon

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Persistent Heavy Rainfall over South China During May-August：Subseasonal Anomalies of Circulation and Sea Surface Temperature

This study investigates the relationship between subseasonal variations of the circulation and sea surface temperature（SST） over the South China–East Asian coastal region（EACR） in association with the persistent heavy rainfall（PHR） events over South China during May–August through statistical analysis. Based on the intensity threshold and duration criterion of the daily rainfall, a total of 63 May–June（MJ） and 59July–August（JA） PHR events are selected over South China from 1979 to 2011. The lower-level circulation anomalies on subseasonal timescale exhibit an anomalous cyclone over South China and an anomalous anticyclone shaped like a tongue over the South China Sea（SCS） during the PHR events for MJ group.The anomalous cyclone over South China in MJ originates from low-value systems in the mid-high latitudes before the rainfall. The anomalous anticyclone over the SCS is due to the westward extension of the western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH） and the southeastward propagation of the anomalous anticyclone from South China before the rainfall. For JA group, the lower-level anomalous circulation pattern is similar to that for MJ over the South China–EACR, but with di？erent features of propagation. The subseasonal anomalous anticyclone is also related to the westward stretch of the WPSH, while the anomalous cyclone is traced back to the weak anomalous cyclone over the Philippine Sea several days before the rainfall events.Positive SST anomaly（SSTA） is observed over the SCS and the Philippine Sea during the MJ PHR events on the subseasonal timescale. It is closely linked with the variation of local anomalous anticyclone. In contrast, negative SSTA occupies the South China coastal region for the JA PHR events, and it is driven by the anomalous cyclone which propagates northwestward from the Philippine Sea. The subseasonal positive（negative） SSTAs are generated via the local processes of above（below）-normal incident solar radiation and below（above）-normal latent heat fluxes. The possible role of the subseasonal SSTA in the local convective instability is also analyzed in this study.     

关于亚洲夏季风爆发及北半球季节突变的物理机理的诊断分析:Ⅰ季风爆发的阶段性特征

该工作将亚洲季风区作为一个复杂的海-陆-气耦合系统,来深入考察季风区海-气、陆-气相互作用的基本事实和物理过程,探讨它们在决定亚洲季风爆发及北半球行星尺度大气环流的季节突变的物理机理。本文是系列文章的第一篇,着重研究亚洲夏季风爆发的区域性和阶段性特征,以及过渡季节热带、副热带地区海-气、陆-气相互作用的基本事实,初步分析了它们之间的联系。研究表明,热带季风对流于4月底到5月初越过赤道进入北半球,首先出现在孟加拉湾东部-中南半岛西南部地区,然后于5月中旬和6月上旬末分别出现在南海和印度半岛地区,呈阶段性爆发的特征。季风对流在孟加拉湾东部-中南半岛西南部地区爆发阶段,在大气环流变化和对流活动中心位置出现区别于南海季风和印度季风爆发的特征。通过对地表感热通量和海表潜热通量的分析,表明热带海洋上海表感热通量甚小于海表潜热通量,南海季风爆发时期印度洋上海表潜热通量显著增大,印度季风爆发后海表潜热通量的高值中心在孟加拉湾和阿拉伯海上建立起来。印度洋上低层增强的过赤道气流引起的强烈的海-气相互作用导致海表水汽的大量蒸发,并通过其输送作用,为季风对流的爆发提供了充足的水汽来源。过渡季节在副热带地区(沿27.5～37.5°N纬带上), 青藏高原和西太平洋上地(海)表感热通量和潜热通量均有迅速的季节变化性, 但趋势相反。当青藏高原上地表感热通量和潜热通量呈阶段性的显著加大, 西太平洋上海表感热通量和潜热通量迅速减小。这种大陆和海洋对大气加热的显著的季节化的差异, 影响着大气环流的季节转变。     

2004年北半球大气环流及对中国气候异常的影响

20 0 4年上半年,赤道中、东太平洋大气、海洋状况总体上处于正常状态。7月以来,赤道中、东太平洋海表温度明显增暖;2 0 0 4年西太平洋副热带高压持续偏强,夏季西伸脊点位置偏东、脊线位置偏北;6月上中旬贝加尔湖以西地区50 0hPa高度场偏高,7月中旬和8月中旬贝加尔湖地区高度场偏高;2 0 0 4年南海季风爆发时间接近常年,南亚夏季风偏强;青藏高原50 0hPa高度场偏高,冬季积雪较常年稍偏多;2 0 0 4年上半年,赤道太平洋对流活动普遍受到抑制,7月后期开始,1 6 0°W以西海域上空对流活动较常年明显增强。2 0 0 4年中国气候异常可能是下垫面热力异常和大气环流异常共同作用的结果。     

前期青藏高原积雪与ENSO对南海夏季风强度的协同影响

基于1980—2018年罗格斯大学全球积雪实验室积雪面积、英国气象局哈得来中心海温、欧洲中期天气预报中心（ECMWF）第5代再分析（ERA-5）土壤湿度、美国国家环境预报中心和美国国家大气研究中心（NCEP/NCAR）再分析、美国国家海洋大气管理局（NOAA）气候预测中心降水（CMAP）和全球降水气候计划降水（GPCP）等数据,采用相关、合成和回归等分析方法,分析了前期青藏高原积雪和厄尔尼诺-南方涛动（ENSO）年际尺度变化对南海夏季风强度及降水的协同影响。结果表明:在年际尺度上,青藏高原积雪、ENSO与南海夏季风变率有密切关系,当青藏高原春季积雪西部偏多且东部偏少时,夏季高原西部对流层温度偏低,在高原上空产生异常下沉气流并向外辐散,引起中国南海地区对流层中低层为异常下沉气流。另外,赤道中东太平洋海温异常偏高则会使夏季印度洋海温异常偏高,对流层温度偏高,在西北太平洋产生东北风异常,加强西北太平洋和中国南海上空的反气旋性环流异常。在青藏高原积雪和ENSO共同影响下,夏季850 hPa中国南海上空反气旋异常进一步加强,南海夏季风强度减弱,降水减少。      

南海西南季风爆发日期及其影响因子

利用1950～1999年NCEP全球格点日平均资料,在总结南海西南季风爆发前后850 hPa大气环流特征的基础上,提出了一个较为客观的确定南海西南季风爆发日期的大气环流方法.在与1980～1991年其他多种指标确定的爆发日期比较后,作者认为该大气环流方法所确定的爆发日期基本合理,并给出了1950～1999年各年南海西南季风爆发的日期.通过合成对比分析和相关分析发现,前期热带太平洋地区海温异常分布是影响南海西南季风爆发早晚的重要因素.菲律宾以东洋面海温偏高,赤道太平洋中部偏东地区海温偏低,可以使低层西太平洋副高减弱、高层中东太平洋洋中槽加深,印度洋热带地区偏西风偏强,印度洋-太平洋热带地区Walker环流偏强,为热带对流在孟加拉湾-南海地区发展提供了有利的环境.在孟加拉湾南部偏西气流的作用下,南海地区对流活动较为容易发展起来,低层较弱的西太平洋副热带高压也容易较早地撤出南海上空,使得南海西南季风较早爆发.反之亦然.     

The Interannual Variations of the Summer Monsoon Onset overthe South China Sea

Summary Interannual variations of the summer monsoon onset over the South China Sea (SCS) have been studied using data from over seventeen years (1979–1995) of NMC global analysis and of Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) observed with NOAA polar-orbitting satellites. It was found that the summer monsoon onset in the SCS occurs abruptly with a sudden change of zonal wind direction from easterly to westerly and an exploding development of deep convection in the whole SCS region in the middle of May. Based on the criteria defined in this paper for the SCS summer monsoon onset, the average onset date over the SCS from 1979 to 1995 is around the fourth pentad of May. The airflow and general circulation over the SCS changes dramatically after the onset. The ridge of the subtropical high in the western Pacific in the lower troposphere weakens and retreats eastward from the SCS region with an establishment of westerly winds over the whole region. During the SCS monsoon onset, the most direct impact in the vicinity of the SCS are the equatorial westerlies in the Bay of Bengal through their eastward extension and northward movement. An indirect influence on the SCS onset is also caused by the enhancement of the Somali cross-equatorial flow and the vanishing Arabian High over the sea; the latter may be a signal for the SCS onset. There are quite significant interannual variations in the SCS onset. In the years of a delayed onset, the most profound feature is that the easterly winds stay longer in the SCS than on average. Deep convection activities are suppressed. The direct cause is the abnormal existence of the western Pacific subtropical high over the SCS region. Moreover, compared to the average, the equatorial westerlies in the Bay of Bengal are also weaker in the years of a delayed onset. No significant changes for the cross-equatorial flow at 105 °E are observed for these years. It has also been found that the interannual variations of the SCS onset are closely related with the ENSO events. In the years of a delay, the Walker circulation is weaker, and the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the western Pacific are negative. Received April 14, 1997 Revised July 11, 1997     

Regimes of seasonal air–sea interaction and implications for performance of forced simulations

Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies can induce anomalous convection through surface evaporation and low-level moisture convergence. This SST forcing of the atmosphere is indicated in a positive local rainfall–SST correlation. Anomalous convection can feedback on SST through cloud-radiation and wind-evaporation effects and wind-induced oceanic mixing and upwelling. These atmospheric feedbacks are reflected in a negative local rainfall–SST tendency correlation. As such, the simultaneous rainfall–SST and rainfall–SST tendency correlations can indicate the nature of local air–sea interactions. Based on the magnitude of simultaneous rainfall–SST and rainfall–SST tendency correlations, the present study identifies three distinct regimes of local air–sea interactions. The relative importance of SST forcing and atmospheric forcing differs in these regimes. In the equatorial central-eastern Pacific and, to a smaller degree, in the western equatorial Indian Ocean, SST forcing dominates throughout the year and the surface heat flux acts mainly as a damping term. In the tropical Indo-western Pacific Ocean regions, SST forcing and atmospheric forcing dominate alternatively in different seasons. Atmospheric forcing dominates in the local warm/rainy season. SST forcing dominates with a positive wind-evaporation feedback during the transition to the cold/dry season. SST forcing also dominates during the transition to the warm/rainy season but with a negative cloud-radiation feedback. The performance of atmospheric general circulation model simulations forced by observed SST is closely linked to the regime of air–sea interaction. The forced simulations have good performance when SST forcing dominates. The performance is low or poor when atmospheric forcing dominates.     

Predictability of South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset

Predicting monsoon onset is crucial for agriculture and socioeconomic planning in countries where millions rely on the timely arrival of monsoon rains for their livelihoods. In this study we demonstrate useful skill in predicting year-to-year variations in South China Sea summer monsoon onset at up to a three-month lead time using the GloSea5 seasonal forecasting system. The main source of predictability comes from skillful prediction of Pacific sea surface temperatures associated with El NiÑo and La NiÑa. The South China Sea summer monsoon onset is a known indicator of the broadscale seasonal transition that represents the first stage of the onset of the Asian summer monsoon as a whole. Subsequent development of rainfall across East Asia is influenced by subseasonal variability and synoptic events that reduce predictability, but interannual variability in the broadscale monsoon onset for East Asian summer monsoon still provides potentially useful information for users about possible delays or early occurrence of the onset of rainfall over East Asia.     

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。     

中南半岛对流对南海夏季风建立过程的影响

利用RegCM2模式进行数值试验,得到中南半岛对流对北半球副高带断裂、进而对孟加拉湾对流建立具有重要影响,而孟加拉湾对流建立后激发的Rossby波列又是南海夏季风建立的主要因子之一.进一步分析中南半岛对流、副高带断裂及南海夏季风建立的年际变化,得到中南半岛对流的强弱(活跃的早晚)与副高带在孟加拉湾北部断裂及南海夏季风爆发的早晚有密切关系.它们还与海温异常及纬圈环流的变化相联系:当赤道中东太平洋海温偏暖(冷)时,Walker环流偏弱(强),中南半岛对流偏弱(强),副高带断裂偏晚(早),南海夏季风建立偏迟(早).     

赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温异常对亚洲夏季风的影响

本文采用了p-σ五层原始方程模式模拟并研究了赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平场对亚洲夏季风的影响,计算了四种不同的海温距平试验方案。试验结果表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平使对流层下层的印度低压明显加强,副高北挺,季风槽加深,同时加强了对流层上层的反气旋环流。赤道西印度洋暖海温的模拟结果与赤道西太平洋暖海温对上述系统的影响相反,而赤道西印度洋冷海温对季风环流的影响与赤道西太平洋暧海温的影响一致。试验进一步表明赤道西太平洋-印度洋海温距平的纬向梯度方向对亚洲夏季风的影响是主要的,这一结论与实际观测结果一致。本文进一步讨论了赤道海温距平对越赤道气流、印度洋赤道东-西纬向环流和非绝热加热场的影响,结果都表明赤道西太平洋海温正距平和赤道西印度洋海温负距平的模拟特征与反El Nino年亚洲夏季环流特征类似,而赤道西印度洋海员正距平的模拟特征与El Nino年亚洲夏季坏流特征类似。     

Indo-Pacific remote forcing in summer rainfall variability over the South China Sea

This study investigates summer rainfall variability in the South China Sea (SCS) region and the roles of remote sea surface temperature (SST) forcing in the tropical Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. The SCS summer rainfall displays a positive and negative relationship with simultaneous SST in the equatorial central Pacific (ECP) and the North Indian Ocean (NIO), respectively. Positive ECP SST anomalies induce an anomalous low-level cyclone over the SCS-western North Pacific as a Rossby-wave type response, leading to above-normal precipitation over northern SCS. Negative NIO SST anomalies contribute to anomalous cyclonic winds over the western North Pacific by an anomalous east–west vertical circulation north of the equator, favoring more rainfall over northern SCS. These NIO SST anomalies are closely related to preceding La Niña and El Niño events through the “atmospheric bridge”. Thus, the NIO SST anomalies serve as a medium for an indirect impact of preceding ECP SST anomalies on the SCS summer rainfall variability. The ECP SST influence is identified to be dominant after 1990 and the NIO SST impact is relatively more important during 1980s. These Indo-Pacific SST effects are further investigated by conducting numerical experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model. The consistency between the numerical experiments and the observations enhances the credibility of the Indo-Pacific SST influence on the SCS summer rainfall variability.