An East Asian Subtropical Summer Monsoon Index and Its Relationship to Summer Rainfall in China

Using the monthly mean NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the monthly rainfall observations at 160 rain gauge stations of China during 1961 1999, and based on major characteristics of the atmospheric circulation over East Asia and the western Pacific, a simple index for the East Asian subtropical summer monsoon （EASSM） is defined. The relationship between this index and summer rainfall in China and associated circulation features are examined. A comparison is made between this index and other monsoon indices. The results indicate that the index defined herein is reflective of variations of both the thermal low pressure centered in Siberia and the subtropical ridge over the western Pacific. It epitomizes the intensity of the EASSM and the variability of summer rainfall along the Yangtze River. Analysis shows that the Siberian low has a greater effect on the rainfall than the subtropical ridge, suggesting that the summer rainfall variability over the eastern parts of China is to a large extent affected by anomalies of the atmospheric circulation and cold air development in the midlatitudes. Taking into account of the effects of both the Siberian low and the subtropical ridge can better capture the summer rainfall anomalies of China. The index exhibits interannual and decadal variabilities, with high-index values occurring mainly in the 1960s and 1970s and low-index values in the 1980s and 1990s. When the EASSM index is low, the Siberian low and the subtropical ridge are weaker, and northerly wind anomalies appear at low levels over the midlatitudes and subtropics of East Asia, whereas southwesterly wind anomalies dominate in the upper troposphere over the tropics and subtropics of Asia and the western Pacific. The northerly wind anomalies bring about frequent cold air disturbances from the midlatitudes of East Asia, strengthening the convergence and ascending motions along the Meiyu front, and result in an increase of summer rainfall over the Yangtze River.     

A Dipole Pattern of Summer Precipitation over Mid-high Latitude Asia and Related Snow Cover Anomalies in the Preceding Spring

A dipole pattern of summer precipitation over the mid-high latitudes of Asia, which is characterized by opposing summer precipitation variations between the Mongolian and Northeast China （MNC） region and the West Siberian Plain （WSP）, is found to be clear and stable on both interdecadal and interannual scales during 1981- 2011. Spring snow cover anomalies over a small region within the WSP and the Heilongjiang River （HR） region are closely related to the variation of this dipole mode during the subsequent summer, and they can therefore be considered as forecasting factors. Our statistical results imply a potential process explaining the relationship between the spring snow anomalies and the summer rainfall dipole. Corresponding to the snow anomalies, Rossby waves propagate along a path from the WSP region, via the Mongolian Plateau, to the Stanovoy Range during summer. At the same time, Rossby-wave energy divergences and convergences along this path maintain and reinforce an anomalous cyclone and anticyclone pairing over the Asian continent, which is significantly linked to opposite summer precipitation anomalies between the MNC and WSP regions. Numerical experiments are need- ed to further confirm the above conjecture and demonstrate the detailed physical mechanisms linking the spring snow cover anomalies and summer precipitation dipole.     

Spring Indian Ocean-western Pacific SST contrast and the East Asian summer rainfall anomaly

studying the relationship between SST in the tropical Indian Ocean （TIO）, tropical western Pacific （TWP）, and tropical eastern Pacific （TEP） and East Asian summer rainfall （EASR）, using data provided by NOAA/OAR/ESRL PSD and the National Climate Center of China for the period 1979-2008, an index, SSTDI, was defined to describe the SST difference between the TIO and TWP. In comparison with the winter ENSO, the spring SST contrast between the TIO and TWP was found to be more significantly associated with summer rainfall in East Asia, especially along the EASR band and in Northeast China. This spring SST contrast can persist into summer, resulting in a more significant meridional teleconnection pattern of lower-tropospheric circulation anomalies over the western North Pacific and East Asia. These circulation anomalies are dynamically consistent with the summer rainfall anomaly along the EASR band. When the SSTDI is higher （lower） than normal, the EASR over the Yangtze River valley, Korea, and central and southern Japan is heavier （less） than normal. The present results suggest that this spring SST contrast can be used as a new and better predictor of EASR anomalies.     

Difference in the Interdecadal Variability of Spring and Summer Sensible Heat Flux over Northwest China

The present study investigates the difference in interdecadal variability of the spring and summer sensible heat fluxes over Northwest China by using station observations from 1960 to 2000. It was found that the spring sensible heat flux over Northwest China was greater during the period from the late 1970s to the 1990s than during the period from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The summer sensible heat flux was smaller in the late 1980s through the 1990s than it was in the 1970s through the early 1980s. Both the spring and summer land-air temperature differences over Northwest China displayed an obvious interdecadal increase in the late 1970s. Both the spring and summer surface wind speeds experienced an obvious interdecadal weakening in the late 1970s. The change in the surface wind speed played a more important role in the interdecadal variations in sensible heat flux during the summer, whereas the change in the land-air temperature difference was more important for the interdecadal variations in sensible heat flux in the spring. This difference was related to seasonal changes in the mean land-air temperature difference and the surface wind speed. Further analysis indicated that the increase in the spring land surface temperature in Northwest China was related to an increase in surface net radiation.     

Large-scale Circulation Anomalies Associated with Interannual Variation in Monthly Rainfall over South China from May to August简

Interannual variation in summer rainfall over South China （SC） was investigated on the monthly timescale.It was found that monthly rainfall from May to August exhibits different features of variation,and the amounts are basically independent of each other.There is a significant negative correlation,however,between May and July SC rainfall,which is partially related to the developing phases of ENSO events.It was also found that stronger （weaker） lower-tropospheric winds over SC and the upstream parts are responsible for more （less） SC rainfall in every month from May to August.Despite this monthly consistent enhancement of horizontal winds,the wind anomalies exhibit distinct differences between May-June and July-August,due to the remarkable change in climatological winds between these two periods.More SC rainfall is associated with a lower-tropospheric anticyclonic anomaly over the SCS and the Philippine Sea in May and June,but with a cyclonic anomaly centered over SC in July and August.     

Variations of the summer Somali and Australia cross-equatorial flows and the implications for the Asian summer monsoon

The temporal variations during 1948-2010 and vertical structures of the summer Somali and Australia cross-equatorial flows(CEFs) and the implications for the Asian summer monsoon were explored in this study.The strongest southerly and northerly CEFs exist at 925 hPa and 150 hPa level,respectively.The low-level Somali(LLS) CEFs were significantly connected with the rainfall in most regions of India(especially the monsoon regions),except in a small area in southwest India.In comparison to the climatology,the lowlevel Australia(LLA) CEFs exhibited stronger variations at interannual time scale and are more closely connected to the East Asian summer monsoon circulation than to the LLS CEFs.The East Asian summer monsoon circulation anomalies related to stronger LLA CEFs were associated with less water vapor content and less rainfall in the region between the middle Yellow River and Yangtze River and with more water vapor and more rainfall in southern China.The sea-surface temperature anomalies east of Australia related to summer LLA CEFs emerge in spring and persist into summer,with implications for the seasonal prediction of summer rainfall in East Asia.The connection between the LLA CEFs and East Asian summer monsoon rainfall may be partly due to its linkage with El Nino-Southern Oscillation.In addition,both the LLA and LLS CEFs exhibited interdecadal shifts in the late 1970s and the late 1990s,consistent with the phase shifts of Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO).     

Decadal Relationship Between Atmospheric Heat Source and Winter-Spring Snow Cover over the Tibetan Plateau and Rainfall in East China

By using a reverse computation method and the NCEP/NCAR daily reanalysis data from 1960 to 2004, the atmospheric heat source （AHS） was calculated and analyzed. The results show that AHS over the Tibetan Plateau （TP） and its neighboring areas takes on a persistent downtrend in spring and summer during the foregone 50 years, especially the latest 20 years. Snow depth at 50 stations over the TP in winter and spring presents an increase, especially the spring snow depth exhibits a sharp increase in the late 1970s. A close negative correlation exists between snow cover and AHS over the TP and its neighboring areas, as revealed by an SVD analysis, namely if there is more snow over the TP in winter and spring, then the weaker AHS would appear over the TP in spring and summer. The SVD analysis between AHS over the TP in spring and summer and rainfall at 160 stations indicates that the former has a negative correlation with summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and a positive correlation with that in South China and North China. The SVD analysis of both snow cover over the TP in winter and spring and rainfall at the same 160 stations indicates that the former has a marked positive correlation with precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and a reversed correlation in South China and North China. On the decadal scale, the AHS and winter and spring snow cover over the TP have a close correlation with the decadal precipitation pattern shift （southern flood and northern drought） in East China. The mechanism on how the AHS over the TP influences rainfall in East China is discussed. The weakening of AHS over the TP in spring and summer reduces the thermodynamic difference between ocean and continent, leading to a weaker East Asian summer monsoon, which brings more water vapor to the Yangtze River Valley and less water vapor to North China. Meanwhile, the weakening of AHS over the TP renders the position of the subtropical high further westward and the r     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SPRING KUROSHIO SSTA AND SUMMER RAINFALL IN CHINA

Based on the data of SST and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the relationship is analyzed of spring SSTA in the Kuroshio region with summer precipitation in China, summer 500 hPa field and water vapor transport, using the methods of Morlet wave, correlation and composite analysis. The results show that annual and interdecadal change of spring SST in the Kuroshio region is distinct. Spring SST displays a significantly increasing trend and there exist different periodic oscillations in the Kuroshio region, with the 23-year periodic oscillation being the most obvious. Troughs and ridges in the mid- and higher- latitudes turn deeper in high Kuroshio SSTA years. At the same time, the western Pacific subtropical high strengthens and stretches westwards. As a result, the warm / wet air from the west of the subtropical high locates in the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China and summer rainfall in the above regions increases accordingly. Composite anomalous water vapor flux fields indicate that the vapor transport from the South China Sea and western Pacific and the vapor from the north converge over the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China, which results in the increase of the summer rainfall in the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China. On the contrary, the summer rainfall in the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China decreases correspondingly in low Kuroshio SSTA years.     

Impact of Preceding Summer North Atlantic Oscillation on Early Autumn Precipitation over Central China

This study examined the impact of the preceding boreal summer（June–August） North Atlantic Oscillation（NAO） on early autumn（September） rainfall over Central China（RCC）. The results show that a significant positive correlation exists between the preceding summer NAO and the early autumn RCC on the interannual timescale. In order to understand the physical mechanism between them, the role of ocean was investigated. It was found that the strong summer NAO can induce a tripole sea surface temperature anomaly（SSTA） in the North Atlantic; this SSTA pattern can persist until early autumn. The diagnostic analysis showed that the tripole SSTA pattern excites a downstream Atlantic-Eurasian（AEA） teleconnection, which contributes to an increase in RCC. The circulation anomalies related to SSTA caused by the weak NAO are opposite, so the RCC is less than normal. The results imply that the preceding summer NAO may be regarded as a forecast factor for the early autumn RCC.     

Possible Impacts of the Arctic Oscillation on the Interdecadal Variation of Summer Monsoon Rainfall in East Asia

The influences of the wintertime AO (Arctic Oscillation) on the interdecadal variation of summer monsoon rainfall in East Asia were examined. An interdecadal abrupt change was found by the end of the 1970s in the variation of the AO index and the leading principal component time series of the summer rainfall in East Asia, The rainfall anomaly changed from below normal to above normal in central China, the southern part of northeastern China and the Korean peninsula around 1978. However,the opposite interdecadal variation was found in the rainfall anomaly in North China and South China.The interdecadal variation of summer rainfall is associated with the weakening of the East Asia summer monsoon circulation. It is indicated that the interdecadal variation of the AO exerts an influence on the weakening of the monsoon circulation. The recent trend in the AO toward its high-index polarity during the past two decades plays important roles in the land-sea contrast anomalies and wintertime precipitation anomaly. The mid- and high-latitude regions of the Asian continent are warming, while the low-latitude regions are cooling in winter and spring along with the AO entering its high-index polarity after the late 1970s. In the meantime, the precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau and South China is excessive, implying an increase of soil moisture. The cooling tendency of the land in the southern part of Asia will persist until summer because of the memory of soil moisture. So the warming of the Asian continent is relatively slow in summer. Moreover, the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean which are located southward and eastward of the Asian land, are warming from winter to summer. This suggests that the contrast between the land and sea is decreased in summer. The interdecadal decrease of the land-sea heat contrast finally leads to the weakening of the East Asia summer monsoon circulation.     

Eurasian Snow Cover Variability and Its Association with Summer Rainfall in China

This study investigates the statistical linkage between summer rainfall in China and the preceding spring Eurasian snow water equivalent (SWE), using the datasets of summer rainfall observations from 513 stations, satellite-observed snow water equivalent, and atmospheric circulation variables in the NCEP/NCAR re-analysis during the period from 1979 to 2004. The first two coupled modes are identified by using the singular value decomposition (SVD) method. The leading SVD mode of the spring SWE variability shows a coherent negative anomaly in most of Eurasia with the opposite anomaly in some small areas of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia. The mode displays strong interannual variability, superposed on an interdecadal variation that occurred in the late 1980s, with persistent negative phases in 1979--1987 and frequent positive phases afterwards. When the leading mode is in its positive phase, it corresponds to less SWE in spring throughout most of Eurasia. Meanwhile, excessive SWE in some small areas of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia, summer rainfall in South and Southeast China tends to be increased, whereas it would be decreased in the up-reaches of the Yellow River. In recent two decades, the decreased spring SWE in Eurasia may be one of reasons for severe droughts in North and Northeast China and much more significant rainfall events in South and Southeast China. The second SVD mode of the spring SWE variability shows opposite spatial variations in western and eastern Eurasia, while most of the Tibetan Plateau and East Asia are in phase. This mode significantly correlates with the succeeding summer rainfall in North and Northeast China, that is, less spring SWE in western Eurasia and excessive SWE in eastern Eurasia and the Tibetan Plateau tend to be associated with decreased summer rainfall in North and Northeast China.     

北极海冰年际变化对东亚中纬度夏季陆面热力异常的指示作用及其可能原因

本文分析了夏季东亚中纬度近地面温度和春、夏北极海冰时空变化特征,探讨了格陵兰海、巴伦支海海冰异常变化与夏季东亚中纬度陆面热力异常在年际上的可能联系。结果表明:(1)1950—2014年,东亚中纬度夏季近地面温度明显增暖,并伴有明显的年际变化,年际变率最大值的区域主要位于40°N以北至贝加尔湖地区;春、夏格陵兰海和巴伦支海的海冰也呈现明显的减少趋势,同时表现出较强的年际变化特征。(2)春、夏格陵兰海、巴伦支海海冰异常对东亚中纬度夏季陆面热力异常具有一定的指示作用:春、夏格陵兰海、巴伦支海海冰异常偏多,通常对应夏季东亚中纬度近地面的东亚中纬度夏季增暖现象;反之亦然。(3)春、季格陵兰海、巴伦支海北极海冰指数(Arctic Sea Ice Index,ASII)高值年(海冰异常偏多年份),贝加尔湖及西南的蒙古高原地区通常为大范围的异常高压控制,有利于近地面温度升高;同时由于乌拉尔山阻塞高压减弱,极地南下的冷空气减弱,有利于东亚中纬度区域的温度升高。而ASII低值年的情形则相反,贝加尔湖以南地区受异常低压控制,乌拉尔山阻塞高压增强,冷空气易向南侵袭,不利于东亚中纬度近地面升温。     

近百年中国东部夏季降水年代际变化特征及其原因

本文利用测站降水观测资料分析过去一百多年中国东部华北、长江流域以及华南夏季降水的年代际变化特征发现,尽管这三个地区的夏季降水具有不同的年代际转折时期,但是均同时在1910年代初期、1920年代初期、1940年代中期、1960年代中期、1970年代末期以及1990年代初期发生了跃变。近一百年间不同年代际时期东部夏季降水的分布型主要以南正北负或者南负北正的偶极型为主,并且无论是偶极型分布还是三极型分布,两个相邻年代际时期中国东部降水分布型发生完全反向变化的概率较高（60%）。此外,夏季的PDO、冬季的AO以及春季的北极海冰也同时在1920年代末期、1940年代中期、1970年代末期以及1990年代中期左右发生了跃变,这几次跃变时期与中国东部三个不同地区夏季降水发生跃变的时期一致,表现出近百年来太平洋年代振荡（PDO）、北极涛动（AO）以及北极海冰这三个因子对中国东部夏季降水年代际变化的协同作用。在年代际时间尺度上,夏季的PDO与华北夏季降水显著负相关。PDO的年代际变化能够在500 hPa位势高度场中激发出太平洋—日本（PJ）型年代际遥相关波列;同时在850 hPa风场中激发出类似于影响华北夏季降水年代际变化的大气环流型,从而影响华北降水的年代际变化。冬半年的AO与长江流域夏季降水存在显著正相关关系。冬季到春季正位相的AO导致亚洲大陆南部处于湿冷状态,土壤湿度的记忆性可将这种状态延续到夏季。因此,夏季海陆热力对比减弱,东亚夏季风发生年代际减弱,相应地长江流域的降水年代际增多。春季北极海冰与华南夏季降水显著负相关,北极海冰的年代际异常能在500 hPa位势高度场中激发出与静止Rossby波异常传播相联系的欧亚—华南年代际遥相关波列,从而影响华南降水的年代际变化。     

北半球大气对春季北极海冰异常响应的数值模拟

在CAM3.0模式中,通过设计一系列数值模拟试验来研究北半球大气环流对北极海冰密集度(Sea Ice Concentration,简称SIC)强迫的响应.将海冰密集度EOF第二模态(EOF2)的时间系数回归到原场,并把这个空间异常场逐月的加到SIC春季气候态上,作为敏感性试验的外强迫.试验结果表明:在季节尺度上,大气环...     

MPI-ESM-LR模式中RCP8.5情景下春季北极海冰突变对东亚夏季降水的影响

利用MPI-ESM-LR模式RCP8.5情景下海冰浓度、降水、海表面温度、500 hPa位势高度和850 hPa风场等数据,对比分析了一次北极海冰突变前后春季海冰与东亚夏季降水关系的差异,并探究其可能成因。结果表明:1)北极海冰突变导致北极海冰浓度(Sea Ice Concentration,SIC)和ENSO对东亚夏季降水的影响均发生变化。突变前SIC和ENSO共同影响降水年际变化;突变后ENSO主导降水EOF的第一模态,SIC主导降水EOF的第二模态;2)北极海冰突变前,ENSO和SIC通过500 hPa经向波列,影响整个东亚地区的850 hPa风场,最终导致三极子型降水模态。突变后,ENSO通过500 hPa经向波列,影响华南地区的850 hPa风场,导致降水的偶极子空间模态,从而主导降水EOF的第一模态;同时SIC通过东亚地区500 hPa纬向波列,影响北方850 hPa风场,最终主导降水EOF的第二模态。3)北极海冰突变后,ENSO和SIC对东亚夏季降水的影响存在区域差异。北极海冰突变前,ENSO和SIC共同影响南北方降水;北极海冰突变后,SIC主要影响北方降水,ENSO主要影响南方降水。     

江淮地区夏季雨量与北半球500 hPa环流遥相关的不稳定性

用50年 (1951~2000年) 观测资料, 分成1951~1976年和1977~2000年两个时段, 研究了江淮地区夏季 (6~8月) 雨量与北半球500 hPa季平均环流时滞遥相关的年代际变化, 同时提出了遥相关不稳定指数, 讨论了遥相关不稳定性的空间分布和季节变化。结果表明, 这两个时段遥相关的空间分布存在显著差异, 且前一时期时滞遥相关强度明显强于后一时期, 特别是江淮地区夏季雨量与前期冬季西太平洋型 (WP) 的相关仅在1976年以前显著, 1977年以后迅速减弱消失, 而对于后一时期, 与春季欧亚遥相关型 (EU) 的相关明显加强。另外, 后一时期江淮地区夏季雨量与夏季EAP波列的相关明显强于前一时期。它反映了太平洋年代际振荡 (PDO) 对东亚季风降水和环流年际相关的影响, 这种遥相关的不稳定性与年代际和年际时间尺度振荡之间的相互作用有密切联系。     

The Coordinated Influence of Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature and Arctic Sea Ice on Anomalous Northeast China Cold Vortex Activities with Different Paths during Late Summer

The Northeast China cold vortex(NCCV) during late summer(from July to August) is identified and classified into three types in terms of its movement path using machine learning. The relationships of the three types of NCCV intensity with atmospheric circulations in late summer, the sea surface temperature(SST), and Arctic sea ice concentration(SIC) in the preceding months, are analyzed. The sensitivity tests by the Community Atmosphere Model version 5.3(CAM5.3) are used to verify the statistical...     

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.     

欧亚土壤湿度异常对北半球大气环流的显著影响

用44 a ERA40再分析资料的土壤湿度和大气环流变量场, 研究持续性的欧亚大陆土壤湿度异常对后期北半球大尺度大气环流的反馈作用。首先,运用经验正交函数分解去除ENSO遥相关及趋势影响后,分析了欧亚大陆中高纬度土壤湿度变率主要模态的季节变化特征,及相对应主分量时间序列显示的土壤湿度异常的衰减时间,结果表明土壤湿度异常的主要模态在全年都表现出很好的连续性。其次,对不同季节的连续3个月的月平均土壤湿度和500 hPa高度场进行滞后最大协方差分析,研究欧亚地区中高纬度土壤湿度异常与北半球大气环流异常之间的线性耦合。第一最大协方差模态的结果表明:全年的主导信号是大气强迫土壤湿度的变化,但在冬季和夏季,大气中类似于负位相北极涛动的环流型与之前月份(最长达4个月)土壤湿度的持续变化显著相关。最后,基于土壤湿度变率中心的回归分析也证实了秋季和春季欧亚土壤湿度,特别是北非副热带,欧亚内陆和西伯利亚地区的土壤湿度异常,分别与其后的冬季和夏季的大气环流显著相关。欧亚大陆土壤湿度异常超前大气环流的信号,将有助于改善冬季和夏季北半球季节气候预报能力。