Interdecadal mode and its propagating characteristics of SSTA in the South Pacific

Summary This paper is to promote a further understanding of the interdecadal mode of the South Pacific. With this focus, we will specifically aim at better understanding the difference between interannual and interdecadal SSTA modes over South Pacific. We define the difference of the normalization area-averaged SSTA in the southern extratropical Pacific (160° W–110° W, 40° S–25° S) and the south subpolar Pacific (150° W–110° W, 60° S–45° S) as the South Pacific interdecadal index (I _spd). It is found that the interannual mode is more coherent than the interdecadal mode in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, and the interdecadal mode is significant only during boreal winter (DJF). The interdecadal variation of SSTA firstly occurring in the extratropic South Pacific propagates to the western boundary of the South Pacific, then moves northeast to cross the equator, and finally reaches the central tropic Pacific. It takes about 8 years to propagate from southeast subtropical Pacific to the north hemisphere. The previous studies have suggested the mechanism of waves in the subsurface in the South Pacific. Our study also highlights the Rossby waves play important roles in linkage between the extratropics-tropics South Pacific SSTA on interdecadal time scales. Moreover, the paper shows that the interdecadal variability originated in the extrotropic southeast Pacific is mainly induced by interannual variability in the tropic Pacific.     

Spatial and Temporal Variations of Tropical Cyclones at Different Intensity Scales over the Western North Pacific from 1945 to 2005

The tropical cyclone （TC） track data provided by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center （JTWC） of the U.S. Navy over the western North Pacific （including the South China Sea） from 1945 to 2005 are employed to analyze the temporal and spatial variations of TCs of different intensity scales. Most of the TCs occurred between 15° and 25°N, from the northern part of the South China Sea to the eastern part of the Bashi Channel until near 140°E. Most of the severe and super typhoons occurred over waters from the eastern part of the Bashi Channel to about 140°E. The TCs in a weakening or steady state take up a weak majority in the area west of 123°E and north of 20°N; those in an intensifying or steady state are mostly found in the area east of 123°E and south of 20°N. For severe tropical storms, typhoons, severe typhoons, and super typhoons, their average decaying rates are all greater than the respective average growing rates; for tropical storms, however, the average decaying rate is smaller than the average growing rate. Generally speaking, the stronger the TC, the faster the intensification （weakening） is. The percentage of weak TCs is higher in June to August while that of strong TCs is higher in September to November. There are annual, interannual, and interdecadal variations in the observed number （every 6 h） and frequency of TCs at different intensity scales. As far as the long-term trend is concerned, the frequency and observed number of tropical storms have a significant linear increase, but the averaged intensity and number of TCs of other intensity categories do not exhibit such a significant linear trend. In E1 Nifio years, the number and percentage of super typhoons are significantly higher, while the total number of tropical storms, severe tropical storms, typhoons, and severe typhoons is significantly lower, and the mean intensity of TCs is prominently stronger; in La Nifia years, however, the opposite comes true.     

全球变暖背景下西北太平洋冬季热带气旋的活动

Using tropical cyclone （TC） observations over a 58-yr period （1949-2006） from the China Meteorological Administration, the 40-year ECMWF Reanalysis （ERA-40）, NCEP-NCAR reanalysis, and the Hadley Centre sea ice and sea surface temperature （HadISST） datasets, the authors have examined the behaviors of tropical cyclones （TCs） in the western north Pacific （WNP） in boreal winter （November-December-January-February）. The results demonstrate that the occurrences of wintertime TCs, including super typhoons, have decreased over the 58 years. More TCs are found to move westward than northeastward, and the annual total number of parabolic-track-type TCs is found to be decreasing. It is shown that negative sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTAs） related to La Nifia events in the equatorial central Pacific facilitate more TC genesis in the WNP region. Large-scale anomalous cyclonic circulations in the tropical WNP in the lower troposphere are observed to be favorable for cyclogenesis in this area. On the contrary, the positive SSTAs and anomalous anticyclonic circulations that related to E1 Nifio events responsible for fewer TC genesis. Under the background of global warming, the western Pacific subtropical high tends to intensify and to expand more westward in the WNP, and the SSTAs display an increasing trend in the equatorial eastern-central Pacific. These climate trends of both atmospheric circulation and SSTAs affect wintertime TCs, inducing fewer TC occurrences and causing more TCs to move westward.     

Influence of vegetation changes during the Last Glacial Maximum using the BMRC atmospheric general circulation model

 The influence of different vegetation distributions on the atmospheric circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 21 000 years before present) is investigated. The atmospheric general circulation model of the Bureau of Meteorology Research Center was run using a modern vegetation and in a second experiment with a vegetation reconstruction for the LGM. It is found that a change from conifer to desert and tundra causes an additional LGM cooling of 1–2 °C in Western Europe, up to −4 °C in North America and −6 °C in Siberia. An expansion of dryland vegetation causes an additional annual cooling of 1–2 °C for Australia and northern Africa. On the other hand, an increase of temperature (2 °C) is found in Alaska due to changes in circulation. In the equatorial region the LGM vegetation leads to an increased modelled temperature of 0.5–1.5 °C and decreased precipitation (30%) over land due to a reduction of the tropical rainforest, mainly in Indonesia, where the reduction of precipitation over land is associated with an increase of precipitation of 30% over the western Pacific. Received: 15 December 1999 / Accepted: 10 January 2001     

Intraseasonal variability of the Tropical Easterly Jet

Summary By analyzing 12-year (1979–1990) 200 hPa wind data from National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis, we demonstrate that the intraseasonal time scale (30–60 days) variability of the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) reported in individual case studies occurs during most years. In the entrance region (east of ∼70° E), axis of the TEJ at 200 hPa is found along the near equatorial latitudes during monsoon onset/monsoon revivals and propagates northward as the monsoon advances over India. This axis is found along ∼5° N and ∼15° N during active monsoon and break monsoon conditions respectively. Examination of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis wind data also confirms the northward propagation of the TEJ on intraseasonal time scales. During the intraseasonal northward propagations, axis of the TEJ is found about 10°–15° latitudes south of the well-known intraseasonally northward propagating monsoon convective belts. Because of this 10°–15° displacement, axis of the TEJ arrives over a location about two weeks after the arrival of the monsoon convection. Systematic shifting of the locations by convection, low level monsoon flow and TEJ in a collective way during different phases of the monsoon suggests that they all may be related.     

西北太平洋不同路径下热带气旋快速加强统计特征及影响因子分析

利用2002—2011年JTWC最佳路径资料和NCEP的1°×1°全球最终分析资料以及热带气旋年鉴,分析了西北太平洋不同路径下热带气旋(TC)快速加强(RI)的时空分布特征,并对不同路径下快速加强(RITC)和缓慢加强(Non-RITC)两组TC进行合成分析和对比分析。结果表明:转向路径发生RI频率最大,且转向路径中西转向的TC最易发生RI过程;其次是东北和西北行路径。在时间分布上,各个路径下RI的月际和日变化具有不同的位相分布特征;在空间分布上,大多数RI过程发生在菲律宾和台湾岛以东洋面,西行路径在南海北部也出现较多RI过程,转向路径RI过程多发生在转向处。各个路径下RITC与Non-RITC环境场存在较明显差异,RITC对流层上层的南亚高压相对较弱,中低层副高相对较强,对流层低层存在较大的相对湿度,且湿度大值区域位于TC移动方向前侧。不同路径下的快速加强的环境影响因素也有所不同。     

Autumn Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific during 1949-2016: A Statistical Study

We used tropical cyclone (TC) best track data for 1949–2016, provided by the Shanghai Typhoon Institute, China Meteorological Administration (CMA-STI), and a TC size dataset (1980-2016) derived from geostationary satellite infrared images to analyze the statistical characteristics of autumn TCs over the western North Pacific (WNP). We investigated TC genesis frequency, location, track density, intensity, outer size, and landfalling features, as well as their temporal and spatial evolution characteristics. On average, the number of autumn TCs accounted for 42.1% of the annual total, slightly less than that of summer TCs (42.7%). However, TCs classified as strong typhoons or super typhoons were more frequent in autumn than in summer. In most years of the 68-yr study period, there was an inverse relationship between the number of autumn TCs and that of summer TCs. The genesis of autumn TCs was concentrated at three centers over the WNP: the first is located near (14°N, 115°E) over the northeastern South China Sea and the other two are located in the vast oceanic area east of the Philippines around (14°N, 135°E) and (14°N, 145°E), respectively. In terms of intensity, the eight strongest TCs during the study period all occurred in autumn. It is revealed that autumn TCs were featured with strong typhoons and super typhoons, with the latter accounting for 28.1% of the total number of autumn TCs. Statistically, the average 34-knot radius (R34) of autumn TCs increased with TC intensity. From 1949 to 2016, 164 autumn TCs made landfall in China, with an average annual number of 2.4. Autumn TCs were most likely to make landfall in Guangdong Province, followed by Hainan Province and Taiwan Island.

     

Intense tropical cyclogenesis over the northwest Australian region in 1998/1999: Causal factors

Summary The 1998/99 tropical cyclone (TC) season over northwest Australia was notable for an above average number of TCs (seven compared to five on average) and a number of unusually intense TCs making landfall (three category 5 TCs). The active 1998/99 TC season is attributed here to a combination of a number of broad-scale features over the south east Indian Ocean and the Australian region, with identifiable precursors favoring tropical cyclogenesis. These precursors include: below normal MSLP, abnormally warm ocean temperatures, above average relative humidity in the low- to mid-tropospheric levels and weak wind shears in the genesis region under study, that is, between 10° S to 20° S and 105° E to 135° E. These favorable conditions first appeared as early as August 1998. The appearance of favorable conditions so far ahead of the TC season indicates that they are the likely cause of the enhanced TC activity rather than simply an effect. Although the season as a whole was an active one, strong intra-seasonal variability was evident in that there were two named TCs in December 1998, forming within three days of each other. Only one formed in January 1999 and none in February. By contrast, in March and April 1999, TC activity was enhanced once again, with four named TCs, three of which attained category 5 status. The importance of the above-mentioned precursors in favoring tropical cyclogenesis during the 1998/99 season is discussed in terms of seasonal time scales of the preceding spring and down to synoptic and mesoscale time scales ranging from several days to 48 hours or less. Received October 5, 2001 Revised December 28, 2001     

Boreal summer quasi-monthly oscillation in the global tropics

The boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in the global tropics is documented here using a 7-year suite (1998–2004) of satellite measurements. A composite scenario was made of 28 selected events with reference to the oscillation in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO), where the oscillation is most regular and its intensity is indicative of the strength of the subsequent northward propagation. The average oscillation period is about 32 days, and this quasi-monthly oscillation (QMO) is primarily confined to the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Topics that were investigated are the partition of convective versus stratiform clouds, the vertical structure of precipitation rates, and the evolution of cloud types during the initial organization and the development of intraseasonal convective anomalies in the central Indian Ocean. During the initiation of the convective anomalies, the stratiform and convective rains have comparable rates; the prevailing cloud type experiences a trimodal evolution from shallow to deep convection, and finally to anvil and extended stratiform clouds. A major northwest/southeast-slanted rainband forms as the equatorial rainfall anomalies reach Sumatra, and the rainband subsequently propagates northeastward into the west Pacific Ocean. The enhanced precipitation in the west Pacific then rapidly traverses the Pacific along the Intertropical Convergence Zone, meanwhile migrating northward to the Philippine Sea. A seesaw teleconnection in rainfall anomalies is found between the southern Bay of Bengal (5–15°N, 80–100°E) and the eastern Pacific (5–15°N, 85–105°W). Local sea-surface temperature (SST)-rainfall anomalies display a negative simultaneous correlation in the off-equatorial regions but a zero correlation (quadrature phase relationship) near the equator. We propose that atmosphere–ocean interaction and the vertical monsoon easterly shear are important contributors to the northeastward propagation component of the intraseasonal rainband. The observed evidence presented here provides critical information for validating the numerical models, and it supports the self-induction mechanism theory for maintenance of the boreal summer ISO.     

Forecasting the equatorial Pacific sea surface temperatures by neural network models

We used neural network models to seasonally forecast the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the Ni?o 3.4 region (6 ^°S–6 ^°N, 120 ^°W–170 ^°W). The inputs to the neural networks (i.e., the predictors) were the first seven wind stress empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes of the tropical Pacific (20 ^°S–20 ^°N, 120 ^°E–70 ^°W) for four seasons and the Ni?o 3.4 SSTA itself for the final season. The period of 1952–1981 was used for training the neural network models, and the period 1982–1992 for forecast validation. At 6-month lead time, neural networks attained forecast skills comparable to the other El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) models. Our results suggested that neural network models were viable for ENSO forecasting even at longer lead times of 9 to 12 months. We hypothesized that at these longer leads, the underlying relationship between the wind stress and Ni?o 3.4 SSTA became increasingly nonlinear. The neural network results were interpreted in light of current theories, e.g., the role of the “off-equatorial” Rossby waves in triggering the onset of an ENSO event and the delayed-oscillator theory in the development and termination of an ENSO event. Received: 31 October 1995 / Accepted: 25 July 1996     

影响我国热带气旋活动的气候特征及其与太平洋海温的关系

利用1956~2000年的热带气旋(简称TC,下同)资料对影响我国TC活动的气候特征进行了初步的统计分析,结果发现影响我国的TC活动具有明显的阶段性特征,1960年代影响我国的TC数明显偏少,而后进入偏多期,1990年代又相对偏少。影响我国的TC强度多集中于980~999 hPa,华东的闽、浙一带TC登陆比华南晚,但强度较大。在此基础上通过对影响我国的TC年个数与太平洋海温场进行相关分析,发现两个相关较密切的区域: 西太平洋暖池(120~150 E, 10~20 N)正相关区、赤道中东太平洋(180 ~90 W, 10 S~5 N)负相关区,这两个相关区具有较好的持续性。进一步分析影响我国的TC在El Ni駉年与La Ni馻年的气候特征发现,El Ni駉年影响我国的TC数较少,但强度较大,La Ni馻年则相反,影响我国TC多年和少年对应的太平洋海温距平分布形势分别与La Nia年和El Nio年的海温距平分布形势类似。     

Tropical cyclone genesis frequency over the western North Pacific simulated in medium-resolution coupled general circulation models

This study examines the tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency over the western North Pacific simulated in atmosphere–ocean coupled general circulation models from the World Climate Research Programme’s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3. We first evaluate performances of eight models with atmospheric horizontal resolution of T63 or T106 by analyzing their daily-mean atmospheric outputs of twentieth-century climate simulations available from the Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison database. The genesis frequency is validated against the best-track data issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Five of the eight models reproduce realistic horizontal distribution of the TC genesis with a large fraction over the 10°–20°N, 120°–150°E area. These five high-performance models also realistically simulate the summer–winter contrast of the frequency. However, detailed seasonal march is slightly unrealistic; four of the models overestimate the frequency in the early season (May–June) while all of them underestimate the frequency in the mature season (July–September). Reasons for these biases in the seasonal march for the five high-performance models are discussed using the TC genesis potential (GP) index proposed by Emanuel and Nolan (in Am Meteor Soc, pp 240–241, 2004). The simulated GP has seasonal biases consistent with those of the TC genesis frequency. For all five models, the seasonal biases in GP are consistent with those in environmental lower-tropospheric vorticity, vertical wind shear, and relative humidity, which can be attributed to the simulated behavior of monsoon trough. The observed trough migrates northward from the equatorial region to reach the 10°–20°N latitudinal band during the mature season and contributes to the TC frequency maximum, whereas the simulated trough migrates northward too rapidly and reaches this latitude band in the early season, leading to the overestimation of the TC genesis frequency. In the mature season, the simulated trough reaches as far as 15°–25°N, accompanied by a strong vertical shear south of the trough, providing an unfavorable condition for TC genesis. It is concluded that an adequate simulation of the monsoon trough behavior is essential for a better reproduction of the TC frequency seasonal march.     

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     

印度洋—西太平洋对流涛动的季节内特征

本文利用30~60天带通滤波资料, 考察了不同季节印度洋—西太平洋区域对流活动季节内尺度变率的主要模态, 发现在不同季节赤道东印度洋(5°S~10°N, 70°E~100°E)和西北太平洋(5°N~20°N, 110°E~160°E)对流活动均存在反相变化的关系, 将之称为季节内尺度的印度洋—西太平洋对流涛动(Indo-West Pacific Convection Oscillation), 简称IPCO。对IPCO两极子区域对流活动进行超前滞后相关分析, 发现IPCO事件形成—发展—消亡的生命周期是由对流活动季节内振荡及其传播造成的。对流扰动首先在赤道中西印度洋形成, 随后逐渐向东发展变强, 在其继续变强的过程中将分两支传播:一支由赤道印度洋向北传播, 至印度半岛南部后逐渐减弱消失;另一支沿赤道继续东传, 在海洋大陆受到抑制, 快速越过海洋大陆到达赤道西太平洋后又开始发展变强, 随后北传至西北太平洋区域逐渐减弱, 最终至我国长江流域中下游到日本区域消失。将这一过程划分为8个位相, 详细分析了不同位相对应的环流场和降水场特征, 最后给出了IPCO事件演化示意图。     

西北太平洋近赤道热带气旋生成的特征分析

1979—2012年西北太平洋存在70个形成于0°～5°N的低纬度地区的热带气旋(TC),占TC总量的8%,其中达到台风等级的个数占64%。而针对此类缺少一定科氏力作用而形成的罕见TC生成的研究相对较少。本文利用JTWC的TC最佳观测资料、ERA-Interim再分析资料,以及NOAA-OISST海温资料,以西北太平洋近赤道TC为研究对象,统计诊断了其年际、年代际、季节分布特征,分析了其大尺度环境背景场,重点探讨了近赤道TC生成的影响因子。研究结果表明,近赤道TC具有明显的年际与年代际变化,并且近赤道TC具有与西北太平洋总TC恰好相反的季节变化。近赤道TC生成的大尺度环境背景场是东北冬季风与其在近赤道地区偏转形成的西北风之间的气旋性环流。对流层低层的绝对涡度动力项与对流层中层的湿度热量项是近赤道TC生成的主要贡献因子,并且相对于5°～10°N生成的TC,近赤道TC对对流层低层的正涡度与对流层中层的湿度条件的要求更高。     

西北太平洋多台风事件气候特征及其可能形成机制

利用1945-2018年美国联合台风警报中心JTWC台风最佳路径资料,定义并系统分析了西北太平洋多台风事件时空分布气候特征和可能形成机制。结果表明:西北太平洋多台风事件(MTYE)主要发生在7-10月,其生成源地关键区位于西北太平洋135°~180°E的12°N附近。相对于单独发生的台风,多台风事件的台风平均强度更强、生命期更长。多台风事件的台风频数占总台风频数的比例以年际变率为主,并有一定的增长趋势。多台风事件强年对应于中东太平洋热带和北半球副热带海温显著增暖,通过Gill型Rossby波响应和Walker环流异常,在西北太平洋产生大气低层相对涡度正异常、中层相对湿度正异常和垂直东风切变异常,为多台风的生成提供了重要的气候背景,季节内多时间尺度瞬变涡旋动能的增强也有重要贡献。     

MODULATION OF TC GENESIS OVER THE NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC BY ATMOSPHERIC INTRASEASONAL OSCILLATION

The influence of intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) on TC genesis over the northwestern Pacific is studied through comparing analyses of the more and less TC years from 1979 to 2006. It is indicated that the ISO strongly affects the TC genesis. In the years for more TC genesis, the ISO is weak and propagates insignificantly in the area to the west of the Philippines, but the ISO is strong in the area to the east of the Philippines and propagates significantly northwestward. In this situation, the Walker cell shifts gradually westward from the tropical western Pacific to the tropical eastern Indian Ocean. Convergent winds appear in the lower atmosphere while divergent winds in the upper atmosphere, suggesting the presence of enhanced ascending flow over the 140-160°E region and a favorable condition for TC genesis. Moreover, in the years for less TC genesis, the ISO gradually becomes stronger in the area to the west of the Philippines and significant eastward propagation prevails from the eastern Indian Ocean to the area around 120°E; the ISO is weak in the area to the east of the Philippines. During these years, the Walker circulation gradually moved eastward, with convergent winds in the upper troposphere and divergent winds in the lower troposphere. Sinking motion was significant, unfavorable for the TC genesis over the Northwestern Pacific.     

大气季节内振荡的活动与El Nino

用广东省４７个测站１９５４－１９９０年各月的平均气温、降水、日照时数的标准化资料分别作按时间点分解的主分量分析,取其前６个主分量作为各测站的气候特征量,用相关系数－重心法作聚类分析,作出各月、全年综合要素的气候分区。结果表明：（１）将广东各月分为有较显著差异的５个区,则冬半年（１０－翌年４月）各月的分区形式较类似且规律性明显,夏半年（５－９月）各月的分区逐月变化明显,且分区形式差别较大。（２）若用６个自然季节的平均气温、降水、日照时数标准化资料分别作主分量分析,各取前３个主分量作为全年气候分区的特征量,则广东全年的气候区可分为东南沿海、西南沿海、西北内陆３个区。     

西北太平洋与南海热带气旋活动季节变化的差异及可能原因

利用1945~2011年美国联合台风预警中心(JTWC)西北太平洋热带气旋资料,研究了南海(5°N~25°N,110°E~120°E)与西北太平洋(5°N~25°N,120°E~180°)热带气旋生成位置、生成频数、强度和持续时间的季节变化差异及其成因。从热带气旋路径穿越经度带频数的角度,探讨了ENSO对气旋活动年际变化的影响。结果表明,南海热带气旋活动显著地受季风调控。在南海冬季风作用下,1~4月热带气旋生成于10°N以南且频数较少、强度较弱,这主要是低层气旋式相对涡度和弱东风切变区偏南造成的。相反,受夏季风影响,6~9月是热带气旋生成最多、最频繁的季节,大都生成于南海北部17°N附近。在5月(10月)的季节转换期,生成位置大幅度北进(南撤)且生成频数显著增加(减少),取决于风速垂直切变及中层的相对湿度的急剧转变。11、12月两海域热带气旋生成于10°N以南主要归因于其上空中层大气相对湿度较北部偏大。在西北太平洋,热带气旋生成的季节变化没有南海显著,只在7月有一次明显的变化,7~10月是热带气旋活动的"盛期"。在强度上,西北太平洋大部分区域全年均为弱东风切变,因此热带气旋以台风为主且持续时间长;但南海多为热带风暴。ENSO事件使得不同季节热带气旋生成区域和气旋路径地理位置发生显著变化。在El Nio事件期间,穿越南海所在经度带路径频数为负距平,而西北太平洋经度带为正距平;在La Nia事件期间,情况相反。     

Last Glacial Maximum climate of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia reconstructed from pollen and plant macrofossil data

 An improved concept of the best analogues method was used to reconstruct the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) climate from a set of botanical records from the former Soviet Union and Mongolia. Terrestrial pollen and macrofossil taxa were grouped into broad classes – plant functional types (PFTs), defined by the ecological and climatic parameters used in the BIOME1 model. PFT scores were then calibrated in terms of modern climate using 1245 surface pollen spectra from Eurasia and North America. In contrast to individual taxa, which exhibit great variability and may not be present in the palaeoassemblages, even in suitable climates, PFTs are more characteristic of the vegetation types. The modified method thus allows climate reconstruction at time intervals with partial direct analogues of modern vegetation (e.g. the LGM). At 18 kBP, mean temperatures were 20–29 °C colder than today in winter and 5–11 °C colder in summer in European Russia and Ukraine. Sites from western Georgia show negative, but moderate temperature anomalies compared to today: 8–11 °C in January and 5–7 °C in July. LGM winters were 7–15 °C colder and summers were 1–7 °C colder in Siberia and Mongolia. Annual precipitation sums were 50–750 mm lower than today across northern Eurasia, suggesting a weakening of the Atlantic and Pacific influences. Reconstructed drought index shows much drier LGM conditions in northern and mid-latitude Russia, but similar to or slightly wetter than today around the Black Sea and in Mongolia, suggesting compensation of precipitation losses by lower-than-present evaporation. Received: 11 May 1998 / Accepted: 25 September 1998