ON WESTERLY WIND BURSTS IN EQUATORIAL WESTERN PACIFIC BEFORE AND DURING THE ONSET AND INITIAL DEVELOPMENT PHASES OF ENSO*

By means of NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset,the origins of westerly wind anomalies at low level over equatorial western Pacific Ocean before and during the onset and initial development phase of ENSO are explored.Evidences show that westerly anomalies in the equatorial western Pacific(140-180°E) are characterized by two remarkable enhancements in the spring and summer of the year when El Nine emerges.The enhancements are not only.to some extem.due to the eastward propagation of low-level westerlies in equatorial Indian Ocean.but also predominantly resulting from Ihe intense convergence of the meridional wind from both hemispheres.The latitudinal convergence leads to the local intensification of zonal pressure gradient so as to cause the reinforcement and bursts of westerly wind over warm pool.Besides,by virtue of the effect of earth rotation,the northeasterlies(southeasterlies) from the Northern(Southern) Hemisphere turn into northwesterlies(southwesterlies) progressively in the near-equatorial zone.which directly strengthens the westerly velocity.Comparing the contributions of the meridional wind from both hemispheres to westerly wind bursts,is seems that southeasterlies from the Southern Hemisphere are much stronger and more stable than northwesterlies of Northern Hemisphere.It is evident that the southeasterlies to the east of Australia originate from the southern mid-and high latitudes and are in close association with the Southern Oscillation.     

On the phase propagation and relationship of interannual variability in the tropical Pacific climate system

—Upper ocean thermal data and surface marine observations are used to describe the three-dimensional, basinwide co-evolution of interannual variability in the tropical Pacific climate system. The phase propagation behavior differs greatly from atmosphere to ocean, and from equatorial to off-equatorial and from sea surface to subsurface depths in the ocean. Variations in surface zonal winds and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) exhibit a standing pattern without obvious zonal phase propagation. A nonequilibrium ocean response at subsurface depths is evident, characterized by coherent zonal and meridional propagating anomalies around the tropical North Pacific: eastward on the equator but westward off the equator. Depending on geographic location, there are clear phase relations among various anomaly fields. Surface zonal winds and SSTs in the equatorial region fluctuate approximately in-phase in time, but have phase differences in space. Along the equator, zonal mean thermocline depth (or heat content) anomalies are in nonequilibrium with the zonal wind stress forcing. Variations in SSTs are not in equilibrium either with subsurface thermocline changes in the central and western equatorial Pacific, with the former lagging the latter and displaced to the east. Due to its phase relations to SST and winds, the basinwide temperature anomaly evolution at thermocline depths on an interannual time scale may determine the slow physics of ENSO, and play a central role in initiating and terminating coupled air-sea interaction. This observed basinwide phase propagation of subsurface anomaly patterns can be understood partially as water discharge processes from the western Pacific to the east and further to high latitudes, and partially by the modified delayed oscillator physics. Received: 17 January 1997 / Accepted: 10 March 1998     

1950年平均经圈环流与角动量的平衡

本文利用了Buch和Starr与White所计算的1950年各纬度上空的平均经向风速([V]),绘制了子午面上的平均环流(全年:图1,冬季:图2,夏季:图3),图中显示出三个环型(cell),低纬度和高纬度的两个正环型与中纬度的逆环型。 1950年平均西风急流的位置正好处于中纬度的逆环流之中。全年平均的赤道辐合线位于北纬5°左右。自夏至冬三个环型均向北移,冬季半球Hadley环型伸向夏季半球去。三个环型的强度都是冬季大。 对于1950年北半球10°—70°的角动量平衡也作了分析(图4),并绘制了这个空间中角动量输送流线图(图5),其中应该提出,就是通过东西风的界面流线是铅直的,也就是总的来说,在东风带里产生的角动量不是在水平方向上输送到西风带里去,而是在铅直方向上输送到低纬度的高空西风里去,再由那里在水平方向上送到中高纬度去。 最后对于平均纬圈环流的维持也作了讨论,结论是:在中高纬度大型扰动起着主导作用,在低纬度则平均经圈环流是重要的。     

热带夏季风场与对流场季节内振荡传播模比较

利用1979-2007年卫星观测日平均OLR资料以及NCEP/DOE第2套再分析资料中的风场资料,采用有限区域波一频分析、合成分析等方法,分析对比对流层高、低层风场与对流场所表征的热带北半球夏季季节内振荡(BSISO)各种传播模态谱分布气候特征及其年际异常。结果表明:各要素反映的BSISO各种模态的气候特征及其年际变化存在一定差异,总体而言对流层低层风(850hPa纬向风或经向风)与对流比较一致。850hPa经向风(纬向风)所反映的纬向(经向)传播BSISO谱分布气候特征与对流情况最相似。在ENSO发展年,850hPa经向风反映的赤道东传波加强趋势与对流较为一致;850hPa纬向风、经向风反映的北传波变化趋势都与对流相似。在ENSO衰减年,850hPa纬向风(经向风)反映的赤道东传波(赤道外西传波)减弱趋势与对流较为一致;对流以及850hPa经向风、200hPa纬向风和200hPa经向风4种要素都能体现南海及周边地区北传波明显减弱这一特征。对流和850hPa纬向风所反映的北传波与印度洋偶极子模态之间关系一致。     

VARIATIONS OF 30—60 DAY OSCILLATION IN ATMOSPHERE BEFORE AND DURING 1982 EL NINO*

By using the upper-wind data from July 1980 to June 1983,the variations of the low-frequency oscillation(LFO) in the atmosphere before and during 1982 El Nino have been investigated.Before the El Nino,the LFO propagates from west to east over the equator of the Eastern Hemisphere and from east to west over 20°N.The eastward propagating LFO over the equator consists of zonal wavenumber 1 propagating eastward and zonal wavenumber 2 with a character of stationary wave.The oscillation of zonal wavenumber 2 can modulate the oscillation strength.After the onset of the El Nino,the propagating directions of the LFO over the equator and 20°N of the Eastern Hemisphere change to be westward and eastward,respectively.The LFO over the western Pacific weakens rapidly and one coming from middle and high latitudes propagates to the equator.From the phase compositions of streamline fields for the zonal wavenumber 1 of equatorial westward propagatirg LFO,it is found that the atmospheric heat source in the equator of the eastern Pacific(EEP)excites a series of the equatorial cyclones and anticyclones which move northward and westward and form the westward propagating LFO over the equator.With the wavelength of 20000km,this kind of equatorial wave is similar to the mixing Rossby-gravity wave.In its westward and northward movement,the circulation in East Asia is modified.This may be the mechanism of the influence of El Nino on the climate of China.     

Synoptic climatology of transient tropical intraseasonal convection anomalies: 1975–1985

Summary Pentad mean anomaly maps were used to study the climatology of tropical intraseasonal convection anomaly (TICA) as a dynamic system. One hundred and twenty-two events were identified and classified into three categories: eastward (77), independent northward (27), and westward (18) propagation. The eastward propagation is more active in boreal winter than in summer, while the independent northward propagation, which is not associated with equatorial eastward propagation, occurs in boreal summer from May to October.The eastward moving TICA exhibits three major paths: 1) eastward along the equator from Africa to the mid-Pacific, 2) first eastward along the equator, then either turning north-east to the northwest Pacific or turning southeast to the southwest Pacific at the maritime continent, and 3) the main anomaly moves eastward along the equator with split center(s) moving northward over the Indian and/or western Pacific Oceans. The equatorial Indian Ocean and the western Pacific intertropical convergence zone are preferred geographic locations for their development, while the maritime continent and central Pacific are regions of dissipation.Independent northward propagation is confined to the Indian and western Pacific monsoon regions. Its existence suggests that the mechanism responsible for meridional propagation may differ from that for eastward propagation.The dynamic effect of the equator and the thermodynamic effect of the underlying warm ocean water are basic factors in trapping TICA in the deep tropics, while the annual march of maximum SST (thermal equator) and the monsoon circulation have profound influences on the annual variation and meridional movement of TICA.With 12 FiguresContribution No. 89-11, Department of Meteorology, University of Hawaii.     

线性准地转模型中基本流和辐射冷却对感热加热强迫的副热带高压形态的影响

通过求取定常线性准地转位涡模式的数值解,研究了感热型垂直非均匀分布的冷、热源强迫所激发的副热带环流的结构特征,讨论了副热带背景风场和洋面辐射冷却对洋面副热带高压“三角形偏心”结构形成的重要作用。结果表明,基本流对感热加热强迫的副热带环流有重要影响,当基本流为常数时,感热加热强迫的气旋和反气旋主要集中在对流层中下层,且地面系统远强于中高层。当基本流为非常数时,其经向切变能改变气旋和反气旋中心的经向位置,使它移至0风速所在纬度附近;其垂直变化加强了中高层气旋和反气旋,中心位于对流层上层,与南亚高压的位置基本一致。研究结果还表明,在大洋东部洋面辐射冷却与副热带地区背景风场的共同作用下,形成了洋面副热带高压特有的“三角形偏心”结构。副热带高纬度的西风使感热强迫的洋面副热带高压东移,低纬度的东风使其西移,形成东北—西南走向的“平行四边形”结构,且中心位于大洋西部。大洋东部强洋面辐射冷却激发的洋面反气旋加强了大洋东部的副热带高压,使其中心东移至大洋东部,从而表现出东北—西南走向的“三角形偏心”结构。      

印度洋海温年际异常与热带夏季季节内振荡的关系及其数值模拟研究

利用观测分析资料和SINTEX-F海气耦合长时间(70年)数值模拟结果,分析了印度洋海温年际异常与热带夏季季节内振荡(BSISO)各种传播模态之间关系及其物理过程。结果表明,印度洋海温年际异常与热带BSISO关系密切,当印度洋为正(负)偶极子情况,中东印度洋北传BSISO减弱(加强);当印度洋为正(负)海盆异常(BWA)情况,印度洋西太平洋赤道地区(40°E -180°)东传BSISO加强(减弱)。印度洋海温年际变化通过大气环流背景场和BSISO结构影响热带BSISO不同传播模态强度的年际变化。在负(正)偶极子年夏季,由于对流层大气垂直东风切变加强(减弱),对流扰动北侧的正压涡度、边界层水汽辐合加强更明显(不明显),导致形成BSISO较强(弱)的经向不对称结构,因此北传BSISO偏强(减弱)。印度洋BWA模态通过影响赤道西风背景以及海气界面热力交换,导致赤道东传BSISO强度产生变化。在正BWA年夏季,赤道地区西风较明显,当季节内振荡叠加在这种西风背景下,扰动中心的东侧(西侧)风速减弱(加强)更明显,海面蒸发及蒸发潜热减弱(加强)更明显,导致扰动中心的东侧(西侧)海温升高(降低)幅度更大,从而使边界层产生辐合(辐散)更强、水汽更多(少),因此赤道东传BSISO偏强;而在负BWA年,赤道地区西风背景减弱,以上物理过程受削弱使赤道东传BSISO偏弱。     

Quasi-periodic, global oscillations in sea level pressure on intraseasonal timescales

The sea level pressure (SLP) variability in 30–60 day intraseasonal timescales is investigated using 25 years of reanalysis data addressing two issues. The first concerns the non-zero zonal mean component of SLP near the equator and its meridional connections, and the second concerns the fast eastward propagation (EP) speed of SLP compared to that of zonal wind. It is shown that the entire globe resonates with high amplitude wave activity during some periods which may last for few to several months, followed by lull periods of varying duration. SLP variations in the tropical belt are highly coherent from 25°S to 25°N, uncorrelated with variations in mid latitudes and again significantly correlated but with opposite phase around 60°S and 65°N. Near the equator (8°S–8°N), the zonal mean contributes significantly to the total variance in SLP, and after its removal, SLP shows a dominant zonal wavenumber one structure having a periodicity of 40 days and EP speeds comparable to that of zonal winds in the Indian Ocean. SLP from many of the atmospheric and coupled general circulation models show similar behaviour in the meridional direction although their propagation characteristics in the tropical belt differ widely.     

关于ENSO本质的进一步研究

基于ENSO是热带太平洋海气相互作用产物的科学观点,一系列的分析研究表明:赤道太平洋次表层海温异常(SOTA)有明显的年际变化(循环),并且与ENSO发生密切相关;ENSO的真正源区在赤道西太平洋暖池,赤道西太平洋暖池正(负)SOTA沿赤道温跃层东传到东太平洋,导致El Nino(La Nina)的爆发;在暖池正(负)SOTA沿赤道温跃层东传的同时,将有负(正)SOTA沿10°N和10°S两个纬度带向西传播,从而构成SOTA的循环;热带太平洋SOTA年际循环的驱动者主要是由异常东亚季风所引起的赤道西太平洋纬向风的异常.进而,可以提出关于ENSO本质的一种新理论,即ENSO实质上主要是由异常东亚季风引起的赤道西太平洋异常纬向风所驱动的热带太平洋次表层海温距平的年际循环.       

Interannual and decadal variability of the subsurface thermal structure in the Pacific Ocean: 1961–90

Heat content anomalies are analyzed to understand subsurface variability on both aparticular focus on the evolving basinwide patterns and oceanic connections between the extratropics and tropics. Various analyses indicate two distinct modes, one interannual and the other decadal, that involve the tropics and the North Pacific subtropical gyre, respectively. Interannual variability is associated with El Niño in the tropics, with a prominent “see-saw” pattern alternately on and off the equator, and in the east and west, respectively. The interannual cycle features a coherent propagation of subsurface signals around the tropical Pacific, eastward along the equator but westward off the equator at 10–15?°N. Decadal signals are dominant in the subtropics and midlatitudes but also have a tropical component that appears to be independent of interannual variations. An oceanic connection can be seen between subsurface anomalies in the midlatitudes, in the subtropics and tropics on decadal time scales. Subsurface thermal anomalies associated with midlatitude decadal variability can propagate through the subtropics into the tropics, which may modulate the intensity of interannual variability in the tropics. For example, in the middle and late 1970s, a significant warm temperature anomaly appeared to penetrate into the western and central tropics at depth, warming the tropical upper ocean and depressing the thermocline. During the development of El Niño, therefore, an extratropically preconditioned subsurface state (e.g., an enhanced positive heat content anomaly) in the western and central tropical Pacific would favor a warmer sea surface temperature anomaly in the eastern equatorial Pacific, potentially increasing the intensity of ocean-atmosphere coupling. These changes in the thermocline structure and possibly in the coupling strength can further alter the very character of tropical air-sea interactions. This may help to explain decadal variability of El Niño evolution in the tropical Pacific as observed in the 1980s. Our subsurface variability analysis presents observational evidence for the detailed space-time structure of decadal oceanic links between the extratropics and the tropics.     

Meridional Wind Stress Anomalies over Tropical Pacific and the Onset of El Nino. Part Ⅰ: Data Analysis

对热带太平洋海表经向风应力异常与EI Nino事件之间的关系进行了诊断分析。结果表明，超前的经向风应力距平场与NINO3区(150°-90°W，5°S-5°N)的海面温度异常(SSTA)有显著的超前相关，这种相关性在超前6个月甚至更早一些就有显示。利用奇异值分解方法分析超前的经向风应力距平场与太平洋海表温度异常场之间的耦合模，结果表明对应于赤道中东太平洋的海面温度异常升高，大气风应力场在超前6个月甚至更早的时候，在赤道中东太平洋表现为辐合的经向异常风应力场，即赤道以北为北风异常应力，赤道以南为南风异常应力。这种耦合模的时间系数与NINO3 SSTA指数所表示的El Nino事件有很好的对应关系，表明这种耦合模反映的正是超前的经向风应力异常与El Nino事件所对应的海表温度异常之间的相关模态。通过与热带西太平洋纬向风应力异常的比较，赤道中东太平洋辐合的经向风应力异常与El Nino事件发生的同样具有重要的联系。     

Zonal and meridional circulations in the equatorialzone as deduced from the divergence field of the surface wind

The zonal and meridional circulations and their variability are examined on the basis of the surface wind data for 1950-1979. The climatological mean zonal wind and its divergence are examined in reference to the Walker Circulation. The role played by the meridional circulation in contributing to convergence of the surface wind field within the equatorial zone is emphasized. Regression coefficients are used to infer seasonal mean anomalies of divergence of the surface wind in years when the sea level pressure is 1 hPa above normal at Darwin, a condition representative of El Nino events. It is shown that anomalies in the divergence associated with the meridional wind component are primarily responsible for the heavy precipitation in the Central Pacific, while the anomalous divergence associated with the zonal wind component may cause the drought in the Western Pacific near Indonesia. A similar pattern of divergence anomalies is evident during three consecutive seasons beginning in northern summer and ending in northern winter. The reinforcement of the Hadley Circulation during El Nino episodes is noted. It is shown that the circulations over the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean are relatively uncorrelated. The interrelation between the dipole anticyclones and the meridional cir-culation over the central Pacific is discussed.     

Decadal and long-term sea level variability in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean

In this study, we analysed decadal and long-term steric sea level variations over 1966–2007 period in the Indo-Pacific sector, using an ocean general circulation model forced by reanalysis winds. The simulated steric sea level compares favourably with sea level from satellite altimetry and tide gauges at interannual and decadal timescales. The amplitude of decadal sea level variability (up to ~5 cm standard deviation) is typically nearly half of the interannual variations (up to ~10 cm) and two to three times larger than long-term sea level variations (up to 2 cm). Zonal wind stress varies at decadal timescales in the western Pacific and in the southern Indian Ocean, with coherent signals in ERA-40 (from which the model forcing is derived), NCEP, twentieth century and WASWind products. Contrary to the variability at interannual timescale, for which there is a tendency of El Niño and Indian Ocean Dipole events to co-occur, decadal wind stress variations are relatively independent in the two basins. In the Pacific, those wind stress variations drive Ekman pumping on either side of the equator, and induce low frequency sea level variations in the western Pacific through planetary wave propagation. The equatorial signal from the western Pacific travels southward to the west Australian coast through equatorial and coastal wave guides. In the Indian Ocean, decadal zonal wind stress variations induce sea level fluctuations in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, through equatorial and coastal wave-guides. Wind stress curl in the southern Indian Ocean drives decadal variability in the south-western Indian Ocean through planetary waves. Decadal sea level variations in the south–western Indian Ocean, in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean and in the Bay of Bengal are weakly correlated to variability in the Pacific Ocean. Even though the wind variability is coherent among various wind products at decadal timescales, they show a large contrast in long-term wind stress changes, suggesting that long-term sea level changes from forced ocean models need to be interpreted with caution.     

Signature of the Antarctic oscillation in the northern hemisphere

Using the ECWMF daily reanalysis data, this paper investigates signatures of the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) in the upper troposphere of the northern hemisphere. It is found that during boreal winter, a positive (negative) phase of the AAO is associated with anomalous easterlies (westerlies) in middle-low latitudes (~30–40°N) and anomalous westerlies (easterlies) in middle-high latitudes (~45–65°N) of the upper troposphere about 25–40 days later. While there is also a response in zonal wind in the tropics, namely over the central-eastern Pacific, to some extent, these tropical zonal wind anomalies can trigger a Pacific/North American teleconnection patterns (PNA)-like quasi-stationary Rossby waves that propagate into the Northern Hemisphere and gradually evolve into patterns which resemble North Atlantic teleconnection patterns. Furthermore, these quasi-stationary Rossby waves might give rise to anomalous eddy momentum flux convergence and divergence to accelerate anomalous zonal winds in the Northern Hemisphere.     

Advances in research on atmospheric energy propagation and the interactions between different latitudes

Early theoretical analyses indicated that the tropics and extratropics are relatively independent due to the existence of critical latitudes. However, considerable observational evidence has shown that a clear dynamical link exists between the tropics and midlatitudes. To better understand such atmospheric teleconnection, several theories of wave energy propagation are reviewed in this paper: (1) great circle theory, which reveals the characteristics of Rossby waves propagating in the spherical atmosphere; (2) westerly duct theory, which suggests a “corridor” through which the midlatitude disturbances in one hemisphere can propagate into the other hemisphere; (3) energy accumulation-wave emanation theory, which proposes processes through which tropical disturbances can affect the atmospheric motion in higher latitudes; (4) equatorial wave expansion theory, which further explains the physical mechanisms involved in the interaction between the tropics and extratropics; and (5) meridional basic flow theory, which argues that stationary waves can propagate across the tropical easterlies under certain conditions. In addition, the progress made in diagnosing wave-flow interaction, particularly for Rossby waves, inertial-gravity waves, and Kelvin waves, is also reviewed. The meridional propagation of atmospheric energy exhibits significant annual and interannual variations, closely related to ENSO and variation in the westerly jets and tropical upper-tropospheric troughs, amongst others.     

The Combined Effects of the Tropical and Extratropical Quasi-biweekly Oscillations on the Record-setting Mei-yu Rainfall in the Summer of 2020

During June–July 2020, the strongest recorded mei-yu rainfall occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The rainfall processes exhibited an obvious quasi-biweekly(biweekly in brief) variability, and there are altogether five cycles. It is found that the biweekly rainfall cycle mainly arises from the collaborative effects of biweekly variabilities from both the tropics and extratropics. As for the tropics, the biweekly meridional march and retreat of the western Pacific subtr...     

Rossby wave propagation into the tropics in two GFDL general circulation models

During the northern winter the eastern Pacific is characterized by upper level westerly flow extending from the equator into the midlatitudes of both hemispheres. Theoretical and simple modeling studies suggest that such a region should favor the penetration of Rossby waves into the tropics from higher latitudes. Observational results by Kiladis and Weickmann using 200 mb data indicate that Rossby waves do indeed propagate freely into the tropical eastern Pacific during the northern winter from the Asian jet exit region. They also confirmed that cross-equatorial dispersion of energy from the Northern into the Southern Hemisphere occurs frequently. The present study examines these interactions in climatological runs of two GFDL GCMs. The northern wintertime mean states of these models are characterized by a rather realistically simulated upper level westerly regime in the tropical Pacific. Despite the relative weakness of the Asian jet and wave activity with respect to observations, propagation of Rossby waves into the tropics is present in both models, and these waves are strongly positively tilted as seen in the observations. A momentum budget of the zonal wind and E vector diagnostics over the tropical Pacific indicate that these transients are an important component of the momentum balance of the equatorial westerlies in both the observations and in the models.This paper was presented at the Second International Conference on Modelling of Global Climate Variability, held in Hamburg 7–11 September 1992 under the auspices of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. Guest Editor for these papers is L. Dümenil     

Surface currents and equatorial thermocline in a coupled upper ocean-atmosphere GCM

The Oregon State University coupled upper ocean-atmosphere GCM is evaluated in terms of the simulated winds, ocean currents and thermocline depth variations. Although the zonal wind velocities in the model are underestimated by a factor of about three and the zonal current velocities are underestimated by a factor of about five, the model is seen to qualitatively simulate the major features of the gyral scale currents, and the phases of the seasonal variation of the principal equatorial currents are in reasonable agreement with observations. The simulated tropical currents are dominated by Ekman transport and the eastern boundary currents do not penetrate far enough equatorward, while the western boundary currents do not penetrate far enough poleward. The subtropical trade wind belt and the mid-latitude westerlies are displaced equatorward of observations; hence, the mid-latitude eastward currents, principally the Kuroshio-North Pacific Drift and the Gulf Stream-North Atlantic Current are displaced equatorward. In spite of these shortcomings the surface current simulation of this two-layer upper ocean model is comparable with that of other ocean GCMs of coarse resolution. The coupled model successfully simulates the deepening of the thermocline westward across Pacific as a consequence of the prevailing Walker circulation. The region of most intense simulated surface forcing is located in the western Pacific due to a southwestward displacement of the northeast trade winds relative to observations; hence the equatorial Pacific is dominated by eastward propagation of thermocline depth variations. The excessively strong Ekman divergence and upwelling in the western Pacific cools the local warm pool, while incorrectly simulated westerlies in the eastern Pacific suppress upwelling and inhibit cooling from below. These features reduce the simulated trans-Pacific sea-surface temperature gradient, weakening the Walker circulation and the anomalies associated with the simulated Southern Oscillation. Offprint requests to: KR Sperber     

Water vapour transport from the tropical Atlantic and summer rainfall in tropical southern Africa

An empirical orthogonal functions analysis of the onshore flow of moisture along the west coast of southern Africa using NCEP-DOE AMIP II Re-analyses suggests two dominant modes of variability that are linked to (a) variations in the circulation linked with the South Atlantic anticyclone (b) the intensity of the flow that penetrates from the tropical Atlantic. The second mode, referred as the Equatorial Westerly mode, contributes the most to moisture input from the Atlantic onto the subcontinent at tropical latitudes. Substantial correlations in austral summer between the Atlantic moisture flux in the tropics and rainfall over the upper lands surrounding the Congo basin suggest the potential role played by this zonal mode of water vapour transport. Composites for austral summer months when this Equatorial Westerly mode had a particularly strong expression, show an enhanced moisture input at tropical latitudes that feeds into the deep convection occurring over the Congo basin. Sustained meridional energy fluxes result in above normal rainfall east and south of the Congo belt. During years of reduced equatorial westerly moisture flux, a deficit of available humidity occurs in the southern tropics. A concomitant eastward shift of deep convection to the southwest Indian ocean and southeastern Africa, leads to below normal rainfall over the uplands surrounding the Congo basin.