Teleconnection patterns and Rossby wave propagation associated to generalized frosts over southern South America

Based on previous observational studies of the mean atmospheric circulation leading to generalized frosts (GF) in central Southern South America, it is possible to establish a hypothesis that specific large scale patterns are associated to the frequency of occurrence of these events through the propagation of Rossby waves remotely excited. This hypothesis is tested here through a teleconnection analysis for austral winters which present an extreme frequency of occurrence of GF in southeastern South America, particularly over the Wet Pampa area in Argentina. Rossby wave propagation regions are identified for two basic states given by the composition of winters with maximum and minimum frequency of GF occurrence, during the 1961–1990 period. The stationary wavenumber K _s indicates the regions where the Rossby wave propagation is permitted and those where it will be inhibited (K _s = 0), highlighting the importance of the jets as waveguides. Nevertheless, differences exist between both basic states analyzed. These differences indicate that the locations for wave generation and its later evolution are conditioned by the basic state. Results are validated through a baroclinic model, which simulates the Rossby wave patterns responsible for the teleconnection. Numerical experiments confirm that the principal wave activity takes place inside the subtropical and polar jets. In particular, for the basic state with maximum frequency of GF occurrence, the wave trains propagating inside the subtropical and polar waveguides merge just before entering the continent, as shown by the observations prior to the occurrence of GF events. This configuration favors the development of an intense south wind anomaly with large meridional extension which results in the intensification of anticyclonic circulation in southern South America. A conceptual model is presented to summarise all these results.     

2008年前汛期广东长连续暴雨过程的500hPa环流场特征

2008年5月下旬末～6月18日,广东遭受1951年以来最严重的“龙舟水”袭击。通过分析这次长连续暴雨过程开始、持续和结束期的500hPa侯平均环流特征和稳定维持的大尺度环流场特征,发现欧亚中高纬维持两槽两脊或两槽一脊稳定的大环流形势,为暴雨的持续提供了弱冷空气;孟湾低槽为华南地区提供了充足的水汽条件;西太平洋副热带高压的加强西伸,使华南沿海地区暖湿气流加强而产生强降水。     

冬半年南支西风中Rossby波传播及其与南支槽形成的关系

利用1948—2005年的10月—次年5月NCEP/NCAR再分析资料对西风急流中Rossby波的传播及其与冬半年副热带南支西风槽形成的关系进行研究, 结果表明:冬半年亚洲副热带西风急流下方存在3个南支波动, 分别位于阿拉伯海、孟加拉湾和我国华南地区, 其中孟加拉湾南支槽变率最小, 是半永久性低压槽; 从北非、阿拉伯海到孟加拉湾的“-+-”遥相关波列表明南支槽与北非槽呈正相关, 与阿拉伯海槽呈反相关。在西风波动从北非东传到孟加拉湾的过程中, 往往会在阿拉伯海有所停顿, 这种由西向东的传播过程约20 d一次, 具有明显的低频振荡特征; 源自北非的定常Rossby波能量沿着急流波导传播到孟加拉湾, 可能是南支槽明显增幅的一个主要机制; 另外, 从青藏高原东西两侧南下的冷空气活动也是南支槽加深发展的一个重要因素。     

Atmospheric circulation associated with extreme generalized frosts persistence in central-southern South America

Generalized frosts (GF) in central-southern South America have a strong impact due to their spatial extension, and they are especially important when they become persistent. This paper aims at identifying the atmospheric circulation features that determine the extreme GF persistence, i.e. very persistent and without persistence, and the differences between them, during the 1961–1990 winters. Since the GF without persistence group outnumbers the other one, two subgroups are composed with events selected from winters with maximum and minimum frequency of GF occurrence, respectively. Additionally, the individual event of July 1988 within the very persistent GF group is analyzed due to its exceptional persistence. GF persistence is mainly conditioned by two large-scale dynamic factors. One is the Rossby wave train propagation across the Pacific Ocean, and the other one is the location with respect to the continent and the magnitude of the confluence in the jet entrance region in subtropical latitudes. A predominantly meridional Rossby wave train propagation with a confluence region to the west of the continent prior to the event favors GF with intermediate (null) persistence depending on the greater (lesser) jet acceleration. This is conditioned by the magnitude of the confluence, which, in turn, depends on the disposition of the wave train propagation pattern. Instead, an essentially zonal propagation with a confluence region to the east of the continent favors the GF persistence for several days, yet if there is no confluence the event does not persist. The greatest persistence of an event combines the confluence/diffluence of the jet entrance/exit region, which depends on the disposition with respect to the continent of the zonally propagating Rossby wave trains.     

The relationship between South Atlantic SST and SACZ intensity and positioning

This study explores the ocean–atmosphere interaction in the formation and dynamics of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ), through the analysis of the heat sources estimated through the outgoing longwave radiation. The results obtained with this study show that the coupled variability between SACZ and the South Atlantic Ocean indicates that in northern positioned SACZ cases (over Southeastern Brazil), westerly anomalies are verified in the low level continental tropical circulation, consistent with the active phase of the South America Monsoon System (SAMS). In these cases, cold anomalies in the subtropical Atlantic Ocean cause an increase in the continent–ocean temperature gradient, favoring an easterly flow in this region, and blocking the SACZ at a northerly position. Easterly anomalies in the tropical continent were verified in the low level circulation in southern positioned cases (over Southern Brazil), consistent with the SAMS break phase. The SST anomaly patterns indicate cold anomalies in the tropics and warm anomalies in the subtropics, which do not favor the development of an easterly flow at low levels over the western tropical Atlantic. In these cases, two situations may occur: the strengthening of the Low Level Jet (LLJ), which prevails in the eastern subtropical South America and convergence with the South Atlantic Subtropical High at its southern position; or the atmospheric unstable conditions caused by ocean warm SST anomalies (in this case the LLJ may be weaker than its climatological intensity).     

Development of regional future climate change scenarios in South America using the Eta CPTEC/HadCM3 climate change projections: climatology and regional analyses for the Amazon, S?o Francisco and the Paraná River basins

The objective of this study is to assess the climate projections over South America using the Eta-CPTEC regional model driven by four members of an ensemble of the Met Office Hadley Centre Global Coupled climate model HadCM3. The global model ensemble was run over the twenty-first century according to the SRES A1B emissions scenario, but with each member having a different climate sensitivity. The four members selected to drive the Eta-CPTEC model span the sensitivity range in the global model ensemble. The Eta-CPTEC model nested in these lateral boundary conditions was configured with a 40-km grid size and was run over 1961–1990 to represent baseline climate, and 2011–2100 to simulate possible future changes. Results presented here focus on austral summer and winter climate of 2011–2040, 2041–2070 and 2071–2100 periods, for South America and for three major river basins in Brazil. Projections of changes in upper and low-level circulation and the mean sea level pressure (SLP) fields simulate a pattern of weakening of the tropical circulation and strengthening of the subtropical circulation, marked by intensification at the surface of the Chaco Low and the subtropical highs. Strong warming (4–6°C) of continental South America increases the temperature gradient between continental South America and the South Atlantic. This leads to stronger SLP gradients between continent and oceans, and to changes in moisture transport and rainfall. Large rainfall reductions are simulated in Amazonia and Northeast Brazil (reaching up to 40%), and rainfall increases around the northern coast of Peru and Ecuador and in southeastern South America, reaching up to 30% in northern Argentina. All changes are more intense after 2040. The Precipitation–Evaporation (P–E) difference in the A1B downscaled scenario suggest water deficits and river runoff reductions in the eastern Amazon and S?o Francisco Basin, making these regions susceptible to drier conditions and droughts in the future.     

2010年我国南方两次持续性强降水的环流特征

通过对2010年夏季我国南方两次持续性强降水期间对流层高、中、低多个大尺度关键影响系统的时空演变特征及其影响机制的分析和比较,讨论了我国南方持续性强降水的大气环流特征。结果表明:这两次持续性强降水均出现了东亚西风带沿海低槽不断快速重建或加深,且中纬度锋区位置稳定维持,低空西南急流反复加强,且其轴线左侧的南风经向强梯度带位置相对稳定,副热带高空西风急流和南亚高压脊线及西太平洋副热带高压的纬度带位置相对稳定;相应地,在强降水带上空反复出现强烈的低层水汽辐合抬升、高层辐散抽吸及垂直上升运动发展,进而形成持续性强降水。西西伯利亚低槽的不断快速重建与加深 (东移)、马斯克林高压西侧高压及马斯克林高压的不断加强东移、副热带高空西风急流的建立和维持对南方持续性强降水具有超前指示意义。强降水带位于东亚低空西南急流轴左侧南风经向强梯度辐合带、高空西风急流南侧至南亚高压脊线北侧之间的强辐散区及中层垂直上升速度大值带中。     

2005年江淮流域入梅偏晚的成因分析

2005年是江淮流域入梅偏晚年。利用NCEP／NCAR再分析资料、OLR资料和江苏省气象台提供的2005年逐日降水资料，对2005年江淮流域入梅前的异常环流形势进行分析，探讨了西太平洋副热带高压和低层中高纬冷空气的活动异常与东亚大槽、中西太平洋ITCZ以及东亚副热带高空西风急流等活动异常的关系。结果表明，入梅前，东亚大槽发展强盛，ITCZ偏弱以及东亚副热带高空西风急流强劲少动导致西太平洋副热带高压北抬偏晚。同时，东亚副热带高空西风急流的强劲少动也使南下冷空气势力强劲，中低层副热带锋区偏南，抑制了暖湿的东亚夏季风向江淮流域推进。东亚副热带高空西风急流和西太平洋副热带高压向北突跳偏晚是江淮流域2005年入梅偏晚的主要原因。     

Simulation of the summer circulation over South America by two regional climate models. Part II: A comparison between 1997/1998 El Niño and 1998/1999 La Niña events

Summary This study investigates the capabilities of two regional models (the ICTP RegCM3 and the climate version of the CPTEC Eta model – EtaClim) in simulating the summer quasi-stationary circulations over South America during two extreme cases: the 1997–1998 El Ni?o and 1998–1999 La Ni?a. The results showed that both the models are successful in simulating the interannual variability of summer quasi-stationary circulation over South America. Both the models simulated the intensification of subtropical jet stream during the El Ni?o event, which favoured the blocking of transient systems and increased the precipitation over south Brazil. The models simulated the increase (decrease) of precipitation over north (west) Amazonia during the La Ni?a (El Ni?o) event. The upper level circulation is in agreement with the simulated distribution of precipitation. In general, the results showed that both the models are capable of capturing the main changes of the summer climate over South America during these two extreme cases and consequently they have potential to predict climate anomalies.     

A subtropical rainstorm associated with a tropical plume overAfrica and the Middle-East

Summary  Cloud bands that extend from the ITCZ along the subtropical jet toward the subtropics are known as ‘tropical plumes’. At times rainstorms develop at their subtropical edges. One such rainstorm swept eastern North Africa and the Middle East on 23–24 December 1988, with rainfall comparable with the annual averages there. This study examines the storm using the ECMWF initialized data together with surface observations and satellite imageries. The analysis indicates that the storm developed at the inflection region ahead of a pronounced trough in the subtropical jet, with which a mid-latitude trough was merged. Two ageostrophic effects taking place along the jet ahead of the trough contributed to the intensity of the rainstorm. One was associated with acceleration at the jet entrance, located at tropical latitudes, which contributed to the enhancement of both tropical convection and the southerly wind component, which enhanced the moisture tropical transport toward the subtropics. The second was the enhanced near-tropospheric divergence associated with positive vorticity advection at the inflection region itself. Since both effects have a quadratic dependence on wind speed, the observed jet speed, 50% larger than its average value, explains the observed divergence at the inflection point at the 200 hPa level, over 6 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹, and the vertical velocity at the 700 hPa level, about 10⁻¹ ms⁻¹. It is suggested here that the merging of a mid-latitude with the trough in the subtropical jet, with which the tropical plume is associated, is the cause for the intensification of the subtropical jet and hence of its related rainstorms. Received May 24, 2000     

Role of the subtropical westerly jet waveguide in a southern China heavy rainstorm in December 2013

An extreme rainstorm hit southern China during 13–17 December 2013, with a record-breaking daily rainfall rate, large spatial extent, and unusually long persistence. We examined what induced this heavy rainfall process, based on observed rainfall data and NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data through composite and diagnostic methods. The results showed that a Rossby waveguide within the subtropical westerly jet caused the event. The Rossby wave originated from strong cold air intrusion into the subtropical westerly jet over the eastern Mediterranean. With the enhancement and northward shift of the Middle East westerly jet, the Rossby wave propagated slowly eastward and deepened the India–Burma trough, which transported a large amount of moisture from the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea to southern China. Strong divergence in the upper troposphere, caused by the enhancement of the East Asian westerly jet, also favored the heavy rainfall process over Southeast China. In addition, the Rossby wave was associated with a negative-to-positive phase shift and enhancement of the North Atlantic Oscillation, but convergence in the eastern Mediterranean played the key role in the eastward propagation of the Rossby wave within the subtropical westerly jet.     

1999—2008年夏季华北冷涡的异常特征

利用1999—2008年5—8月中国160站月平均气温资料、每日2次的MICAPS资料及每日4次的NCEP 1°×1°资料,通过定义一个夏季华北冷涡强度指数(NCCVI),研究了夏季华北冷涡异常年西太平洋副高、东亚季风、高空急流及低层垂直运动的异常特征。结果表明：夏季NCCVI异常强年500 hPa上贝加尔湖地区有气旋性环流发展,从贝加尔湖至我国华北地区为一显著的高空槽所控制,冷空气较活跃并随槽后引导气流扩散南下影响华北地区。对流层各层偏暖湿,200 hPa上高空急流偏强,700 hPa上高纬冷涡后部偏北气流加强,低纬偏南气流加强,冷暖空气在华北交汇,华北和东北地区低层上升运动发展。同期副热带高压偏强,位置略偏南;东亚夏季风偏强, 加强了水汽输送。夏季NCCVI异常弱年相反。     

Surface and upper-level features associated with wintertime cold surge outbreaks in South Korea

The surface and upper-level features associated with a sharp drop of wintertime daily temperature over South Korea is investigated in this study. This sharp drop in daily temperature is called a cold surge and is one of the most hazardous weather phenomena in East Asian winters. An upper-level baroclinic wave of 60°wavelength propagating eastward at a phase speed of 12°longitude per day across the continent of northern China from the west of Lake Baikal toward the eastern coast of China causes the outbreak of cold air over South Korea. The cooling associated with the upper-level baroclinic wave is found at all altitudes under the geopotential height-fall center near the tropopause. The development in the ridge seems to derive the early evolution of the eastward-propagating sinusoidal wave, whereas the trough is connected directly with the tropospheric temperature-drop. An enhancement of the wintertime East Asian jet stream after the outbreak of a cold surge is a response to the steep temperature gradient associated with the developing baroclinic wave.     

2014年8月西北太平洋和南海无TC生成之原因分析

利用常规气象观测资料、NCEP/NCAR 1°×1°的月平均再分析资料、NOAA卫星观测的OLR资料和中国气象局台风年鉴资料,对2014年8月西北太平洋和南海无TC生成的原因进行了诊断分析,结果表明：极地冷空气南侵,造成8月上中旬副热带高压偏东偏南,下旬冷空气减弱,副热带高压偏西偏南,致使副热带高压南侧偏东信风与赤道西风的汇合区位置异常偏南;马斯克林高压偏弱,导致索马里急流和东印度洋越赤道气流也弱,印度半岛中低层季风低压或季风槽极其不活跃。澳大利亚高压路径偏东或偏西和势力偏弱,则南海南部越赤道气流亦弱。8月上中旬台风主要源地的海表温度明显偏低,不能酿成低层高温高湿的大气;月内西北太平洋和南海大气的对流活动很弱,层结较稳定、风速垂直切变大,均不利于TC发生发展。在南海到菲律宾以东洋面低层为弱的正涡度区和负散度区,有辐合上升运动,但垂直速度很小,不能满足TC尺度的环流发生和发展;南亚高压和副高南侧东风扰动造成对流层高层为弱上升区,不能形成高空辐散机制,不利于上升气流维持和加强。故此,8月在异常偏南的ITCZ中生成的4个热带扰动最终均未能发展成台风。     

华南前汛期降水的年代际异常特征及其成因

利用1981—2013年中国160站逐月降水资料、NCEP/NCAR逐月再分析资料及NOAA海表温度资料,研究了华南前汛期降水年代际异常的时空特征及其可能成因。结果表明:1)华南前汛期降水在1992前后发生由异常偏少转为偏多的显著年代际转折,最显著异常中心位于广西东北部和广东北部。2)1990年代初发生的对流层高层南冷北暖(40°N附近为界)、对流层下暖上冷的年代际转折,使得高低层环流场均出现了有利于北方干、湿冷空气和孟加拉湾、西太平洋暖湿水汽在华南区域交汇并辐合上升的形势,造成华南前汛期降水发生偏少转偏多的显著年代际转折。年代际转折的前后两个时段中,位于热带的孟加拉湾槽、东亚沿岸EAP遥相关型波列中的西太平洋副高、阿拉斯加湾附近的脊,以及中纬度贝加尔湖以西以南脊的强度或位置均具有显著差异,故这些环流系统的年代际异常是华南前汛期降水年代际异常的重要原因。3)南太平洋关键区海温在1990年代初开始呈现增暖趋势,在偏暖(偏冷)时期,华南低空受异常气旋(异常反气旋)环流控制,对流层上层西风急流偏弱偏南(偏强偏北),造成华南地区降水异常偏多(偏少)。     

秋季南极涛动异常对冬季中国南方降水的影响

本文针对秋季南极涛动（AAO）和冬季中国南方降水的关系作了研究,发现两者之间存在显著的反向年际变化关系。AAO正（负）异常年,副热带西风急流显著增强（减弱）,欧洲西部槽、乌拉尔山高压脊和东亚沿岸大槽均偏强（偏弱）,阿留申低压、南支槽和西太平洋副高偏弱（偏强）,西南急流上的扰动不活跃（活跃）,我国大部分地区出现异常偏北风（偏南风）和OLR弱正距平,导致南方降水偏少（偏多）。两半球存在东亚—南半球高纬地区和纵贯太平洋南北的两个遥相关型,海洋性大陆对流活动可能是秋季AAO影响南方冬季降水的一个机制。因此,秋季南极涛动的异常很可能对预测我国南方冬季降水有显著指示意义。     

华南冬季强降水及高、低纬两支波列的协同影响

采用1979～2015年ERA-Interim再分析资料和中国756个站点的逐日降水观测资料,利用百分位法定义了华南冬季强降水事件,通过K-均值聚类方法分析发现中国冬季强降水的中心主要集中在5个地区:长江中下游地区、华南中西部、华南东南部、淮河流域以及中国西南部.为了揭示华南南部大范围强降水的成因,对比分析了由西南地区...     

"05.6"广东致洪暴雨过程的500 hPa环流场及低频特征

分析2005年6月15~25日广东出现的连续暴雨过程及结束期的500 hPa候平均环流场,并对4~9月暴雨中心区域的降水低频振荡特征进行了分析。结果表明:连续暴雨期欧亚中高纬度维持稳定的两槽一脊形势;中低纬度非洲与西太平洋副热带高压强大,西太平洋副高西伸到广东沿海,青藏高原为稳定的高压脊,高原下游为西风槽活动区,使冷空气沿着高原频繁扩散南下,并与西太平洋副高边缘的暖湿气流相遇,产生连续的暴雨过程。当巴尔喀什湖-贝加尔湖的高压脊东移而转为宽槽区,青藏高原高压脊减弱消失,高原以东为平直的西风环流,我国东北到日本为高压脊控制时,西北太平洋副热带高压加强北抬,华南降水减弱,连续暴雨过程结束。小波分析表明,连续暴雨期存在准20 d的周期振荡。     

亚洲急流与冬季风的关系及其对中国气候的影响

利用NCEP\NCAR逐月再分析资料和中国台站逐日观测数据,采用奇异值分解(SVD)、相关分析和合成分析等方法,研究冬季亚洲高空急流的配置与冬季风的关系及其对地面气候的影响.结果表明,青藏高原至亚洲东部沿海的副热带急流强(弱),高纬的温带急流弱(强)时,中国中、东部大范围地区气温偏低(高);中东急流强(弱),东亚副热带急流偏南(北),温带急流东南部较弱(强)时,西南气温偏低(高),东北气温偏高(低),中、东部地区冬季降水偏多(少).结合水平风场的变化,副热带地区出现西风异常弱,温带出现东风异常时,有利于东亚大槽加深并向南扩张,低层偏北风加强,东亚冬季风增强,而青藏高原反气旋环流被削弱,冷高压减弱,相应的高原季风减弱.高、低纬急流区纬向风的差异较大时,加强了急流对低层冷、暖空气交绥的引导和汇聚的作用.东亚季风指数(EAMI)与高原季风指数(PMI)在冬季多呈负相关.冬季风异常期间,若副热带急流偏强,温带急流偏弱,高纬的干冷空气受南侧急流的汇聚作用而南侵,有利于中国大部分地区降温,降水减少;反之,低纬的暖湿气流受到北侧急流引导而向北输送,导致中国大部分地区升温,降水偏多.     

A diagnostic study of heavy rainfall in karachi due to merging of a mesoscale low and a diffused tropical depression during South Asian summer monsoon

This paper presents the results of a diagnostic study of a typical case of very heavy rainfall during the South Asian summer monsoon when a mesoscale low in a desert climate merged with a diffused tropical depression. The former low was located over Pakistan‘s desert region and the latter depression originated over the Bay of Bengal. Surface and NCEP reanalysis data supported by satellite and radar images were incorporated in the diagnosis. The relationship between the heavy precipitation process and large-scale circulations such as monsoon trough, subtropical high, westerly jet, low level jet and water vapor transport were investigated to further understand the mechanism of this peculiar interaction. It was found that: (1) the mesoscale low developed as a result of cold air advection aloft from northern latitudes and strong convection over the region of humidity convergence on 24 July 2003 over the lndian Rajistan area. (2) On the same day, a low that formed over the Bay of Bengal was transformed into a monsoon depression and moved westward to the mesoscale low which existed over southwest India and the adjoining southeastern parts of Pakistan. (3) Initially, the mesoscale low received moisture supply from both the Bay of Bengal as well as the Arabian Sea, whereas the Bay of Bengal maintained the continuous supply of moisture to the monsoon depression. (4) After the depression crossed central India, the Bay‘s moisture supply was cut off and the Arabian Sea became the only source of moisture to both the closely located systems. On 27 July, both of the systems merged together and the merger resulted in a heavy downpour in the Karachi metropolitan and in its surroundings. (5) With the intensification as well as the southeastward extensionof the subtropical high and the shift of the monsoon trough axis from southwest-west to northeast-east,the monsoon depression moved southwestward. In this situation, there existed a very favourable condition for a merger of the two systems in the presence of cross-latitude influence. (6) A number of convective cloud clusters were developed and organized in the mesoscale low. Probably, interactions existed among the multi-scale systems.