Persistence of Snow Cover Anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau and the Implications for Forecasting Summer Precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu Region

The present reported study investigated the persistence of snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau（TP） from the preceding seasons to summer and the relationship between the previous snow cover anomaly and summer precipitation over East Asia. The results showed that, relative to other snow indices, such as the station observational snow depth（SOSD） index and the snow water equivalent（SWE） index, the snow cover area proportion（SCAP） index calculated from the SWE and the percentage of visible snow of the Equal-Area Scalable Earth Grids（EASE-grids） dataset has a higher persistence in interannual anomalies, particularly from May to summer. As such, the May SCAP index is significantly related to summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region. The persistence of the SCAP index can partly explain the season-delayed effect of snow cover over the TP on summer rainfall over the Meiyu-Baiu region besides the contribution of the soil moisture bridge. The preceding SST anomaly in the tropical Indian Ocean and ENSO can persist through the summer and affect the summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region. However, the May SCAP index is mostly independent of the simultaneous SSTs in the tropical Indian Ocean and the preceding ENSO and may affect the summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region independent of the effects of the SST anomalies. Therefore, the May SCAP over the TP could be regarded as an important supplementary factor in the forecasting of summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region.     

On the Relationship between the Northern Limit of Southerly Wind and Summer Precipitation over East China

The relationship between the summer northernmost position of southerly wind and precipitation over East China is investigated. The northern limit of summer southerly wind index(INLSSW) over East China is defined as the latitude where the zonal-averaged(105–120°E)low-level meridional wind is equal to zero. Results show that there is a significant negative(positive) correlation between INLSSW and summer precipitation over the Yangtze River(North China) region. Thus, the proposed INLSSW may have implications for the prediction of summer precipitation anomalies in these regions. In positive INLSSW years, a cyclonic circulation anomaly is observed over the tropical western North Pacific and an anticyclonic circulation anomaly is seen over the subtropics of East China,accompanied by southerly anomalies over East China.This leads to above-normal moisture penetrating into the northern part of East China. In addition, significant upward(downward) motion anomalies can be found over the North China(Yangtze River) region. As a result, there are significant positive(negative) precipitation anomalies over the North China(Yangtze River) region. Further examination shows that sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean both contribute to the formation of INLSSW-related circulation anomalies over the tropical western North Pacific.     

Potential Connection between the Australian Summer Monsoon Circulation and Summer Precipitation over Central China

This study investigated the connection between the Australian summer monsoon(ASM) and summer precipitation over central China. It was found that,following a weaker-than-normal ASM, the East Asian summer monsoon and western North Pacific subtropical high tend to be stronger, yielding anomalous northward moisture to be transported from the western Pacific to central China. Besides, anomalous upwelling motion emerges over 30–37.5°N, along 110°E. Consequently,significant positive summer precipitation anomalies are located over central China. Further analysis indicated that the boreal winter sea surface temperature(SST) in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea shows positive anomalies in association with a weaker-than-normal ASM. The Indian Ocean warming in boreal winter could persist into the following summer because of its own long memory, emanating a baroclinic Kelvin wave into the Pacific that triggers suppressed convection and an anomalous anticyclone. Besides, the abnormal SST signal in the South China Sea develops eastward with time because of local air-sea interaction, causing summer SST warming in the western Pacific. The SST warming can further affect East Asian atmospheric circulation and precipitation through its impact on convection.     

Relationship between Tropical Indian Ocean SSTA in Spring and Precipitation of Northeast China in Late Summer

Sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) is a major signal for prediction of summer precipitation in East Asia. The relationship between SSTA in the tropical oceans and summer precipitation in East Asia has been documented in many studies. However, the relationship between SSTA and late summer(July–August) precipitation(JAP) over Northeast China(NEC) on the interannual timescale has received little attention. In this study, we examine the relationship between Indian Ocean Basin warming(IOBW) anomalies in spring and the JAP in NEC since the early1960 s. A significant positive correlation is found between the spring IOBW index and JAP over NEC. The positive spring IOBW anomaly is followed by an anomalous anticyclone from Northwest Pacific to the Korean Peninsula.This anomalous anticyclone favors a significantly strong and northward western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH),which facilitates anomalous southerly winds over NEC and the transport of more water vapor into this region. Further analysis indicates that the spring IOBW anomalies have important impacts on the vertical air motion in the tropics and subtropics during the summer. Significant anomalous upward(downward) motion covering Indonesia(Northwest Pacific to the southern Korean Peninsula) occurs when the IOBW is in its positive phase, which favors the northward movement of the WPSH in late summer and more precipitation over NEC in July–August. Modulation of the atmospheric circulation by this mechanism further influences the JAP over NEC.     

The Oscillation between Tropical Indian Ocean and North Pacific:Evidence and Possible Impact on Winter Climate in China

This paper provides evidence that the variation of boreal winter sea level pressure (SLP) over the North Pacific is out-of-phase with SLP fluctuation over the tropical Indian Ocean on both the interdecadal and interannual time scales.Subsequently,a SLP between tropical Indian Ocean and North Pacific (TIO-NP) oscillation index is defined to indicate the variation of such out-of-phase fluctuation.Moreover,the simultaneous surface air temperature and precipitation anomalies in China are closely related to TIO-NP oscillations.Below-normal surface air temperature anomalies in the northern and the eastern part of China,and less rainfall in southern China,correspond to positive TIO-NP oscillation phase with negative SLP anomalies in tropical Indian Ocean and positive anomalies in North Pacific.The TIO-NP oscillation affects China’s winter climate anomalies,possibly through modulating the northeast East Asia winter monsoon.     

Diversity of the Coupling Wheels in the East Asian Summer Monsoon on the Interannual Time Scale: Challenge of Summer Rainfall Forecasting in China

Two types of three-dimensional circulation of the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) act as the coupling wheels determining the seasonal rainfall anomalies in China during 1979–2015. The first coupling mode features the interaction between the Mongolian cyclone over North Asia and the South Asian high(SAH) anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau at 200 hPa. The second mode presents the coupling between the anomalous low-level western Pacific anticyclone and upperlevel SAH via the meridional flow over Southeast Asia. These two modes are responsible for the summer rainfall anomalies over China in 24 and 7 out of 37 years, respectively. However, the dominant SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and the North Atlantic Ocean fail to account for the first coupling wheel's interannual variability, illustrating the challenges in forecasting summer rainfall over China.     

Comparison of the Structure and Evolution of Intraseasonal Oscillations Before and After Onset of the Asian Summer Monsoon

High-resolution satellite-derived data and NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data are used to investigate intraseasonal oscillations （ISO） over the tropical Indian Ocean.A composite evolution of the ISO life cycle is constructed,including the initiation,development,and propagation of rainfall anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean.The characteristics of ISO over the tropical Indian Ocean are profoundly different before and after the onset of the Indian summer monsoon.Positive precipitation anomalies before monsoon onset appear one phase earlier than those after monsoon onset.Before monsoon onset,precipitation anomalies associated with ISO first initiate in the western tropical Indian Ocean and then propagate eastward along the equator.After monsoon onset,convective anomalies propagate northward over the Indian summer monsoon region after an initial eastward propagation over the equatorial Indian Ocean.Surface wind convergence and air-sea interaction play critical roles in initiating each new cycle of ISO convection.     

Relationship Between Upper-Ocean Heat Content in the Tropical Indian Ocean and Summer Precipitation in China

An analysis of the Ishii ocean heat content(OHC) in the tropical Indian Ocean from the surface to 700-m depth shows that the OHC changes dramatically on the interannual timescale in the Indian Ocean.The first mode of empirical orthogonal function(EOF1) of the OHC shows that there is a strong air-sea interaction pattern in the Indian Ocean with a positive(negative) loading in the east and a negative(positive) loading in the west.This seesaw oscillation pattern influences the summer precipitation in China with a North-South reversed distribution.Composite analysis shows that during a positive(negative) OHC episode,an anomalous cyclonic(anticyclonic) circulation over the western Pacific and South China weakens(enhances) the monsoonal northward flow in the lower troposphere;meanwhile,anomalous meridional circulation connects the descending(ascending) branch over the Southeast Indian Ocean and the ascending(descending) branch in South China as well as a descending(ascending) branch over North China.Analysis of the mechanism behind these features suggests that(1) the accumulation of OHC-induced vorticity is related to the wave activity over the mid-latitudes and that(2) the meridional teleconnection induced by the Indo-Pacific air-OHC interaction appears over East Asia and the western Pacific.Both of these patterns can cause summer precipitation anomalies in China.     

Response of the Asian summer monsoon to weakening of Atlantic thermohaline circulation

Various paleoclimate records have shown that the Asian monsoon was punctuated by numerous suborbital time-scale events, and these events were coeval with those that happened in the North Atlantic. This study investigates the Asian summer monsoon responses to the Atlantic Ocean forcing by applying an additional freshwater flux into the North Atlantic. The simulated results indicate that the cold North Atlantic and warm South Atlantic induced by the weakened Atlantic thermohaline circulation （THC） due to the freshwater flux lead to significantly suppressed Asian summer monsoon. The authors analyzed the detailed processes of the Atlantic Ocean forcing on the Asian summer monsoon, and found that the atmospheric teleconnection in the eastern and central North Pacific and the atmosphere-ocean interaction in the tropical North Pacific play the most crucial role. Enhanced precipitation in the subtropical North Pacific extends the effects of Atlantic Ocean forcing from the eastern Pacific into the western Pacific, and the atmosphere-ocean interaction in the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean intensifies the circulation and precipitation anomalies in the Pacific and East Asia.     

Indo-western Pacific ocean capacitor and coherent climate anomalies in post-ENSO summer: A review

ENSO induces coherent climate anomalies over the Indo-western Pacific, but these anomalies outlast SST anomalies of the equatorial Pacific by a season, with major effects on the Asian summer monsoon. This review provides historical accounts of major milestones and synthesizes recent advances in the endeavor to understand summer variability over the Indo-Northwest Pacific region. Specifically, a large-scale anomalous anticyclone(AAC) is a recurrent pattern in post-El Ni ?no summers, spanning the tropical Northwest Pacific and North Indian oceans. Regarding the ocean memory that anchors the summer AAC, competing hypotheses emphasize either SST cooling in the easterly trade wind regime of the Northwest Pacific or SST warming in the westerly monsoon regime of the North Indian Ocean. Our synthesis reveals a coupled ocean–atmosphere mode that builds on both mechanisms in a two-stage evolution. In spring, when the northeast trades prevail, the AAC and Northwest Pacific cooling are coupled via wind–evaporation–SST feedback. The Northwest Pacific cooling persists to trigger a summer feedback that arises from the interaction of the AAC and North Indian Ocean warming, enabled by the westerly monsoon wind regime. This Indo-western Pacific ocean capacitor(IPOC) effect explains why El Ni ?no stages its last act over the monsoonal Indo-Northwest Pacific and casts the Indian Ocean warming and AAC in leading roles. The IPOC displays interdecadal modulations by the ENSO variance cycle, significantly correlated with ENSO at the turn of the 20 th century and after the 1970 s, but not in between. Outstanding issues, including future climate projections, are also discussed.     

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

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

青藏高原南、北积雪异常与中国东部夏季降水关系的数值试验研究

青藏高原冬、春积雪有着显著的南、北空间差异,本文利用通用地球系统模式（CESM）设计了增加高原南、北冬、春积雪的敏感性试验,结果表明:当高原南部冬、春积雪异常偏多,长江及其以北地区夏季降水偏多,华南大部分地区夏季降水偏少;而当高原北部冬、春积雪异常偏多,华北及东北地区夏季降水偏多,长江下游南部地区夏季降水偏少,雨带更偏北。青藏高原南、北部冬、春积雪异常影响中国东部夏季降水的物理机制的分析结果表明,高原不同区域（南部和北部）冬、春积雪异常引起的非绝热加热异常效应都可持续到夏季,且北部积雪异常持续时间更长。高原南部和北部积雪异常偏多均会减弱高原北侧上空大气的水平温度梯度,进而减弱高原北侧西风急流的位置及强度,进而影响下游出口区处急流的强度和位置,且高原北部积雪异常偏多的影响更大。当高原南部积雪异常偏多,急流出口区的西风急流加强且偏南;而高原北部积雪异常偏多,出口区的西风急流减弱且偏北。相应地,对流层中层500 hPa西太平洋副热带高压减弱,低层850 hPa异常反气旋环流,影响中国东部地区水汽输送,从而影响了中国东部地区夏季雨带的变化。当高原南部积雪异常偏多,异常反气旋性环流位于东海附近,有利于更多水汽输送至长江流域,华南水汽输送减少;当高原北部积雪异常偏多,异常反气旋性环流相对偏北,更有利于华北及东北水汽输送,雨带偏北。     

春季热带南大西洋海表温度异常与夏季亚澳季风区降水异常的联系

利用1979—2019年Hadley中心的海表温度资料、GPCP的降水资料以及NCEP-DOE的再分析资料等,分析了北半球春季热带南大西洋海表温度异常与北半球夏季亚澳季风区降水异常的联系。研究表明,北半球春季热带南大西洋海表温度异常与随后夏季热带西太平洋到南海（澳大利亚东侧海域到热带东印度洋）地区的降水异常为显著负相关（正相关）关系。北半球春季热带南大西洋的海表温度正异常可以引起热带大西洋和热带太平洋间的异常垂直环流,其中异常上升支（下沉支）位于热带大西洋（热带中太平洋）。热带中太平洋的异常下沉气流和低层辐散气流引起热带中西太平洋低层的异常东风,后者有利于热带中东太平洋海表温度出现负异常。通过Bjerknes正反馈机制,热带中东太平洋海表温度异常从北半球春季到夏季得到发展。热带中东太平洋海表温度负异常激发的Rossby波使得北半球夏季热带西太平洋低层出现一对异常反气旋。此时,850 hPa上热带西太平洋到海洋性大陆地区为显著的异常东风,有利于热带西太平洋到南海（澳大利亚东侧海域到热带东印度洋）地区出现异常的水汽辐散（辐合）,导致该地区降水减少（增加）。     

青藏高原西侧地区冬季降水的年际变率及其影响因子

基于全球降水气候中心（GPCC）和全球降水气候计划（GPCP）的降水数据及ERA-interim再分析资料,分析了1979~2012年冬季青藏高原（简称高原）西侧地区降水的基本特征及影响其年际变率的潜在因子。结果表明高原冬季降水主要发生在其西侧地区且为全区变化一致型,降水所需的水汽主要来自上游地区,从该区域的西边界输入。然而,高原西侧地区冬季降水的年际变率主要由水汽输送的动力过程所决定,表现为高原西侧的西南风异常。此外,高原西侧冬季降水的年际变率与其上游典型的大气内部变率北大西洋涛动和北极涛动相关性不强,而与赤道西印度洋和热带中东太平洋的海温显著相关。热带中东太平洋海温异常通过影响大气环流变化,在印度洋北部激发一个反气旋式的环流异常,使得高原西侧地区出现异常西南风,从而加强了水汽通量输送的动力作用。同时在赤道异常东风的作用下,暖水也向印度洋西部输送堆积。赤道中东太平洋海温的异常可进一步导致西风急流发生南北移动,从而也在一定程度上影响了高原西侧冬季水汽输送以及降水的年际变率。     

热带印度洋-西太平洋水汽输送异常对中国东部夏季降水的影响

利用1979~2015年NCEP/NCAR发布的月平均全球再分析资料,分析了热带印度洋-西太平洋水汽输送异常对中国东部夏季降水的影响及其形成机理。研究结果表明:热带印度洋-西太平洋地区（10°S~30°N,60°~140°E）夏季异常水汽输送主要包括两个模态,他们可以解释总的水汽输送异常34%的方差。其中,第一模态（EOF1）表现为异常水汽沿反气旋从热带西太平洋经过南海及孟加拉湾输送到中国东部上空,对应南海、孟加拉湾水汽路径输送均偏多,此时西太平洋副热带高压显著偏强,异常水汽在长江中下游地区辐合并伴随显著上升运动,有利于长江中下游降水偏多;第二模态（EOF2）表现为异常水汽从热带印度洋沿阿拉伯海、印度半岛、中南半岛等呈反气旋式输送,华南上空相应出现气旋式水汽输送异常,并对应异常水汽辐合和上升运动,有利于华南降水偏多。就可能的外部成因而言,EOF1与ENSO关系密切,表现为前冬热带中东太平洋显著偏暖,夏季同期热带北印度洋、南海上空显著偏暖,造成西太平洋副热带高压显著偏强,异常水汽主要来源于热带西太平洋和南海;EOF2与同期热带印度洋偶极子（TIOD）异常有关,TIOD为正位相时热带印度洋上空出现异常东风,华南上空出现异常气旋并伴随水汽异常辐合,异常水汽主要来源于热带南印度洋。     

Winter AO/NAO modifies summer ocean heat content and monsoonal circulation over the western Indian Ocean

This paper analyzes the possible influence of boreal winter Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation (AO/ NAO) on the Indian Ocean upper ocean heat content in summer as well as the summer monsoonal circulation. The strong interannual co-variation between winter 1000-hPa geopotential height in the Northern Hemisphere and summer ocean heat content in the uppermost 120 m over the tropical Indian Ocean was investigated by a singular decomposition analysis for the period 1979–2014. The second paired-modes explain 23.8% of the squared covariance, and reveal an AO/NAO pattern over the North Atlantic and a warming upper ocean in the western tropical Indian Ocean. The positive upper ocean heat content enhances evaporation and convection, and results in an anomalous meridional circulation with ascending motion over 5°S–5°N and descending over 15°–25°N. Correspondingly, in the lower troposphere, significantly anomalous northerly winds appear over the western Indian Ocean north of the equator, implying a weaker summer monsoon circulation. The off-equator oceanic Rossby wave plays a key role in linking the AO/NAO and the summer heat content anomalies. In boreal winter, a positive AO/NAO triggers a down-welling Rossby wave in the central tropical Indian Ocean through the atmospheric teleconnection. As the Rossby wave arrives in the western Indian Ocean in summer, it results in anomalous upper ocean heating near the equator mainly through the meridional advection. The AO/NAO-forced Rossby wave and the resultant upper ocean warming are well reproduced by an ocean circulation model. The winter AO/NAO could be a potential season-lead driver of the summer atmospheric circulation over the northwestern Indian Ocean.     

西北太平洋低空环流与海温异常关系的季节性差异

通过资料分析与数值模拟研究了西北太平洋低空环流特征及其与海面温度（SST）异常关系的季节性差异,得到如下结论：1）西北太平洋低空环流的空间尺度和位置在春季和夏季存在明显差异,从春季到夏季,异常环流范围缩小且中心位置向西北偏移;2）西北太平洋低空环流与西北太平洋局地海温的相互作用存在季节差异,春季西北太平洋冷海温与上空反气旋异常之间存在相互作用,而夏季则以大气影响海洋为主,异常的反气旋/气旋可以加热/冷却其下垫面的海温,大气超前3～4 d影响海洋;3）夏季异常反气旋环流（WNPAC）的维持主要来自非局地海温异常（北印度洋暖海温与中太平洋冷海温异常）的强迫,这两个海区对WNPAC的影响也存在季节性差异,北印度洋的影响主要体现在晚春至盛夏,而中太平洋则主要在晚夏发挥作用。     

印度洋海温异常年际变率模态对中国东部地区夏季降水影响机制的数值试验

利用ECHAM5全球大气环流模式研究了印度洋海温异常年际变率模态从冬至夏的演变对我国东部地区夏季降水影响的机制。观测资料研究表明:对于正的印度洋海温异常年际变率模态,春、夏季热带印度洋和澳大利亚以西洋面(东极子)均为水汽的异常源区,向马达加斯加以东南洋面(西极子)及印度洋邻近大陆提供水汽。夏季,印度洋地区南极涛动、马斯克林高压加强;而印度季风低压和南亚高压均减弱,对应于印度夏季风减弱。夏季印度洋地区正压性的纬向风异常经向遥相关使热带印度洋地区出现西风异常,导致海洋性大陆地区对流活动减弱,而菲律宾海地区对流活动加强,进而导致西太平洋副热带高压偏弱、位置偏东北。对于负的印度洋海温异常年际变率模态,则反之。模式结果基本支持了已有的观测资料诊断结果。     

Impacts of the leading modes of tropical Indian Ocean sea surface temperature anomaly on sub-seasonal evolution of the circulation and rainfall over East Asia during boreal spring and summer

The two leading modes of the interannual variability of the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly are the Indian Ocean basin mode (IOBM) and the Indian Ocean dipole mode (IODM) from March to August. In this paper, the relationship between the TIO SST anomaly and the sub-seasonal evolution of the circulation and rainfall over East Asia during boreal spring and summer is investigated by using correlation analysis and composite analysis based on multi-source observation data from 1979 to 2013, together with numerical simulations from an atmospheric general circulation model. The results indicate that the impacts of the IOBM on the circulation and rainfall over East Asia vary remarkably from spring to summer. The anomalous anticyclone over the tropical Northwest Pacific induced by the warm IOBM is closely linked with the Pacific–Japan or East Asia–Pacific teleconnection pattern, which persists from March to August. In the upper troposphere over East Asia, the warm phase of the IOBM generates a significant anticyclonic response from March to May. In June and July, however, the circulation response is characterized by enhanced subtropical westerly flow. A distinct anomalous cyclone is found in August. Overall, the IOBM can exert significant influence on the western North Pacific subtropical high, the South Asian high, and the East Asian jet, which collectively modulate the precipitation anomaly over East Asia. In contrast, the effects of the IODM on the climate anomaly over East Asia are relatively weak in boreal spring and summer. Therefore, studying the impacts of the TIO SST anomaly on the climate anomaly in East Asia should take full account of the different sub-seasonal response during boreal spring and summer.