THE TIMING OF SOUTH-ASIAN HIGH ESTABLISHMENT AND ITS RELATION TO TROPICAL ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON AND PRECIPITATION OVER EAST-CENTRAL CHINA IN SUMMER

The timing of the South Asian High (SAH) establishment over the Indochina Peninsula (IP) from April to May and its relations to the setup of the subsequent tropical Asian summer monsoon and precipitation over eastern-central China in summer are investigated by using NCEP/NCAR daily reanalysis data, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data and the daily precipitation data from 753 weather stations in China. It is found that the transitions of the zonal wind vertical shear and convection establishment over tropical Asia are earlier (later) in the years of early (late) establishment of SAH. In the lower troposphere, anti-cyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly circulation dominates the equatorial Indian Ocean. Correspondingly, the tropical Asian summer monsoon establishes earlier (later). Furthermore, the atmospheric circulation and the water vapor transport in the years of advanced SAH establishment are significantly different from the delayed years in Asia in summer. Out-of-phase distribution of precipitation in eastern-central China will appear with a weak (strong) SAH and western Pacific subtropical high, strong (weak) ascending motion in the area south of Yangtze River but weak (strong) ascending motion in the area north of it, and cyclonic (anti-cyclonic) water vapor flux anomaly circulation from the eastern-central China to western Pacific. Accordingly, the timing of the SAH establishment at the upper levels of IP is indicative of the subsequent onset of the tropical Asian summer monsoon and the flood-drought pattern over eastern-central China in summer.

THE TIMING OF SOUTH-ASIAN HIGH ESTABLISHMENT AND ITS RELATION TO TROPICAL ASIAN SUMMER MONSOON AND PRECIPITATION OVER EAST-CENTRAL CHINA IN SUMMER

The timing of the South Asian High (SAH) establishment over the Indochina Peninsula (IP) from April to May and its relations to the setup of the subsequent tropical Asian summer monsoon and precipitation over eastern-central China in summer are investigated by using NCEP/NCAR daily reanalysis data, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data and the daily precipitation data from 753 weather stations in China. It is found that the transitions of the zonal wind vertical shear and convection establishment over tropical Asia are earlier (later) in the years of early (late) establishment of SAH. In the lower troposphere, anti-cyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly circulation dominates the equatorial Indian Ocean. Correspondingly, the tropical Asian summer monsoon establishes earlier (later). Furthermore, the atmospheric circulation and the water vapor transport in the years of advanced SAH establishment are significantly different from the delayed years in Asia in summer. Out-of-phase distribution of precipitation in eastern-central China will appear with a weak (strong) SAH and western Pacific subtropical high, strong (weak) ascending motion in the area south of Yangtze River but weak (strong) ascending motion in the area north of it, and cyclonic (anti-cyclonic) water vapor flux anomaly circulation from the eastern-central China to western Pacific. Accordingly, the timing of the SAH establishment at the upper levels of IP is indicative of the subsequent onset of the tropical Asian summer monsoon and the flood-drought pattern over eastern-central China in summer.