Subseasonal Reversal of East Asian Surface Temperature Variability in Winter 2014/15

Although there has been a considerable amount of research conducted on the East Asian winter-mean climate, subseasonal surface air temperature(SAT) variability reversals in the early and late winter remain poorly understood. In this study,we focused on the recent winter of 2014/15, in which warmer anomalies dominated in January and February but colder conditions prevailed in December. Moreover, Arctic sea-ice cover(ASIC) in September–October 2014 was lower than normal,and warmer sea surface temperature(SST) anomalies occurred in the Ni ?no4 region in winter, together with a positive Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO|+) phase. Using observational data and CMIP5 historical simulations, we investigated the PDO|+ phase modulation upon the winter warm Ni ?no4 phase(autumn ASIC reduction) influence on the subseasonal SAT variability of East Asian winter. The results show that, under a PDO|+ phase modulation, warm Ni ?no4 SST anomalies are associated with a subseasonal delay of tropical surface heating and subsequent Hadley cell and Ferrel cell intensification in January–February, linking the tropical and midlatitude regions. Consistently, the East Asian jet stream(EAJS) is significantly decelerated in January–February and hence promotes the warm anomalies over East Asia. Under the PDO|+ phase,the decrease in ASIC is related to cold SST anomalies in the western North Pacific, which increase the meridional temperature gradient and generate an accelerated and westward-shifted EAJS in December. The westward extension of the EAJS is responsible for the eastward-propagating Rossby waves triggered by declining ASIC and thereby favors the connection between ASIC and cold conditions over East Asia.     

Monthly Variations of Atmospheric Circulations Associated with Haze Pollution in the Yangtze River Delta and North China

Haze pollution in early winter(December and January) in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) and in North China(NC)are both severe;however, their monthly variations are significantly different. In this study, the dominant large-scale atmospheric circulations and local meteorological conditions were investigated and compared over the YRD and NC in each month. Results showed that the YRD(NC) is dominated by the so-called Scandinavia(East Atlantic/West Russia)pattern in December, and these circulations weaken in January. The East Asian December and January monsoons over the YRD and NC have negative correlations with the number of haze days. The local descending motion facilitates less removal of haze pollution over the YRD, while the local ascending motion facilitates less removal of haze pollution over NC in January, despite a weaker relationship in December. Additionally, the monthly variations of atmospheric circulations showed that adverse meteorological conditions restrict the vertical(horizontal) dispersion of haze pollution in December(January) over the YRD, while the associated local weather conditions are similar in these two months over NC.     

北太平洋海平面气压场变化与海温的关系

利用SVD（singular value decomposition）方法分析了1948年1月—2002年12月北太平洋海平面气压场与海温的关系。结果表明,SVD第1对异类相关分布型反映出,当东北太平洋副热带高压加强（减弱）时,Namias海区海温升高（降低）,而加利福尼亚海流区海温降低（升高）。SVD第2对异类相关分布型表明,当阿留申低压加深、北太平洋副热带地区气压升高时,黑潮暖流区海温升高,而北太平洋高、低纬海温降低;反之亦然。时滞相关表明,北太平洋大气环流异常超前海温1个月的相关最好,海温变化对大气环流异常分布型具有维持作用。NCAR CCSM3模拟结果很好地验证了上述结论,即在海气相互作用过程中,东北太平洋副热带高压和NPO（North Pacific Oscillation）与北太平洋海温存在密切联系。     

Response of the Tropical Indian Ocean to Greenhouse Gases and Aerosol Forcing in the GFDL CM3 Coupled Climate Model

The response of the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) to greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols are investigated based on historical single-forcing and all-forcing simulations using the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Climate Model, version 3 (GFDL CM3). Results reveal a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD)-like pattern in GHG forcing but a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (nIOD)-like pattern in aerosol forcing. The GHG-induced pIOD-like pattern features less (more) sea surface temperature (SST) warming over the southeastern (western) TIO, accompanied by equatorial easterly anomalies, as well as a shallower thermocline off Sumatra. The aerosol-induced nIOD-like pattern displays the reverse features, characterized by less (more) SST cooling over the southeastern (western) TIO, anomalous equatorial westerlies, and a deeper thermocline off Sumatra. Although the aerosol-induced pattern appears to resemble a reversal of the GHG-induced pattern, there is a strong asymmetry in the SST changes over the southeastern TIO, where the cooling responding to aerosol forcing exceeds the warming in response to GHG forcing, and a negative SST residual is thus produced. A mixed-layer heat budget analysis suggests that the negative SST residual results mainly from asymmetric responses of shortwave radiation, zonal advection, and diffusion to GHGs and aerosols. For comparison, the formation processes for the negative SST skewness over the southeastern TIO between the internal pIOD and nIOD are also discussed.     

Spring asymmetric mode in the tropical Indian Ocean: role of El Niño and IOD

The spring asymmetric mode over the Tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) is characterized by contrasting patterns of rainfall and surface wind anomalies north and south of Equator. The asymmetric pattern in rainfall has evolved as a leading mode of variability in the TIO and is strongly correlated with El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The evolution of the asymmetric pattern in rainfall and surface wind during pure El Niño/IOD and co-occurrence years are examined in the twentieth century reanalysis for the period of 1871–2008 and atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations. The study revealed that spring asymmetric mode is well developed when El Niño co-occurred with IOD (positive) and is driven by the associated meridional gradients in sea surface temperature (SST) and sea level pressure (SLP). The pure El Niño composites are characterized by homogeneous (spatially) SST anomalies (positive) and weaker SLP gradients and convection, leading to weak asymmetric mode. The asymmetric mode is absent in the pure IOD (positive) composites due to the persistence of east west SST gradient for a longer duration than the co-occurrence years. The meridional gradient in SST anomalies over the TIO associated with the ENSO-IOD forcing is therefore crucial in developing/strengthening the spring asymmetric mode. The northwest Pacific anticyclonic circulation further strengthen the asymmetric mode in surface winds by inducing northeasterlies in the north Indian Ocean during pure El Niño and co-occurrence years. The simulations based on AGCM, forced by observed SSTs during the period of 1871–2000 supported the findings. The analysis of available station and ship track data further strengthens our results.     

Contrasting Impacts of South and North Tropical Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies on East Asian Summer Climate

Using observational data and model simulations,the author find that the North Indian Ocean(NIO)sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies can trigger an eastward atmospheric Kelvin wave propagating into the equatorial western Pacific,inducing an anomalous anticyclone over the subtropical Northwest Pacific(NWP)and resulting in prominent summer climate anomalies in the East Asia-Northwest Pacific(EANWP)region.However,the response of tropospheric temperatures and atmospheric Kelvin waves to the South Indian Ocean(SIO)SST anomalies is weak;as a result,the impact of the SIO SST anomalies on the EANWP summer climate is weak.The contrasting impacts of NIO and SIO SST anomalies on the EANWP summer climate is possibly due to the different mean state of SSTs in the two regions.In summer,the climatological SSTs in the NIO are higher than in the SIO,leading to a stronger response of atmospheric convection to the NIO SST anomalies than to the SIO SST anomalies.Thus,compared with the SIO SST anomalies,the NIO SST anomalies can lead to stronger tropospheric air temperature anomalies and atmospheric Kelvin waves to affect the EANWP summer climate.     

Summer monsoon circulation and precipitation over the tropical Indian Ocean during ENSO in the NCEP climate forecast system

This study investigates the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) teleconnections to tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) and their relationship with the Indian summer monsoon in the coupled general circulation model climate forecast system (CFS). The model shows good skill in simulating the impact of El Niño over the Indian Oceanic rim during its decay phase (the summer following peak phase of El Niño). Summer surface circulation patterns during the developing phase of El Niño are more influenced by local Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies in the model unlike in observations. Eastern TIO cooling similar to that of Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a dominant model feature in summer. This anomalous SST pattern therefore is attributed to the tendency of the model to simulate more frequent IOD events. On the other hand, in the model baroclinic response to the diabatic heating anomalies induced by the El Niño related warm SSTs is weak, resulting in reduced zonal extension of the Rossby wave response. This is mostly due to weak eastern Pacific summer time SST anomalies in the model during the developing phase of El Niño as compared to observations. Both eastern TIO cooling and weak SST warming in El Niño region combined together undermine the ENSO teleconnections to the TIO and south Asia regions. The model is able to capture the spatial patterns of SST, circulation and precipitation well during the decay phase of El Niño over the Indo-western Pacific including the typical spring asymmetric mode and summer basin-wide warming in TIO. The model simulated El Niño decay one or two seasons later, resulting long persistent warm SST and circulation anomalies mainly over the southwest TIO. In response to the late decay of El Niño, Ekman pumping shows two maxima over the southern TIO. In conjunction with this unrealistic Ekman pumping, westward propagating Rossby waves display two peaks, which play key role in the long-persistence of the TIO warming in the model (for more than a season after summer). This study strongly supports the need of simulating the correct onset and decay phases of El Niño/La Niña for capturing the realistic ENSO teleconnections. These results have strong implications for the forecasting of Indian summer monsoon as this model is currently being adopted as an operational model in India.     

东亚夏季PJ遥相关型的年际及年代际变化机理

利用夏季东亚地区500 h Pa高度场和菲律宾附近的降水场进行SVD分析,将东亚500 h Pa高度场对应的时间序列定义为PJ指数,该指数不仅清楚地反映PJ型的年际变化,而且反应出PJ型的年代际变化,即500 h Pa高度场型态在20世纪70年代末由"气旋、反气旋、气旋"型突变为"反气旋、气旋、反气旋"型。本文研究表明PJ指数的年际变化与ENSO事件有密切的联系:El Ni1o事件通过电容器充电效应使印度洋海温增暖,而增暖的印度洋海温在菲律宾海附近强迫出异常反气旋,并沿东亚沿岸激发出PJ遥相关型。而PJ型态的年代际变化与热带印度洋SST的持续增暖有关。虽然许多学者认为是菲律宾附近海温异常引起对流异常,并沿东亚沿岸激发出PJ遥相关型,但我们认为该区域的海温变化并不是造成PJ型年际和年代际变化的原因,而是由于该区域有反气旋(或者气旋)异常,从而辐射增加(减少),蒸发减弱(增加),温跃层下降(上升),SST变暖(变冷),该区域的海温变暖意味着对流是减弱的。本文进一步利用大气环流模式ECHAM5.4进行数值试验,结果表明:当热带印度洋增暖时,在菲律宾海附近强迫出反气旋,并沿东亚激发出"反气旋、气旋、反气旋"PJ遥相关型。     

Response of the tropical Indian Ocean SST to decay phase of La Niña and associated processes

Delayed impact of El Niño on Tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) Sea Surface Temperature (SST) variations and associated physical mechanisms are well documented by several studies. However, TIO SST evolution during the decay phase of La Niña and related processes are not adequately addressed before. Strong cooling associated with La Niña decay over the TIO could influence climate over the Indian Oceanic rim including Indian summer monsoon circulation and remotely northwest Pacific circulation. Thus understanding the TIO basin-wide cooling and related physical mechanisms during decaying La Niña years is important. Composite analyses revealed that negative SST anomalies allied to La Niña gradually dissipate from its mature phase (winter) till subsequent summer in central and eastern Pacific. In contrast, magnitude of negative SST anomalies in TIO, induced by La Niña, starts increasing from winter and attains their peak values in early summer. It is found that variations in heat flux play an important role in SST cooling over the central and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and part of Arabian Sea from late winter to early summer during the decay phase of La Niña. Ocean dynamical processes are mainly responsible for the evolution of southern TIO SST cooling. Strong signals of westward propagating upwelling Rossby waves between 10°S to 20°S are noted throughout (the decaying phase of La Niña) spring and summer. Anomalous cyclonic wind stress curl to the south of the equator is responsible for triggering upwelling Rossby waves over the southeastern TIO. Further, upwelling Rossby waves are also apparent in the Arabian Sea from spring to summer and partly contributing to the SST cooling. Heat budget analysis reveals that negative SST/MLT (mixed layer temperature) anomalies over the Arabian Sea are mostly controlled by heat flux from winter to spring and vertical advection plays an important role during early summer. Vertical and horizontal advection terms primarily contribute to the SST cooling anomalies over southern TIO and the Bay of Bengal cooling is primarily dominated by heat flux. Further we have discussed influence of TIO cooling on local rainfall variations.     

The Significant Relationship between the Arctic Oscillation (AO) in December and the January Climate over South China

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the China rainfall and surface temperature data of the China Meteorological Administration, and the Arctic Oscillation (AO) indices of NOAA, the author investigates relationships between the AO and the precipitation and temperature over China. There exists a good relationship between the AO index in December and the succeeding January precipitation over South China, indicating that when the December AO index is positive (negative), the January precipitation over South China increases (decreases). A remarkable negative correlation between the December AO index and the January surface temperature also exists over South China, indicating that when the December AO index is positive (negative), the January temperature over South China drops (rises). The occurrence of this anomalous climate is related to the anomalies of the atmospheric circulation systems. The December AO greatly influences circulation anomalies in January. A positive phase of the AO is found to lead to a stronger subtropical jet over the south side from the Iran Plateau to the Tibetan Plateau. Consequently, it results in a deepening pressure trough around the Bay of Bengal, which transports the warm and wet air to South China continuously. The Siberian High in January is stronger and extends farther southeastward. It results in continual cold air at 1000 hPa pouring into South China, inducing low temperature. Cooperating with the trough of the Bay of Bengal, anomalous precipitation occurs over South China. For the negative phase of the December AO, the opposite situation is observed.     

Simulation of the Effects of the Preceding SST Anomalies over the Tropical Eastern Pacific on Precipitation to the South of the Yangtze River in June

Numerical experiments are performed to simulate the response of the atmospheric circulation and pre-cipitation over East China in June to the sea surface temperature（SST）anomalies over the tropical eastern Pacific（TEP）from preceding September to June by using an atmospheric general circulation model （AGCM）.We constructed composite positive/negative SST anomalies（P-SSTAs/N-SSTAs）based on the observational SST anomalies over the TEP from September 1997 to June 1998.The results show that：（1） the response of the precipitation in the Yangtze River basin and its southern area（YRBS）to El Nino with different durations varies with the maximum amplitude of the precipitation anomalies appearing when the imposed duration is from November to next June,and the minimum appearing when the SST anomalies is only imposed in June.The anomalies of the precipitation are reduced when the duration of the forcing SST anomalies over the TEP is shortened and the positive SST anomalies in the preceding autumn tend to cause significantly more rainfall in the YRBS.This is in agreement with previous diagnostic analysis results.（2）The simulated precipitation anomalies over the YRBS are always obviously positive under strong or weak positive SST anomalies over the TEP.The intensity of the precipitation anomalies increases with increasing intensity of the SST anomalies in the experiments.The simulation results are consistent with the observations during the warm SST events,suggesting reasonable modeling results.（3）When negative SST anomalies in the TEP are put into the model,the results are different from those of the diagnostic analysis of La Nina events.Negative precipitation anomalies in YRBS could be reproduced only when the negative SST anomalies are strong enough.     

Caribbean Sea rainfall variability during the rainy season and relationship to the equatorial Pacific and tropical Atlantic SST

The present study investigates the Caribbean Sea rainfall variability during the early and late rainy seasons and its association with sea surface temperature (SST) and air?Csea interaction based on observational estimates, the NCEP Climate Forecast System (CFS) and Global Forecast System (GFS) simulations, and the CFS retrospective forecasts. Analysis of the observational estimates indicates that air?Csea interaction is important over the Caribbean Sea, whereas the atmospheric forcing of SST dominates over the Gulf of Mexico. The CFS simulation captures the basic elements of this observed air?Csea relationship. The GFS simulation produces spurious SST forcing of the atmosphere over the Gulf of Mexico largely due to prescribing SST. The CFS forecasts capture the air?Csea relationship in the late rainy season (August?COctober), but cannot reproduce the SST forcing of atmosphere over the Caribbean Sea in the early rainy season (May?CJuly). An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis indicates that the leading modes of percent anomalies of the rainy season precipitation have the largest loading in the southern Caribbean Sea in observations. The model simulations and forecasts skillfully reproduce the spatial pattern, but not the temporal evolution. The Caribbean Sea rainfall variability in the early rainy season is mainly due to the tropical North Atlantic (TNA) SST anomalies in observations, is contributed by both the TNA and eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) SST anomalies in the CFS simulation, and has an overly large impact from the EEP SST anomalies in the GFS simulation and the CFS forecasts. The observed Caribbean Sea rainfall variability in the late rainy season has a leading impact from the EEP SST anomalies, with a secondary contribution from the TNA SST anomalies. In comparison, the model simulations and forecasts overestimate the impacts of the EEP SST anomalies due to an earlier development and longer duration of the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation in the CFS compared to observations.     

Influence of sea surface temperature on the intraseasonal variability of the South China Sea summer monsoon

The objective of this study is to examine, based on recently available high resolution satellite and observational data, the evolution and role of sea surface temperature (SST) in influencing the intraseasonal variability of the South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon (SM). The study focuses on the 30–60?day timescale when the northward propagating anomalies are dominant over the SCS. Composite analysis of the SST maximum events during SCS SM shows that increased SST anomalies over the SCS are significantly influenced by the downward shortwave radiation flux anomalies, with the suppressed surface latent heat flux anomalies supplementing to it. A thermal damping of the positive SST anomalies induces positive upward heat fluxes, which then destabilize the lower atmosphere between 1,000 and 700?hPa. The positive SST anomalies lead the positive precipitation anomalies over the SCS by 10?days, with a significant correlation (r?=?0.44) between the SST-precipitation anomalies. The new findings here indicate an ocean-to-atmosphere effect over the SCS, where underlying SST anomalies tend to form a favorable condition for convective activity and sustain enhanced precipitation during the SCS SM. It is also argued, based on our observations, that the negative sea level pressure anomalies induced by the positive SST anomalies play a role in enhancing the northward propagation of the intraseasonal anomalies over the SCS.     

Teleconnections of the sea surface temperature in the indian ocean with sea surface temperature in the eastern equatorial pacific,and with the 500 hPa geopotential height field in the Northern Hemisphere

The observational data of global sea surface temperature and the 500 hPa geopotential height field in the Northern Hemisphere are used to get two teleconnection patterns. The time interval of the data is from January 1950 to December 1979. The results show that the sea surface temperature anomalies in the Indian Ocean have evident positive correlation with the SSTA in the eastern Pacific and obvious teleconnection with the 500 hPa geopotential height field in the Northern Hemisphere.     

An Inter-hemispheric Teleconnection and a Possible Mechanism for Its Formation

Through observational analyses,an inter-hemispheric teleconnection is identified between the subtropical region of the South China Sea to the western Pacific near the Philippines(WP)and the region to the east of Australia(AE).The teleconnection is significantly correlated with sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTAs)in key sea areas(including the Indian Ocean,the South China Sea,and the area to the east of Australia).Based on the IAP T42L9 model,numerical experiments are performed to explore a possible mechanism for the formation of the teleconnection.The results show that the positive SST anomalies in the key sea areas may jointly contribute to the occurrence and maintenance of the positive geopotential height anomalies over both the WP and AE and be a critical factor in the teleconnection formation.The large-scale SST anomaly in the Indian Ocean,involving the tropics and subtropics of both hemispheres,may lead to concurrent atmospheric responses over both the WP and AE,while the effect of the local SST anomaly to the east of Australia seems to reinforce and maintain the positive height anomaly over the AE.     

The two interannual variability modes of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High simulated by 28 CMIP5–AMIP models

Using the output of the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) experiments of 28 models from the Fifth Phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), the models’ performances in the simulation of the two dominant interannual variability modes of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH) are investigated. In the observation, the positive phases of these two modes feature an anomalous anticyclone over the western North Pacific (WNP), but the first mode (M1) is closely connected with the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO), the maritime continent (MC) and the equatorial central Pacific (CP), while the second mode (M2) is closely connected with the SST anomalies over the WNP. The M1 is well captured by the CMIP5–AMIP models forced by the historical SST, suggesting the M1 is an SST-forced mode. The CMIP5–AMIP models capture the close relationship of the M1 with the SST anomalies over the TIO, the MC and the CP. The forcing mechanisms of M1 in the CMIP5–AMIP models are consistent with the observation, including a Kelvin wave emanating from the TIO and a local Hadley circulation originating from the MC. Different from the high reproducibility of the M1, the M2 is only moderately reproduced by the multi-model ensemble (MME) mean of the CMIP5–AMIP models. The simulated anomalous WNPSH of the M2 is weaker and shifts southwestward in the MME and many individual models compared to the observation. Among the five anomalous WNPSH years associated with the M2, the MME captures the anomalous WNPSH only in 1993 and 1994 but not in 1980, 1981 and 1987. The partial reproducibility of the M2 by the CMIP5–AMIP models suggests the M2 is neither a pure atmospheric internal mode nor a pure SST-forced mode. The observed close relationship between the anomalous WNPSH and the WNP SST anomalies is underestimated by the CMIP5–AMIP models, suggesting the local SST–WNPSH relationship may depend on the air–sea interaction over the WNP.     

Spring Indian Ocean-western Pacific SST contrast and the East Asian summer rainfall anomaly

studying the relationship between SST in the tropical Indian Ocean （TIO）, tropical western Pacific （TWP）, and tropical eastern Pacific （TEP） and East Asian summer rainfall （EASR）, using data provided by NOAA/OAR/ESRL PSD and the National Climate Center of China for the period 1979-2008, an index, SSTDI, was defined to describe the SST difference between the TIO and TWP. In comparison with the winter ENSO, the spring SST contrast between the TIO and TWP was found to be more significantly associated with summer rainfall in East Asia, especially along the EASR band and in Northeast China. This spring SST contrast can persist into summer, resulting in a more significant meridional teleconnection pattern of lower-tropospheric circulation anomalies over the western North Pacific and East Asia. These circulation anomalies are dynamically consistent with the summer rainfall anomaly along the EASR band. When the SSTDI is higher （lower） than normal, the EASR over the Yangtze River valley, Korea, and central and southern Japan is heavier （less） than normal. The present results suggest that this spring SST contrast can be used as a new and better predictor of EASR anomalies.     

2017年冬季北京霾日极少的大尺度气候和环流背景:兼论“霾气候”预测研究

近年北京霾问题受到广泛关注。2017年冬季北京霾日显著偏少,同样令人瞩目。Pei等2018年提出一种影响北京持续性霾事件多寡的大尺度气候和环流背景机制,指出西北太平洋关键区（K区）海表温度距平起重要作用。文中据此对比分析2017和2016年冬季情形发现:2016年冬季K区偏暖,东亚冬季风系统偏弱,华北地区多异常偏南风距平,低层大气偏稳定,导致霾日偏多;而2017年情形恰好相反。这说明北京霾也受制于大尺度气候异常。进而简述现有研究存在的问题,就如何推进“霾气候”预测研究提出若干建议。      

Asymmetry in the tropical Indian Ocean subsurface temperature variability

The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of subsurface temperature shows a dominant north-south mode of interannual variability in the Tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) at around 100 m depth (thermocline). This subsurface mode (SSM) of variability evolves in September-November (SON) as a response to Indian Ocean Dipole and intensifies during December-February (DJF) reinforced by El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forcing. The asymmetry in the evolution of positive and negative phases of SSM and its impacts on the modulation of surface features are studied. The asymmetry in the representation of anomalous surface winds along the equator and off-equatorial wind stress curl anomalies are primarily responsible for maintaining the asymmetry in the subsurface temperature through positive and negative phases of the SSM. During the positive phase of SSM, downwelling Rossby waves generated by anticyclonic wind stress curl propagate towards the southwestern TIO (SWTIO), the thermocline ridge region of mean upwelling. The warmer subsurface water associated with the downwelling Rossby waves upwells in the region of mean upwelling and warms the surface resulting in strong subsurface-surface coupling. Such interaction processes are however weak during the negative phase of SSM. The asymmetry in the subsurface-surface interaction during the two phases of SSM and its impact on the modulation of surface features of TIO are also reported. In addition to the ENSO forcing, self-maintenance of SSM during DJF season is evident in the positive SSM (PSSM) years through modulation of subsurface surface coupling and air-sea coupling. This positive feedback during PSSM years is maintained by the deepening thermocline, warm SSTs and convection. The asymmetry in the thermocline evolution is more evident in the SWTIO and southern TIO.     

REGIONAL DISCREPANCIES OF THE IMPACT OF TROPICAL INDIAN OCEAN WARMING ON NORTHWEST PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE FREQUENCY IN THE YEARS OF DECAYING EL NIO

This study investigates the influences of tropical Indian Ocean(TIO) warming on tropical cyclone(TC)genesis in different regions of the western North Pacific(WNP) from July to October(JASO) during the decaying El Nio. The results show significant negative TC frequency anomalies localized in the southeastern WNP. Correlation analysis indicates that a warm sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) in the TIO strongly suppresses TC genesis south of 21°N and east of 140°E in JASO. Reduced TC genesis over the southeastern WNP results from a weak monsoon trough and divergence and subsidence anomalies associated with an equatorial baroclinic Kelvin wave. Moreover,suppressed convection in response to a cold local SSTA, induced by the increased northeasterly connected by the wind-evaporation-SST positive feedback mechanism, is found unfavorable for TC genesis. Positive TC genesis anomalies are observed over higher latitudinal regions(at around 21°N, 140°E) and the western WNP because of enhanced convection along the northern flank of the WNP anomalous anticyclone and low-level convergence,respectively. Although local modulation(e.g., local SST) could have greater dominance over TC activity at higher latitudes in certain anomalous years(e.g., 1988), a warm TIO SSTA can still suppress TC genesis in lower latitudinal regions of the WNP. A better understanding of the contributions of TIO warming could help improve seasonal TC predictions over different regions of the WNP in years of decaying El Nio.