The exceptionally strong and persistent Arctic stratospheric polar vortex in the winter of 2019–2020: 2019-2020冬季北半球超强极涡事件

The Arctic stratospheric polar vortex was exceptional strong, cold and persistent in the winter and spring of 2019–2020. Based on reanalysis data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research and ozone observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument, the authors investigated the dynamical variation of the stratospheric polar vortex during winter 2019–2020 and its influence on surface weather and ozone depletion. This strong stratospheric polar vortex was affected by the less active upward propagation of planetary waves. The seasonal transition of the stratosphere during the stratospheric final warming event in spring 2020 occurred late due to the persistence of the polar vortex. A positive Northern Annular Mode index propagated from the stratosphere to the surface, where it was consistent with the Arctic Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation indices. As a result, the surface temperature in Eurasia and North America was generally warmer than the climatology. In some places of Eurasia, the surface temperature was about 10 K warmer during the period from January to February 2020. The most serious Arctic ozone depletion since 2004 has been observed since February 2020. The mean total column ozone within 60°–90°N from March to 15 April was about 80 DU less than the climatology.摘要2019-2020冬季北极平流层极涡异常并且持续的偏强,偏冷.利用NCEP再数据和OMI臭氧数据, 本文分析了此次强极涡事件中平流层极涡的动力场演变及其对地面暖冬天气和臭氧低值的影响.此次强极涡的形成是由于上传行星波不活跃.持续的强极涡使得2020年春季的最后增温出现时间偏晚.平流层正NAM指数向下传播到地面, 与地面AO指数和NAO指数相一致, 欧亚大陆和北美地面气温均比气候态偏暖, 在欧亚大陆的一些地区, 2020年1月和2月的气温甚至偏高了10K.2020年2月以来北极臭氧出现了2004年以来的最低值, 2020年3-4月60°–90°N的平均臭氧柱总量比气候态偏低了80DU.     

Sea surface temperature anomaly in the tropical North Atlantic during El Niño decaying years

Based on reanalysis data from 1979 to 2016, this study focuses on the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly of the tropical North Atlantic (TNA) in El Niño decaying years. The TNA SST exhibits a clear warm trend during this period. The composite result for 10 El Niño events shows that the TNA SST anomaly reaches its maximum in spring after the peak of an El Niño event and persists until summer. In general, the anomaly is associated with three factors—namely, El Niño, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and a long-term trend, leading to an increase in local SST up to 0.4°C, 0.3°C, and 0.35°C, respectively. A comparison between 1983 and 2005 indicates that the TNA SST in spring is affected by El Niño, as well as the local SST in the preceding winter, which may involve a long-term trend signal. In addition, the lead–lag correlation shows that the NAO leads the TNA SST by 2–3 months. By comparing two years with an opposite phase of the NAO in winter (i.e., 1992 and 2010), the authors further demonstrate that the NAO is another important factor in regulating the TNA SST anomaly. A negative phase of the NAO in winter will reinforce the El Niño forcing substantially, and vise versa. In other words, the TNA SST anomaly in the decaying years is more evident if the NAO is negative with El Niño. Therefore, the combined effects of El Niño and the NAO must be considered in order to fully understand the TNA SST variability along with a long-term trend.摘要基于1979年到2016年多种再分析资料, 本文分析了El Niño衰减年热带北大西洋的海温异常. 结果表明, 热带北大西洋海温在此期间呈显著变暖趋势. 10次El Niño事件的合成结果表明热带北大西洋海温异常在El Niño事件峰值之后的春季达到最大值, 并持续到夏季. 一般而言, 这种异常与三个因子有关, 即El Niño, 北大西洋涛动和长期趋势, 能分别导致局地海温上升0.4°C, 0.3°C和0.35°C. 1983年和2005年的对比分析表明, 尽管El Niño强度对春季北大西洋海温起到决定性作用, 与长期趋势密切相关的前冬海温也很重要. 此外, 超前-滞后相关结果表明北大西洋涛动超前海温约2–3个月. 比较两个冬季相反位相北大西洋涛动的年份 (即1992年和2010年) , 表明北大西洋涛动也能调制北大西洋海温异常. 冬季负位相北大西洋涛动能显著增强El Niño的强迫影响, 反之亦然. 换言之, 如果北大西洋涛动与El Niño位相相合, 衰减年北大西洋海温异常才更为显著. 因此, 为全面理解热带北大西洋海温变化, 除长期趋势外, 还必须考虑El Niño和北大西洋涛动的综合影响.     

State of the climate in the Three Gorges Region of the Yangtze River basin in 2020

2020年,长江三峡地区年平均气温17.2℃,接近常年;年平均降水量1530.8毫米,偏多29％,为1961年以来第二多,仅次于1998年.6月,7月降水量及年平均暴雨日数均为1961年以来第二多.平均风速较常年偏大;相对湿度略偏高;各月均无酸雨出现,近十余年酸雨强度呈现明显减弱趋势.2020年,三峡地区夏季暴雨洪涝灾...     

Synoptic-scale reversal of dipole surface temperature anomalies over East Asia and Central Siberia in November 2021

In early-to-mid November 2021, a pronounced reversal of surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies (SATAs) occurred over East Asia and Central Siberia, with extreme SATAs that reached up to about 10 °C. Such a synoptic-scale reversal of SATAs was characterized by the alternate emergence of the “colder Central Siberia–warmer East Asia” pattern and the “warmer Central Siberia–colder East Asia” pattern in November 2021. Coinciding with the reversals of the meridional dipole SATAs, large-scale atmospheric circulation anomalies experienced reversed changes. The development of the anomalous cyclonic (anticyclonic) flow over East Aisa (Central Siberia) was crucial for the occurrence of the “warmer Central Siberia–colder East Asia” pattern. Moreover, as the leading mode of daily SAT variability in approximately 56% of the Novembers during 1979–2021, the meridional dipole pattern of warmer (colder) anomalies over Central Siberia and colder (warmer) anomalies over East Asia may be one of the dominant modes of November SAT variability over Eurasia on the synoptic scale.摘要2021年11月, 东亚与中西伯利亚经历了相反的冷暖异常转换, 表现为“中西伯利亚偏冷, 东亚偏暖”与“中西伯利亚偏暖, 东亚偏冷”的交替出现. 该偶极型气温异常的天气尺度反转伴随着大尺度大气环流异常的反转. 进一步分析表明, 东亚与中西伯利亚的偶极型气温异常反转是1979–2021年期间11月欧亚气温日变化的主导模态之一(发生概率超过56%).     

Strengthened influence of the East Asian trough on spring extreme precipitation variability over eastern Southwest China after the late 1980s

The relationship between variations in the East Asian trough (EAT) intensity and spring extreme precipitation over Southwest China (SWC) during 1961–2020 is investigated. The results indicate that there is an interdecadal increase in the relationship between the EAT and spring extreme precipitation over eastern SWC around the late 1980s. During the latter period, the weak (strong) EAT corresponds to a strong and large-scale anomalous anticyclone (cyclone) over the East Asia–Northwest Pacific region. The EAT-related anomalous southerlies (northerlies) dominate eastern SWC, leading to significant upward (downward) motion and moisture convergence (divergence) over the region, providing favorable (unfavorable) dynamic and moisture conditions for extreme precipitation over eastern SWC. In contrast, during the former period, the EAT-related circulation anomalies are weak and cover a relatively smaller region, which cannot significantly affect the moisture and dynamic conditions over eastern SWC; therefore, the response in extreme precipitation over eastern SWC to EAT is weak over the period. The interdecadal change in the relationship between eastern SWC spring extreme precipitation and the EAT could be related to the interdecadal change in the EAT variability. The large (small) variability of the EAT is associated with significant (insignificant) changes in spring extreme precipitation over eastern SWC during the latter (former) period.摘要本文研究表明东亚大槽强度与中国西南地区东部春季极端降水的关系在20世纪80年代末后显著增强, 这可能与东亚大槽自身变率的年代际变化有关. 在80年代末之后, 东亚大槽的变率显著增强, 其对应的大气环流异常也偏强, 范围偏大, 可以显著影响西南地区东部的水汽和动力条件, 从而引起该地区春季极端降水的显著变化. 而在80年代末之前, 东亚大槽的变率偏弱, 其对应的大气环流异常也偏弱, 范围偏小, 因此不能对西南地区东部春季极端降水的变化产生显著影响.     

Dominant patterns of winter surface air temperature over Central Asia and their connection with atmospheric circulation

The dominant patterns of the winter (December–February) surface air temperature anomalies (SATAs) over Central Asia (CA) are investigated in this study. The first two leading modes revealed by empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis represent the patterns by explaining 74% of the total variance. The positive phase of EOF1 is characterized by a monopole pattern, corresponding to cold SATAs over CA, while the positive phase of EOF2 shows a meridional dipole pattern with warm and cold SATAs over northern and southern CA. EOF1 is mainly modulated by the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) in the troposphere, and the negative AO phase may be caused by the downward propagation of the precursory anomalies of the stratospheric polar vortex. EOF2 is mainly influenced by the Ural blocking pattern and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The SATAs associated with EOF2 can be attributed to a dipole-like pattern of geopotential height anomalies over CA. The dipole-like pattern is mainly caused by the Ural blocking pattern, and the NAO can also contribute to the northern part of the dipole.摘要本文利用经验正交函数分解方法 (Empirical orthogonal function, EOF) , 针对1979–2019年冬季 (12月–2月) 中亚地区地面气温异常进行了研究. 结果表明, 中亚地区冬季地面气温异常的前两个EOF模态解释方差总占比可达74%. 其中, 第一模态 (EOF1) 正位相为一致型变化, 对应中亚地区气温冷异常; 第二模态 (EOF2) 正位相则为南北偶极型变化, 对应于中亚地区南冷北暖型气温异常. EOF1可能受到冬季北极涛动 (Arctic Oscillation, AO) 负位相的调制, 而AO的负位相则可能来自于前期平流层极涡正位势高度异常下传. EOF2则可能受到乌拉尔山阻塞及冬季北大西洋涛动 (North Atlantic Oscillation, NAO) 的共同调制. 乌拉尔山阻塞可引起中亚区域南北偶极型气温异常, 而冬季NAO可对该偶极型气温异常的北侧产生贡献.     

Prediction and mechanistic analysis of May precipitation in North China based on April Indian Ocean SST and the Northwest Pacific Dipole

North China May precipitation (NCMP) accounts for a relatively small percentage of annual total precipitation in North China, but its climate variability is large and it has an important impact on the regional climate and agricultural production in North China. Based on observed and reanalysis data from 1979 to 2021, a significant relationship between NCMP and both the April Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (IOSST) and Northwest Pacific Dipole (NWPD) was found, indicating that there may be a link between them. This link, and the possible physical mechanisms by which the IOSST and NWPD in April affect NCMP anomalies, are discussed. Results show that positive (negative) IOSST and NWPD anomalies in April can enhance (weaken) the water vapor transport from the Indian Ocean and Northwest Pacific to North China by influencing the related atmospheric circulation, and thus enhance (weaken) the May precipitation in North China. Accordingly, an NCMP prediction model based on April IOSST and NWPD is established. The model can predict the annual NCMP anomalies effectively, indicating it has the potential to be applied in operational climate prediction.摘要尽管华北区域五月降水 (NCMP) 占华北区域年总降水量的比率较少, 但是其气候变率较大, 对华北区域气候和农业生产等具有重要影响. 基于观测和再分析资料, 发现NCMP与前期四月的印度洋海温 (IOSST) 和西北太平洋偶极子 (NWPD) 具有显著关系, NCMP可能受到IOSST和NWPD的协同影响. 进一步分析表明, 前期四月暖 (冷) 的IOSST和正 (负) 位相的NWPD能够分别通过调节印度洋和西北太平洋区域的局地环流增强 (减弱) 从印度洋和西北太平洋向华北区域输送的水汽, 进而增强 (减弱) NCMP. 最后基于四月IOSST和NWPD构建了NCMP异常的预测模型, 后报检验显示该模型对NCMP异常具有较好的预测能力.     

Observed decadal shifts and trends in global tropical cyclone activities from 1980 to 2021

This study investigates the variability of annual tropical cyclone (TC) frequency and intensity over six major ocean basins from 1980 to 2021. Statistical change-point and trend analyses were performed on the TC time series to detect significant decadal variation in TC activities. In the middle of the last decade of the 20th century, the frequency of TC genesis in the North Atlantic basin (NA) and North Indian Ocean (NIO) increased dramatically. In contrast, the frequency in the western North Pacific (WNP) decreased significantly at the end of the century. The other three basins—the East Pacific, southern Indian, and South Pacific—all experienced a declining trend in annual TC frequency. Over recent decades, the average TC intensity has decreased in the East Pacific and the NA, whereas it has risen in the other ocean basins. Specifically, from 2013 to 2021, the average peak TC intensity in the NIO has enhanced significantly. The magnitude of the Genesis Potential Index exhibits fluctuation that is consistent with large-scale parameters in the NIO, NA, and WNP, emphasizing the enhancing and declining trends in TCs. In addition, a trend and correlation analysis of the averaged large-scale characteristics with TCs revealed significant associations between the vertical wind shear and TC frequency over the NIO, NA, and WNP. Therefore, global TC trends and decadal variations associated with environmental parameters deserve further investigation in the future, mainly linked to the significant climate modes.摘要研究发现在1980–2021期间全球6个海域每年热带气旋的发生频次和强度具有显著年代际变化规律, 最近几十年, 北大西洋和北印度洋的热带气旋发生频次明显增加, 但西北太平洋的热带气旋却显著下降. 另外三个海域, 东太平洋, 南印度洋和南太平洋发现所生成的热带气旋有减少趋势. 但在过去十几年, 平均热带气旋的强度除了在东太平洋和北大西洋有所减弱但在其他几个海域有所加强, 特别是在 2013–2021期间, 北印度洋的平均热带气旋的强度增强明显. 热带气旋的潜在生成指数 (GPI) 增加或减少趋势变化与北印度洋, 北大西洋和西太平洋热带气旋变化相关的大尺度环流一致. 另外, 北印度洋, 北大西洋和西太平洋上空的垂直风切变是影响其区域热带气旋发生频次变化的主要因子, 不同的气候模态也可能对全球热带气旋的趋势变化和年代际变化有影响, 值得进一步研究.     

Factors responsible for the increasing trend of mei-yu season rainfall during 1979–2020 over the western and eastern mei-yu domain

The mei-yu season (June–July) rainfall over the mei-yu monitoring domain (MMD) in the Yangtze–Huaihe Basin has shown an increasing trend in recent decades. This study examines the dominant factors responsible for this increasing trend for the period 1979–2020 based on station-observed rainfall and ERA5 reanalysis datasets from the perspective of changes in atmospheric circulation. Although significantly increasing trends exist in the mei-yu season rainfall over the entire MMD, the magnitude of the trends is slightly larger over the eastern MMD (EMMD) than over the western MMD (WMMD). Quantitative diagnoses demonstrate that the relative contributions of anomalous evaporation and moisture advection to the increasing rainfall trend are different between the EMMD and WMMD. The increasing rainfall trend over the WMMD (EMMD) is attributable to increased evaporation (enhanced vertical moisture advection), which is dependent on an anomalous cyclonic circulation in the middle-lower troposphere over the MMD. Such an anomalous cyclone on the northwestern side of the climatological western North Pacific subtropical high facilitates an increase in moisture divergence above 600 hPa over the EMMD, leading to enhanced vertical moisture advection in conjunction with strengthened moisture convergence at 850 hPa. By contrast, the anomalous cyclone favors increasing local evaporation over the WMMD.摘要近几十年来, 江淮流域梅雨监测区 (MMD) 的梅雨期 (6–7月) 降水呈增加趋势. 本文基于1979–2020年台站观测降水资料和ERA5再分析数据, 从大气环流变异的角度揭示了这种长期增加趋势的主要影响因素. 发现在MMD范围内, 梅雨期降水趋势的增幅东部大于西部. 水汽收支定量诊断表明, 异常的蒸发和水汽平流对MMD西部和东部降水增加趋势的相对贡献是不同的. MMD西部 (东部) 的降水趋势主要归咎于增强的局地蒸发 (增强的垂直水汽平流) , 后者又取决于MMD对流层中, 低层的异常气旋环流. 这种位于气候平均的西太平洋副热带高压西北侧的异常气旋有助于MMD东部600 hPa以上的水汽辐散增加, 伴随加强的850 hPa水汽辐合, 从而导致垂直水汽平流的增强. 相反, 该异常气旋则有利于增强MMD西部的局地蒸发.     

Subseasonal predictability of the transition of the stratospheric polar vortex: A case study in winter 1987/88

The stratospheric polar vortex (SPV), which is an important factor in subseasonal-to-seasonal climate variability and climateprediction, exhibited a remarkable transition from weak in early winter to strong in late winter in 1987/88 (most significant on the interannual timescale during 1979–2019). Therefore, in this study, the subseasonal predictability of this transition SPV case in 1987/88 was investigated using the hindcasts from a selected model (that of the Japan Meteorological Agency) in the Subseasonal-to-Seasonal Prediction project database. Results indicated that the predictability of both weak and strong SPV stages in winter 1987/88, especially near their peak dates, exhibited large sensitivity to the initial condition, which derived mainly from the sensitivity in capturing the 100-hPa eddy heat flux anomalies. Meanwhile, the key tropospheric precursory systems with respect to the occurrence and predictability of this transition SPV case were investigated. The Eurasian teleconnection wave trains might have been a key precursor for the weak SPV stage, while significant tropospheric precursors for the strong SPV stage were not found in this study. In addition, positive correlation (r = 0.41) existed between the forecast biases of the SPV and the NAO in winter 1987/88, which indicates that reducing the forecast biases of the SPV might help to improve the forecasting of the NAO and tropospheric weather.摘要平流层极涡作为冬季次季节尺度上一个重要的可预测性来源, 其强度在1987/88年冬季表现为1979–2019年最显著的转折, 即在前 (后) 冬极端偏弱 (强). 因此在本文中选取这一个例研究了该年冬季平流层极涡在次季节尺度上的可预测性. 结果表明弱极涡和强极涡事件的预测与模式能否准确预测上传行星波的强度紧密相关. 同时, 发现前期对流层欧亚遥相关波列可能是弱极涡事件发生的关键预兆信号. 此外, 模式对平流层极涡强度和北大西洋涛动预测误差之间存在显著正相关关系, 表明模式减少平流层极涡的预测误差可能可以提高北大西洋涛动及相关对流层气候预测.     

Possible contribution of Arctic sea ice decline to intense warming over Siberia in June

西伯利亚地区异常的升温可能会给生态系统带来灾难性的影响.本文从气候角度分析西伯利亚地区初夏升温的特征以及北极海冰减小的可能贡献.观测和再分析资料表明,1979-2020年间西伯利亚地区6月地表气温有很强的升温趋势(0.9℃/10年),明显高于同纬度地区平均的升温趋势(0.46℃/10年).升温从地表延伸至300hPa左...     

Investigating the effect of the Tibetan Plateau on the ITCZ using a coupled Earth system model

The effect of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) on the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) was investigated using a coupled Earth system model. The location of the ITCZ (in this work represented by the center of the tropical precipitation maximum) over the tropical Atlantic was found to be sensitive to the existence of the TP. Removing the TP led to a remarkable sea surface temperature (SST) cooling (warming) in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere, which manifested clearly in the Atlantic rather than the Pacific. The locations of maximum precipitation and SST moved southwards clearly in the tropical Atlantic, forcing a southward shift of the atmospheric convection center, and thus the ITCZ. The shift in the ITCZ was also supported by the latitudinal change in the ascending branch of the tropical Hadley Cell, which moved southwards by about 2° in the boreal summer in response to the TP's removal. From the viewpoint of the energy balance between the two hemispheres, the cooling (warming) in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere requires an enhanced northward atmospheric heat transport across the equator, which can be realized by the southward displacement of the ITCZ. This study suggests that the presence of the TP may have played an important role in the climatology of the ITCZ, particularly its location over the tropical Atlantic.摘要本文利用耦合地球气候系统模式研究了青藏高原对热带辐合带 (ITCZ) 的影响. 我们研究发现热带大西洋ITCZ的位置对青藏高原存在与否有明显的敏感性. 与目前真实情况相比, 移除青藏高原会导致北半球海面降温, 南半球海面升温. 这种海面温度变化在大西洋表现得尤为明显, 导致热带大西洋最大海温中心向南移动, 从而迫使大气对流中心向南移动, 即表现为ITCZ的南移. 相应地, 夏季热带大气Hadley环流的上升支也发生明显南移. 北 (南) 半球海洋变冷 (变暖) 这种态势要求增强跨赤道向北的大气经向热量输送, 从而维持各个半球的能量平衡, 而这需要ITCZ位置的南移才能实现. 本文研究表明, 青藏高原的存在在现今ITCZ气候态的形成中可能扮演了重要角色.     

Impact of Saharan dust on landfalling North Atlantic tropical cyclones over North America in September

Using reanalysis data and model simulations, this study reveals an increase in September landfalling North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) during years that have a strengthened Saharan dust plume, and the related physical processes are investigated by analyzing the relationship of dust aerosol optical depth with TC track, intensity, and the related meteorological environment. Suppression of the sea surface temperature (SST) by the Saharan dust plume can hinder TC tracks over the central tropical North Atlantic, inducing westward development of TC tracks to the western tropical North Atlantic with higher SST, which is more conducive to TCs forming major hurricanes. This physical process increases TC landfalls in North America, especially major hurricane landfalls in the continental United States, leading to greater potential destructiveness.摘要本项研究利用再分析数据和模式模拟数据分析了沙尘的气溶胶光学厚度与台风的登陆, 轨迹, 强度及相关气象环境参数的关系, 揭示了9月北大西洋台风的登陆次数会在撒哈拉沙尘较强的年份中增加, 以及这一现象的物理机制. 撒哈拉沙尘对热带北大西洋中部海表温度具有抑制作用, 会阻碍该地区的台风活动, 因此台风只能向西移动进入海表温度较高的热带北大西洋西部, 从而更易于形成强台风. 这一物理过程将导致台风登陆北美大陆的频次增加, 特别是强台风登陆美国的可能性增强, 产生更大的潜在破坏性.     

Strong heatwaves with widespread urban-related hotspots over Africa in 2019

2019 was one of the hottest years in recent decades, with widespread heatwaves over many parts of the world, including Africa. However, as a developing and vulnerable region, the understanding of recent heatwave events in Africa is limited. Here, the authors incorporated different climate datasets, satellite observations, and population estimates to investigate patterns and hotspots of major heatwave events over Africa in 2019. Overall, 2019 was one of the years that experienced the strongest heatwaves in terms of intensity and duration since 1981 in Africa. Heatwave hotspots were clearly identified across western-coastal, northeastern, southern, and equatorial Africa, where major cities and human populations are located. The proportion of urban agglomerations (population) exposed to extreme (99th percentile) heatwaves in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere rose from 4% (5 million people) and 15% (17 million people), respectively, in the baseline period of 1981–2010 to 36% (43 million people) and 57% (53 million people), respectively, in 2019. Heatwave patterns and hotspots in 2019 were related to anomalous seasonal change in atmospheric circulation and above-normal sea surface temperature. Without adaptation to minimize susceptibility to the effects of heatwave events, the risks they pose in populated areas may increase rapidly in Africa.摘要2019 年是近几十年来最热的年份之一, 包括非洲在内的全球许多地区都受到大范围的热浪侵袭. 然而, 非洲作为脆弱的发展中地区, 我们对其近年热浪事件的了解非常有限. 本研究中, 我们结合了不同的气候数据集, 卫星观测资料和人口数据, 研究了 2019 年非洲地区主要热浪事件发生的时空特征和热点分布区. 总体而言, 2019 年是非洲地区自 1981 年以来热浪强度最强, 持续时间最久的年份之一. 在主要城市和人口所在的非洲西海岸, 东北部, 南部和赤道地区是热浪发生的热点区. 位于赤道以北的非洲地区, 暴露于极端 (第 99 个百分位) 热浪的城市人口比例从 1981–2010 年基准期的 4% (500 万人) 上升至2019 年的 36% (4300 万人). 位于赤道以南地区, 暴露于极端热浪的城市人口则从基准期的15% (1700 万人) 上升至57% (5300 万人). 2019 年的热浪时空特征和热点分布与大气环流的季节变化异常和海温的暖异常有关. 如果不及时采取适应措施以尽量减少人口对热浪事件影响的敏感性, 热浪对非洲人口稠密地区构成的风险可能会迅速增加.     

Strength of the North African monsoon in the Last Interglacial and under future warming

The authors explore the response of the Northern African (NAF) monsoon to orbital forcing in the Last Interglacial (LIG) compared with its response to greenhouses gas (GHG) forcing under the SSP5-8.5 scenario simulated in CMIP6. When the summer surface air temperature increases by 1 °C over the Northern Hemisphere, the NAF monsoon precipitation and its variability during the LIG increase by approximately 51% and 22%, respectively, which is much greater than under SSP5-8.5 (2.8% and 4.3%, respectively). GHG forcing enhances the NAF monsoon mainly by increasing the atmospheric moisture, while the LIG's orbital forcing intensifies the NAF monsoon by changing the monsoon circulation. During the LIG, models and data reconstructions indicate a salient hemispheric thermal contrast between the North and South Atlantic, strengthening the mean-state NAF monsoon precipitation. The interhemispheric temperature contrast enhances atmosphere–ocean interaction and the covariability of the northward sea surface temperature gradient and Saharan low, strengthening the NAF monsoon variability.摘要与人为强迫引起的全球变暖相比, 末次间冰期是轨道强迫引起的过去80万年来最暖的一个间冰期, 但鲜有人研究末次间冰期中北非季风的响应. 因此, 本文基于CMIP6多模式模拟结果对比研究了末次间冰期和SSP5–8.5情景下北非季风的响应, 发现末次间冰期下北非季风平均降水及其降水变率均远大于SSP5–8.5情景下的结果. 轨道强迫导致的北大西洋暖于南大西洋增加了北非季风环流和平均降水, 同时, 南北大西洋海温梯度变化通过增强热带北大西洋的海气相互作用增大了海温梯度和撒哈拉低压的变率, 从而增强了北非季风降水变率.     

The development of a powerful Mongolian cyclone on 14–15 March 2021: Eddy energy analysis

Intense and extensive dust, caused by a strong Mongolian cyclone, hit Mongolia and northern China on 14–15 March 2021. In this study, the development process of this cyclone is analysed from the perspective of high-frequency eddy energetics. During the low-frequency circulation field of early March of 2021, an amplified polar vortex intruding towards central Asia and a ridge straddling eastern and northeastern Asia worked in concert to comprise a strong baroclinic zone from central Asia to Lake Baikal. Under these favourable conditions, on 13 March, a migratory trough triggered the Mongolian cyclone by crossing over the Sayan Mountains. The downwards transfer of kinetic energy from the eddy at 850 hPa played a key role in the intensification and mature stage of the cyclone. This mechanism was primarily completed by the cold air sinking behind the cold front. The frontal cyclone wave mechanism became crucial once the cyclone started to rapidly develop. The authors emphasize that the anomalously large growth of high-frequency available potential energy, which characterized this super strong cyclone, was obtained by extracting energy first from the time-mean available potential energy and then from the low-frequency available potential energy. The interannual temperature anomaly pattern of “north cold south warm” facilitated the additional time-mean available potential energy, and the temperature anomaly pattern of “northwest cold southeast warm” conditioned the extra low-frequency available potential energy. The analysis results suggest that the interaction between high- and low-frequency waves was also important in the development of the intense cyclone.摘要2021年3月14-15日, 强蒙古气旋引起的大范围强沙尘天气袭击了蒙古国和中国北方地区. 本文从高频涡动能量学的角度分析了这一超强气旋的发展过程. 2021年3月初, 加强的极涡向中亚伸入, 并与横跨东亚和东北亚的一个大型脊协同作用, 由此形成了从中亚到贝加尔湖地区的强大斜压带. 在这一有利的低频环流条件下, 3月13日一个移动性小槽越过萨彦岭后触发了蒙古气旋. 850 hPa涡旋动能的下传在气旋的加强和成熟阶段起到了关键作用. 而这一机制主要由冷锋后侧的冷空气下沉过程完成. 一旦气旋开始快速发展, 锋面气旋波机制就变得至关重要.我们强调, 高频涡动有效位能是首先从时间平均有效势能中提取能量, 然后从低频有效位能中汲取能量而剧烈增长的, 这正是该超强气旋的鲜明特征. “北冷南暖”的近地面温度气候异常型为时间平均有效位能的增多和向高频涡动有效位能的转换提供了条件, 而“西北冷东南暖”的温度异常型则有利于低频有效位能的增加和向高频涡动有效位能的转换. 分析结果表明, 高低频波之间的相互作用对蒙古气旋的增强也很重要.     

The increasing predominance of extreme precipitation in Southwest China since the late 1970s

Extreme precipitation events cause severe environmental and societal damage worldwide. Southwest China (SWC) is sensitive to such effects because of its overpopulation, underdevelopment, and fragile ecosystems. Using daily observations from 108 rain-gauge stations, the authors investigated the frequency of extreme precipitation events and their contribution to total precipitation in SWC since the late 1970s. Results indicate that total precipitation is decreasing insignificantly, but rainfall-events frequency is decreasing significantly, whereas the region is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme precipitation events. Note that although fewer stations are statistically significant, about 60% of the rain-gauge stations show an increasing trend in the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation. Furthermore, there is an increasing trend in the contribution of total extreme precipitation to total precipitation, with extreme precipitation becoming dominant in the increasingly arid SWC region. The results carry important implications for policymakers, who should place greater emphasis on extreme precipitation and associated floods and landslides when drafting water-resource management policies.摘要本文分析了中国西南20世纪70年代末以来极端降水事件的频率, 强度及其对总降水的贡献. 结果表明, 该地区约60%的降水站点极端降水的频率和强度正在增加, 而大多数站点总降水频率明显减少. 同时极端降水总量对总降水量的贡献有显著增加的趋势, 极端降水在日益干旱的中国西南地区变得更具主导性. 研究结果提醒应更加重视极端降水及其可能引发的次生灾害, 如洪水, 山体滑坡等.     

Response of extreme precipitation to increasing extratropical cyclonic vortex frequency

Since the 2000s, extratropical extremes have been more frequent, which are closely related to anomalies of planetary-scale and synoptic-scale systems. This study focuses on a key synoptic system, the extratropical cyclonic vortex (ECV) over land, to investigate its relations with extreme precipitation. It was found that ECVs have been more active post-2000, which has induced more extreme precipitation, and such variation is projected to persist along with increasing temperature within 1.5°C of global warming. An enhanced quasi-stationary vortex (QSV) primarily contributes to the ECV, rather than inactive synoptic-scale transient eddies (STEs). Inactive STEs respond to a decline in baroclinicity due to the tendency of the homogeneous temperature gradient. However, such conditions are helpful to widening the westerly jet belt, favoring strong dynamic processes of quasi-resonant amplification and interaction of STEs with the quasi-stationary wave, and the result favors an increasing frequency and persistence of QSVs, contributing to extreme precipitation.摘要自21世纪以来, 热带外极端降水频次增加. 随着中高纬度的显著增温, 经向温度梯度减弱导致低层大气斜压性减小, 由此产生的气旋型瞬变涡天气系统等活动减弱. 然而, 热力分布导致西风急流带变宽, 经向环流加大, 有助于行星尺度波动相关的涡旋异常增加, 如东北冷涡, 中亚涡, 东欧-地中海涡, 北美涡等, 进而增加了气旋涡影响范围的极端降水频次. 在未来变暖背景和1.5°C增温的目标内, 热带外气旋涡增强会进一步促进极端降水发生.     

Detection of the anthropogenic signal and urbanization effects in extreme temperature changes in eastern China

With its rapid rise in temperatures and accelerated urbanization in recent decades, eastern China may be affected by both global warming and the urban heat island effect. To investigate the influence of anthropogenic forcing and urbanization on extreme temperature, the authors conducted detection and attribution analyses on 16 extreme indices using extended observational data during 1958–2020 and the models that participated in CMIP5 and CMIP6. The extended observational data till 2020 show continued warming in extreme temperatures in recent years. Most of the indices display an increase in warm extremes and decrease in cold extremes. Both CMIP5 and CMIP6 models are able to reflect these warming features, albeit the models can over- or underestimate some extreme indices. The two-signal detection with anthropogenic and urbanization effects jointly considered showed that the anthropogenic and urban signals can be simultaneously detected and separated only in two frequency indices, i.e., the frequency of warm and cold nights. The anthropogenic forcing explains about two-thirds of the warming, while URB contributes about one-third for these two indices. For most of the other indices, only the anthropogenic signal can be detected. This indicates that the urban signal is distinct from the natural variability mainly for the nighttime frequency indices but not for the other extreme temperature indies. Given the important influence of nighttime extremes on human health, this suggests an urgent need for cities to adapt to both global warming and urbanization.摘要作为中国经济最发达的地区, 中国东部受到城市热岛效应和温室气体排放等人类活动的明显影响. 本文利用最新的观测和全球气候模式资料, 对极端温度强度, 频率和持续时间等16个极端温度指数进行了检测归因分析, 研究了人为强迫和城市化效应对中国东部极端温度变化的影响. 结果表明, 近年来极端温度持续增暖, 极端暖事件增加, 极端冷事件减少. 新一代全球气候模式能够合理地反映这些变暖特征, 但是部分模式可能高估或低估了观测到的变化. 基于最优指纹方法的双信号检测表明, 人为信号和城市化效应只能在暖夜和冷夜两个频率指标上同时被检测并分离, 其变化约三分之二可归因于人类活动, 剩余的三分之一可归因于城市化效应. 而在极端温度其他指数的变化中, 只有人类活动的影响能够被检测到.     

Distribution of lightning spatial modes and climatic causes in China

This paper investigates the distribution of spatial modes of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning activity across China's land areas during the period 2010–20 and their possible causes based on the CG lightning dataset of the China National Lightning Detection Network. It is found that the first empirical orthogonal function mode (EOF1) occupies 32.86% of the total variance of the summer CG lightning anomaly variation. Also, it exhibits a negative–positive–negative meridional seesaw pattern from north to south. When the SST of the East Pacific and Indian Ocean warms abnormally and the SST of the Northwest Pacific becomes abnormally cold, a cyclonic circulation is stimulated in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and tropical West Pacific region of China. As the water vapor continues to move southwards, it converges with the water vapor deriving from the Bay of Bengal in South China, and ascending motion strengthens here, thus enhancing the CG lightning activity of this area. Affected by the abnormal high pressure, the corresponding CG lightning activities in North China and Northeast China are relatively weak. The ENSO phenomenon is the climate driver for the CG lightning activity occurring in land areas of China.摘要本文利用中国气象局国家雷电监测网 (CNLDN) 的地闪观测数据集, 分析了2010–2020年中国陆地区域地闪空间模态分布特征及其可能的气候成因. 研究发现, 夏季地闪第一模态的方差贡献率为32.86%, 其分布从北到南呈现出“−+−”的经向跷跷板模式. 当东太平洋和印度洋的海温异常增暖, 西北太平洋的海温异常变冷时, 在中国黄海, 东海及热带西太平洋地区激发出气旋性环流. 随着水汽南下至华南地区, 与来自孟加拉湾的水汽汇合, 上升运动在此加强, 从而使得该地区的雷电活动增强. 表明厄尔尼诺-南方涛动 (ENSO) 现象, 是发生在中国陆地区域的地闪活动的气候驱动因子.