Interrelation of the intraseasonal precipitation variability over Eurasia to the Eliassen-Palm flux characteristics over the Northern Hemisphere

Conditional averages of principal components of the Eliassen-Palm flux divergence variability are projected onto the daily precipitation amounts chart. The conditions of calculating the average values are determined by the dates classified in three equiprobable precipitation categories. The classification and calculation of characteristics are performed for the summer and winter seasons. Using the rotated principal component analysis, several regions are revealed of statistically significant interrelation between extreme precipitation and the first EP flux divergence variability modes, a simplified exploratory interpretation of interrelations is given and several recommendations are formulated for correcting seasonal forecasts of meteorological conditions with the use of results obtained.     

Explicit and parameterized episodes of warm-season precipitation over the continental United States

This paper describes explicit and parameterized simulations of midsummer precipitation over the continental United States for two distinct episodes： moderate large-scale forcing and weak forcing. The objective is to demonstrate the capability of explicit convection at currently affordable grid-resolution and compare it with parameterized realizations. Under moderate forcing, 3-kin grid-resolution explicit simulations represent rainfall coherence remarkably well. The observed daily convective generation near the Continental Divide and the subsequent organization and propagation are reproduced qualitatively. The propagation speed, zonal extent and duration of the rainfall streaks compare favorably with their observed counterparts, although the streak frequency is underestimated. The simulations at -10-km grid-resolution applying conventional convective parameterization schemes also replicate reasonably well the diurnal convective regeneration in moderate forcing. The performance of the 3-km grid-resolution model demonstrates the potential of -1-km-resolution explicit cloud-resolving models for the prediction of warm season precipitation for moderately forced environments. In weak forcing conditions, however, predictions of precipitation coherence and diurnal variability are much poorer. This suggests that an even finer resolution explicit model is required to adequately treat convective initiation and upscale organization typical of the warm season over the continental U.S.     

Characterizing the distribution of observed precipitation and runoff over the continental United States

This paper describes the development of a comprehensive geographic database of historical precipitation and runoff measurements for the conterminous U.S. The database is used in a spatial analysis to characterize large scale precipitation and runoff patterns and to assess the utility and limitations of using historical hydro-meteorological data for providing spatially distributed precipitation estimates at regional and continental scales. Long-term annual average precipitation (P) and runoff (Q) surfaces (geographically referenced, digital representations of a continuous spatial distribution) generated from interpolation of point measurements are used in a distributed water balance calculation to check the reliability of precipitation estimates. The resulting input-output values (P- Q) illustrate the deficiency (sparse distribution and low elevation bias) of historical precipitation measurements in the mountainous western U.S. where snowmelt is an important component of the annual runoff. The incorporation of high elevation snow measurements into the precipitation record significantly improves the water balance estimates in some areas and enhances the utility of historical data for providing spatially distributed precipitation estimates in topographically diverse regions. Regions where the use of historical precipitation data may be most limited for precipitation estimation are identified and alternatives to the use of interpolated historical data for precipitation estimation across large heterogenous regions are suggested. The research establishes a database for continental scale studies and provides direction for the successful development of spatially distributed regional scale water balance models.     

Recent changes in the spatio-temporal characteristics of monsoon intraseasonal oscillations

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Monsoon intraseasonal oscillations (MISOs) define a significant proportion of intraseasonal variability of the Indian summer monsoon. In the backdrop of...     

Evaluation of high-resolution simulations of daily-scale temperature and precipitation over the United States

Extreme climate events have been increasing over much of the world, and dynamical models predict further increases in response to enhanced greenhouse forcing. We examine the ability of a high-resolution nested climate model, RegCM3, to capture the statistics of daily-scale temperature and precipitation events over the conterminous United States, using observational and reanalysis data for comparison. Our analyses reveal that RegCM3 captures the pattern of mean, interannual variability, and trend in the tails of the daily temperature and precipitation distributions. However, consistent biases do exist, including wet biases in the topographically-complex regions of the western United States and hot biases in the southern and central United States. The biases in heavy precipitation in the western United States are associated with excessively strong surface and low-level winds. The biases in daily-scale temperature and precipitation in the southcentral United States are at least partially driven by biases in circulation and moisture fields. Further, the areas of agreement and disagreement with the observational data are not intuitive from analyzing the simulated mean seasonal temperature and precipitation fields alone. Our evaluation should enable more informed application and improvement of high-resolution climate models for the study of future changes in socially- and economically-relevant temperature and precipitation events.     

GRIST模式夏季气候回测试验中东亚降水季节内特征的评估

将自主研发的包含对流参数化、宏观云凝结、云微观物理参数化在内的湿物理过程（简称PhysCN）引入全球-区域一体化预测系统（Global-to-Regional Integrated forecast SysTem,GRIST）。通过大气模式比较计划（AMIP）10 a连续积分考察了PhysCN较原有方案（简称PhysC）对模拟的全球气候基本态的影响。结果显示,PhysCN更真实地重现了热带降水的气候分布特征和季节变化。相比PhysC,PhysCN减少了赤道辐合带（ITCZ）、热带太平洋和印度洋上空的虚假降水,改善了双ITCZ偏差。PhysCN在热带对流层顶附近和中、高纬度地区形成了比PhysC更多的冰云,增强了长波云辐射效应。但另一方面,由于单冰云微物理方案中采用一个变量类别考虑所有冰相粒子,导致中、高纬度低层云冰比湿比PhysC中更大。宏观云凝结中采用基于冰面相对湿度的方法诊断冰云量,使低云更密实,减弱了短波云辐射效应,也使全球净辐射收支偏差大于PhysC模拟结果。研究证明了PhysCN湿物理方案在GRIST模式中的稳定性与合理性,但也展示出冰云诊断和云微物理参数化的协调性有待进一步改进。     

副热带北太平洋大气季节内振荡时空特征的诊断研究

用时空谱分析和小波变换方法,对1958—2002年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料经、纬向风速和位势高度的年时间序列进行了波谱分析,并重点研究了北太平洋副热带区域经向风30—60天振荡(ISO)的时空特征。研究结果表明,北半球经向风与纬向风和位势高度的30—60天振荡特征迥然不同,代表风场经向低频扰动的经向风ISO在副热带和中高纬度最为活跃,而在热带地区的活动十分微弱;北半球副热带850 hPa高度场和纬向风在10—90天内(季节内)振荡的主要能量集中在纬圈波数为1、周期为30—60天的波动上,而850 hPa经向风季节内振荡的主要能量集中在纬圈波数为4—6、周期为30—60天以及70—90天的波动上,上述3个物理量30—60天振荡向西传播的能量都强于向东传播的能量。一年当中,东亚到北太平洋的副热带地区,经向风ISO在东亚—西北太平洋与东北太平洋两个区域的活动最强,且在这两个区域存在明显的季节振荡,即东北太平洋的ISO在冬季最强在夏季最弱,而东亚—西北太平洋区域的ISO在夏季最强冬季最弱。850 hPa经向风ISO的年际和年代际变化分析表明,在东亚副热带区域其活动1958—1975年较强,1976—1990年明显减弱,而1991—2000年最强;其在ENSO发生期间有较为明显的异常活动,但其强弱变化没有显著的定势,然而2—7年的带通滤波分析表明西北太平洋ISO的年际活动含有较显著的ENSO信号,9年的低通滤波分析表明,年代际时间尺度上,西北太平洋ISO的活动与ENSO循环有较为显著的反相关特征,而东北太平洋区域ISO与ENSO循环有较为显著的正相关关系。     

Spatial and temporal variability of winter and summer precipitation over Serbia and Montenegro

Summary The main characteristics of the spatial and temporal variability of winter and summer precipitation observed at 30 stations in Serbia and Montenegro were analysed for the period 1951–2000. The rainfall series were examined spatially by means of Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF) and temporally by means of the Mann-Kendall test and spectral analysis. The Alexandersson test was used to detect the inhomogeneity of the data set.The EOF analysis gave three winter and summer dominant modes of variations, which explained 89.7% and 70.4% of the variance, respectively. The time series associated with the first pattern showed a decreasing trend in winter precipitation. The spectral analysis showed a 16-year oscillation for the dominant winter pattern, around a 3-year oscillation for the dominant summer pattern, and a quasi-cycle of 2.5 years for the winter third pattern.     

1961-2014年石家庄地区降水量的时空变化特征

利用石家庄地区5个代表站1961-2014年的逐日降水资料,采用多种统计分析方法,分析了石家庄地区降水量的时空变化特征,结果表明石家庄地区年降水量从20世纪70年代开始下降,80年代达到最低,90年代有所增加,但也没有明显的上升趋势,21世纪初又开始下降.20世纪70年代降水量的减少春季和秋季贡献最大,80年代降水量的减少和90年代降水量的增加主要是夏季的贡献.石家庄地区年降水量起伏较大,1963年降水量最多,为1038.4 mm,2014年最少,仅为276.2 mm.近54年石家庄年降水量在波动中呈现下降趋势,线性趋势为-11.0 mm/（10 a）,但下降趋势并不明显.石家庄北部年降水量呈上升趋势,市区及东部、南部和西部年降水量均呈下降趋势,变化趋势均不明显.近54年,石家庄春季降水量呈上升趋势,线性趋势为0.9 mm/（10 a）,夏季、秋季和冬季降水量均呈下降趋势,线性趋势分别为-11.9,-1.1和-0.3 mm/（10 a）,上升或下降趋势均不明显.夏季降水减少是导致石家庄年降水减少的主要原因.石家庄四季降水量变化趋势的空间分布具有明显的季节特征和区域特征.石家庄四季降水量均存在显著周期变化.     

近55 a中国西北地区夏季降水的时空演变特征

利用1961—2015年中国西北地区274个气象观测站点的日降水数据和再分析大气资料,采用EOF分析及累积距平等方法,研究了近55 a中国西北地区夏季降水的时空演变特征。结果表明：1）1961—2015年中国西北地区夏季降水的演变可分为三个时段,1961—1975年,该区域降水普遍偏少;1976—1996年,西北地区的东部降水偏多,西部降水偏少;1997—2015年,其东部降水偏少,而西部降水偏多。2）1976—1996年,西北地区东部降水偏多,是因为该地区夏季降水强度和降水频次明显增加,而西部降水偏少,则是该区域小雨与中雨的频次减少,降水强度偏弱造成的;1997—2015年,由于有效降水日数减少,降水强度偏弱等原因导致西北地区东部降水偏少,与此同时,西北地区的西部却因降水强度明显增强,持续降水日数和极端降水事件增加使得该区域降水呈现偏多的态势。3）降水区的转移,伴随着北半球对流层中层中纬度波列的演变,同时来自东欧与印度季风的水汽输送也对降水的异常起到了关键作用。     

北太平洋冬半年位势高度季节内振荡及其诊断分析

利用NCEP/DOE再分析资料,分析了1979—2012年北太平洋对流层冬半年位势高度的季节内振荡特征。结果表明:北太平洋上空的位势高度表现为显著的10~40 d季节内振荡特征,50~80°N纬度带内振荡最强,主要由东向西传播;位势高度季节内振荡的演变过程伴随太平洋高压脊以及东亚大槽的显著变化;在垂直方向上具有准正压的结构,位势高度季节内振荡的时间演变与地转涡度平流和散度项的季节内振荡有关,其向西移动也是受地转涡度平流和散度项的引导。     

Atmospheric moisture budget and its regulation of the summer precipitation variability over the Southeastern United States

Atmospheric moisture budget and its regulation of the summer (June–July–August) precipitation over the Southeastern United State (SE U.S.) were examined during 1948–2007 using PRECipitation REConstruction over Land and multiple reanalysis datasets. The analysis shows that the interannual variation of SE U.S. summer precipitation can be largely explained by the leading Empirical Orthogonal Function mode showing a spatially homogenous sub-continental scale pattern. Consequently, areal-averaged precipitation was investigated to focus on the large-scale rainfall changes over the SE U.S. The wavelet analysis identifies an increased 2–4 year power spectrum in recent 30 years (1978–2007), suggesting an intensification of the interannual variability. Analysis of the atmospheric moisture budget indicates that the increase in precipitation variability is mainly caused by moisture transport, which exhibits a similar increase in the 2–4 year power spectrum for the same period. Moisture transport, in turn, is largely controlled by the seasonal mean component rather than the subseasonal-scale eddies. Furthermore, our results indicate that dynamic processes (atmospheric circulation) are more important than thermodynamic processes (specific humidity) in regulating the interannual variation of moisture transport. Specifically, the North Atlantic Subtropical High western ridge position is found to be a primary regulator, with the ridge in the northwest (southwest) corresponding to anomalous moisture divergence (convergence) over the SE U.S. Changes in moisture transport consistent with the increased frequency of these two ridge types in recent 30 years favor the intensification of summer precipitation variability.     

Summer precipitation variability over South America on long and short intraseasonal timescales

A dipole pattern in convection between the South Atlantic convergence zone and the subtropical plains of southeastern South America characterizes summer intraseasonal variability over the region. The dipole pattern presents two main bands of temporal variability, with periods between 10 and 30 days, and 30 and 90 days; each influenced by different large-scale dynamical forcings. The dipole activity on the 30–90-day band is related to an eastward traveling wavenumber-1 structure in both OLR and circulation anomalies in the tropics, similar to that associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation. The dipole is also related to a teleconnection pattern extended along the South Pacific between Australia and South America. Conversely, the dipole activity on the 10–30-day band does not seem to be associated with tropical convection anomalies. The corresponding circulation anomalies exhibit, in the extratropics, the structure of Rossby-like wave trains, although their sources are not completely clear.     

Contribution of intraseasonal oscillation to long-duration summer precipitation events over southern China

本文重点分析了中国南方地区长持续性(14天以上)夏季降水事件的环流异常背景和相应的前期信号。结果显示,长持续性降水事件主要由中国南方及其相邻的南海地区低层(850-h Pa)气旋性环流异常导致。该气旋性环流异常可以追溯到30天以前新几内亚以北的热带地区,随后它自热带地区逐渐向北略偏西方向移动,最终影响了中国南方地区长持续性降水事件。其北移特征在30–60天滤波后的风场中也有清楚的体现,暗示了30–60天季节内振荡自热带西太平洋地区向北的传播可能对中国南方地区长持续性夏季降水事件具有重要贡献。     

The intraseasonal oscillations of precipitation and circulations from January to March in 2010 in East Asia

The rainfall from January to March in 2010 in East Asia is positive anomaly and the temporal evolution characteristics present the cycle of 20–40 days. In the present paper, the low-frequency circulations and its formation mechanism are analyzed. The results show that during the peak rainfall phase, the upstream of the rainfall regions is controlled by low-frequency cyclone, and the downstream is controlled by low-frequency anticyclone in the middle and low troposphere. In the upper troposphere, the westerly jet presents the oscillation characteristics between the north and the south. Both the integrated (from the surface to 100 hPa) diabatic heating and the horizontal vorticity advection contribute to the vertical velocity. In addition, the vorticity vertical advection has effects on the vertical speed, which is a self-feedback process. The latent heating in the precipitation has influences on the westerly jet in the upper troposphere. The interactions between the precipitation and the westerly jet are mainly manifested as the intraseasonal oscillations.     

On the yearly phase delay of winter intraseasonal mode in the western United States

In the western United States, persistent and recurrent flow patterns not only modulate precipitation events but also result in prolonged surface inversion episodes. In this region, the frequency of persistent ridge/trough events ranges between 20 and 40 days, well within the intraseasonal timescale. Based on NCEP reanalysis data starting at 1949, with a focus on the interior West, we observed that episodes of prolonged ridge/trough events appear to occur about a week later every year and resets every 5–7 years—a previously undocumented phenomenon examined herein. Diagnostic analyses indicate that the interplay between regional intraseasonal flow patterns and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) alternates the preferred timeframe for the persistent ridge/trough events to occur. This may result from different phases of the NAO shifting the winter mean ridge and such shifts modulate the occurrence and timing of persistent ridge/trough events. When the timing changes evolve around the quasi-6 years cycle of the NAO, the resultant evolution forms what appears to be a steady phase delay in the ridge/trough events year after year. These results are a further step in disclosing the multiple-scale interaction between intraseasonal and interannual modes and its regional climate/weather impact.