Response of Northern Hemisphere storm tracks to Indian-western Pacific Ocean warming in atmospheric general circulation models

With 40 years integration output of two atmospheric general circulation models (GAMIL/IAP and HadAM3/UKMO) forced with identical prescribed seasonally-varying sea surface temperature, this study examines the effect of the observed Indian-western Pacific Ocean (IWP) warming on the Northern Hemisphere storm tracks. Both models indicate that the observed IWP warming tends to cause both the North Pacific storm track (NPST) and the North Atlantic storm track (NAST) to move northward. Such a consistent effect on the two storm tracks is closely associated with the changes in the low-level atmospheric baroclinicity, high-level jet stream and upper-level geopotential height. The IWP warming can excite a wavelike circum-global teleconnection in the geopotential height that gives rise to an anticyclonic anomaly over the midlatitude North Pacific and a positive-phase NAO anomaly over the North Atlantic. These geopotential height anomalies tend to enhance upper-level zonal westerly winds north of the climatological jet axes and increase low-level baroclinicity and eddy growth rates, thus favoring transient eddy more active north of the climatological storm track axes, responsible for the northward shift of the both storm tracks. The IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NAST is quite similar to the observed, suggesting that the IWP warming can be one of the key factors to cause decadal northward shift of the NAST since the 1980s. However, the IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NPST is completely opposite to the observed, implying that the observed southward shift of the NPST since the 1980s would be primarily attributed to other reasons, although the IWP warming can have a cancelling effect against those reasons.     

东亚-太平洋型季节内演变和维持机理研究

利用850hPa的纬向风异常建立一个逐候东亚-太平洋(East Asian Pacific,EAP)型指数,研究其季节内演变特征,发现东亚-太平洋型经向波列是东亚夏季风季节内变化的主要模态.其演变过程为:扰动首先出现在北太平洋中部,并通过正压不稳定过程从基本气流中获得能量而发展,在高层罗斯贝波能量向南频散,激发热带对流异常和赤道罗斯贝波,并相互锁相,因赤道罗斯贝波受β效应影响而共同向西移动.热带对流和环流异常在菲律宾附近达到最强,此时在东亚沿岸出现经向三极型波列,此后中低纬度异常继续向西北方向移动,使降水异常在长江流域能维持较长时间.东亚-太平洋型在东亚发展和维持有以下原因:首先,菲律宾暖水上空的对流和低层环流之间存在正反馈;其次,由于海陆热力差异导致暖大陆和冷海洋之间存在特殊的纬向温度梯度和北风垂直切变,东亚-太平洋型在经向上有向北倾斜的斜压结构,能通过斜压能量转换从平均有效位能中获得能量,同时,也能从经向温度梯度的平均有效位能中获得能量.     

北太平洋风暴轴对黑潮延伸体系统变异的响应及其能量转换机制

西北太平洋纬向扰动海温经验正交函数（EOF）分解第一和第三模态、第二和第四模态分别代表同期黑潮延伸体和亲潮强弱的配置关系,将两者的典型位相合成,可以分别得到延伸体收缩和扩张状态时的典型模态海温,本文以此及气候态海温作为初始海温强迫场,利用CESM1.2.0模式,讨论了延伸体的系统变异对北太平洋风暴轴的影响及其在不同能量转换过程的主要影响机制,结果表明,延伸体收缩状态下,北太平洋风暴轴强度整体加强,而扩张模态下强度减弱。空间分布上,收缩模态下,风暴轴主要体现为经向方向的变化,中心及其以北强度加强,中心以南减弱;扩张状态下,则主要表现为纬向方向的差异,中心及以西强度减弱明显,中心以东有所增强。对能量转换的诊断分析表明,正压能量转换过程对涡动动能的变化贡献很小,且在风暴轴中心附近,其作用主要为消耗涡动动能,延伸体收缩状态下其消耗作用增强,而扩张状态下消耗作用减弱,这一差异主要是由于不同海温异常强迫下瞬变涡旋的形变不同造成;斜压有效位能释放比正压能量转换大一个量级以上,该过程几乎全部通过基流的经向温度梯度和经向涡动热量输送的相互作用完成,在这一过程中大气斜压性（经向温度梯度）起了关键性作用,大气斜压性异常、基流经向温度梯度异常、斜压有效位能释放异常与风暴轴异常的空间分布均具有较好的对应关系,该过程可能也是延伸体海温异常影响北太平洋风暴轴的主要物理过程;涡动有效位能需要进一步转换为涡动动能才能产生瞬变涡旋运动,涡动有效位能释放的量级与斜压有效位能的释放相当,但数值要小,这一过程通过冷暖空气的上升下沉运动完成,延伸体异常模态下,扰动垂直速度和扰动温度的负相关性的变化与涡动有效位能向涡动动能转换的变化也有较好的对应关系。     

北太平洋冬季海-气耦合的主模态及其与瞬变扰动异常的联系

利用45年的ECMWF再分析资料,使用SVD方法研究了冬季北太平洋地区表层海温(SST)异常与大气环流异常间的主要耦合模态,探讨了大尺度海-气耦合型与天气尺度瞬变扰动的相互关系。分析结果表明,中纬度北太平洋地区冬季存在两种主要的海-气耦合型,第1种耦合型反映了与ENSO紧密相关的中纬度北太平洋冬季海温异常分布型以及大气的PNA型,第2种耦合型SST异常集中在东亚沿海以及中纬度北太平洋海流区,相应的大气场则为暖(冷)SSTA上空东西向带状区域内位势高度偏高(低),明显独立于ENSO型。进一步的合成分析表明,在第1种耦合型SST正(负)异常年里,冬季阿留申低压主体位置偏西南(东北),从东北亚到北美西海岸的西北—东南向带状区域内是低层大气温度正(负)异常区和高层西风负(正)异常区,西风负(正)异常中心位于西风急流出口处的北太平洋中东部,而西风急流主体区的风速变化很小。在第2种耦合型东亚沿海至中纬度北太平洋海流区SST偏暖(冷)时,阿留申低压整体偏弱(强),SST暖(冷)异常上空的大气温度偏暖(冷),高层西风急流区西风偏弱(强)。两种耦合型均显示出在北太平洋中纬度地区大气和海洋的异常相关中心有很好的空间对应性。在两种耦合型下,中纬度北太平洋冬季的大气斜压性也发生截然不同的改变,引起中纬度天气尺度瞬变扰动活动异常。瞬变扰动异常的动力强迫作用对北太平洋西风异常的形成存在正反馈作用,而其热力作用则试图破坏与两种海-气耦合模态相关的大气温度异常型。     

北太平洋冬季西部发展型天气尺度涡旋对平均流的影响

在中纬度北太平洋大气强斜压区,存在频繁的天气尺度涡旋活动,通过水分、动量和能量输送维持大气环流。为了进一步研究天气尺度涡旋发生发展与大尺度环流之间的联系,利用1981—2013年再分析资料,筛选出西部发展型天气尺度涡旋114个偏强日和87个偏弱日,给出了西部发展型天气尺度涡旋异常导致的动力和热力强迫的变化,同时从能量转换的角度分析了西部发展型天气尺度涡旋与平均流之间的相互作用,并探讨了其与西太平洋遥相关型的关系。结果表明:西部发展型天气尺度涡旋通过动力强迫和热力强迫影响平均流,其中动力强迫主要造成北太平洋中纬度上空的西风气流加速并向北移动;热力强迫的作用则是减弱中纬度大气斜压性。同时,强西部发展型天气尺度涡旋有利于西北太平洋上空对流层低层斜压有效位能向扰动动能的转化增大和扰动动能向平均流的转化增大,有利于中纬度地区对流层高层平均流向扰动动能的转化增大。此外,西部发展型天气尺度涡旋通过与平均流的作用,对维持西太平洋遥相关型的负位相有一定影响。     

Local kinetic energy budget of high-frequency and intermediate-frequency eddies: winter climatology and interannual variability

The local budget of eddy kinetic energy (EKE) for both high-frequency (HF, 2–6 days) and intermediate-frequency (IF, 7–29 days) eddies are evaluated for Northern Hemisphere boreal winter using the 31-year (1979/80–2010/11) NCEP-DOE reanalysis. A new form of EKE equation is used to isolate the kinetic energy generation/destruction due to interactions among eddies of different timescales. The main source of HF EKE is baroclinic conversion that is concentrated in the mid-lower troposphere. Barotropic conversion mainly damps HF EKE and shows positive contributions to IF EKE on the northern flank of the winter-mean tropospheric jet. Interaction between HF and IF eddies acts as a sink for HF EKE and a main source for IF EKE, especially over the eastern ocean basins, confirming the substantial role of synoptic-scale transients in the development of IF phenomena such as atmospheric blocking. Large interannual variability is found for various EKE budget terms. The HF EKE response to El Niño is characterized by a dipole (tri-pole) anomaly over the North Pacific (North Atlantic). Baroclinic conversion is the main driver of the observed changes in HF EKE while barotropic conversion, interaction between HF and IF eddies, and energy flux convergence all play non-negligible roles in determining the final meridional structure of the HF EKE anomalies. Associated with El Niño, IF EKE generally decreases over the North Pacific and increases over the North Atlantic, which mainly result from changes in baroclinic conversion and EKE conversion due to eddy–eddy interactions. The latter is dominated by interaction between IF and LF (low-frequency, 30–90 days) eddies over the North Pacific, and by interactions between HF and IF eddies, and between IF and LF eddies over the North Atlantic.     

Response of the North Pacific Storm Track Activity in the Cold Season to Multi-scale Oceanic Variations of Kuroshio Extension System: A Statistical Assessment

In this paper, a statistical method called Generalized Equilibrium Feedback Analysis(GEFA) is used to investigate the responses of the North Pacific Storm Track(NPST) in the cold season to the multi-scale oceanic variations of the Kuroshio Extension(KE) system, including its large-scale variation, oceanic front meridional shift, and mesoscale eddy activity.Results show that in the cold season from the lower to the upper troposphere, the KE large-scale variation significantly weakens the storm tr...     

A comparison of climatological subseasonal variations in the wintertime storm track activity between the North Pacific and Atlantic: local energetics and moisture effect

Distinct differences of the storm track?Cjet relationship over the North Pacific and North Atlantic are investigated in terms of barotropic and baroclinic energetics using NCEP-2 reanalysis data for the period of 1979?C2008. From fall to midwinter the Pacific storm track (PST) activity weakens following the southward shift of the Pacific jet, whereas the Atlantic storm track (AST) activity remains steady in position and intensifies regardless of the slight southward shift of the Atlantic jet. This study is devoted to seeking for the factors that can contribute to this conspicuous difference between the two storm tracks on climatological subseasonal variation by analyzing eddy properties and local energetics. Different eddy properties over the two oceans lead to different contribution of barotropic energy conversion to the initiation of storm tracks. In the North Atlantic, meridionally elongated eddies gain kinetic energy efficiently from stretching deformation of the mean flow in the jet entrance. On the other hand, the term associated with shearing deformation is important for the initiation of PST. Analysis of baroclinic energetics reveals that the intensification of the AST activity in midwinter is mainly attributed to coincidence between location of maximum poleward and upward eddy heat fluxes and that of the largest meridional temperature gradient over slight upstream of the AST. The relatively large amount of precipitable water and meridional eddy moisture flux along baroclinic energy conversion axis likely provides a more favorable environment for baroclinic eddy growth over the North Atlantic than over the North Pacific. In the meantime, the midwinter minimum of the PST activity is attributable to the southward shift of the Pacific jet stream that leads to discrepancy between core region of poleward and upward heat fluxes and that of meridional thermal gradient. Weakening of eddy-mean flow interaction due to eddy shape and reduction of moist effect are also responsible for the weakening of storm track activities in midwinter when the strongest baroclinicity exists over the North Pacific.     

Weakening of Interannual Variability in the Summer East Asian Upper-tropospheric Westerly Jet since the Mid-1990s

In this study,we found that the intensity of interannual variability in the summer upper-tropospheric zonal wind has significantly weakened over Northeast Asia and the subtropical western North Pacific(WNP) since the mid-1990s,concurrent with the previously documented decrease of the westerly jet over North China and Northwest China.Corresponding to this weakening of zonal wind variability,the meridional displacement of the East Asian westerly jet(EAJ) manifested as the leading mode of zonal wind variability over the WNP and East Asia(WNP-EA) before the mid-1990s but not afterward.The energetics of the anomalous pattern associated with the meridional displacement of the EAJ suggests that barotropic energy conversion,from basic flow to anomalous patterns,has led to the weakening of the variability in the EAJ meridional displacement and to a change in the leading dominant mode since the mid-1990s.The barotropic energy conversion efficiently maintained the anomalies associated with the variability in the EAJ meridional displacement during 1979-1993 but acted to dampen the anomalies during 1994-2008.A further investigation of the energetics suggests that the difference in the patterns of the circulation anomaly associated with either the first leading mode or the meridional displacement of the EAJ,i.e.,a southwest-northeast tilted pattern during 1979-1993 and a zonally oriented pattern during 1994-2008,has contributed greatly to the change in barotropic energy conversion.     

西伯利亚风暴轴的气候特征及其可能维持机制

基于1959—2014年NCEP/NCAR的逐日再分析资料,首先研究了西伯利亚风暴轴各季节的气候平均特征,然后以冬季为例,利用能量诊断方程,从能量学的角度对其的可能维持机制进行了探讨,并在上述分析过程中与北半球两大洋风暴轴的特征进行了对比。结果表明:(1)西伯利亚风暴轴一年四季都独立存在,虽强度要比两大洋风暴轴的强度弱很多且位置偏北,但可以定义为一个弱风暴轴。(2)比较来看,西伯利亚风暴轴强度的季节变化与北太平洋风暴轴的季节变化类似。与两大洋风暴轴位于急流东北侧不同,冬季西伯利亚风暴轴位于东亚温带急流的西侧。(3)进一步的能量分析结果表明,与两大洋风暴轴一样,斜压不稳定的能量转换(Ke4)也是西伯利亚风暴轴区域天气尺度扰动动能的主要来源;而扰动非地转位势通量散度项(Ke3)和时间平均气流对扰动动能的平流输送项(Ke1)也是风暴轴下游发展所需的扰动动能来源之一。     

Mid-latitude atmospheric responses to heat and vorticity forcing using a linear baroclinic model

Based on diagnostic analysis of reanalysis data for 58-year, the distribution characteristics of decadal variability in diabatic heating, transient eddy heating and transient eddy vorticity forcing related to the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the North Pacific, as well as their relationship with anomalous atmospheric circulation have been investigated in this paper. A linear baroclinic model(LBM) was used to investigate atmospheric responses to idealized and realistic heat and vorticity forcing anomalies, and then to compare relative roles of different kinds of forcing in terms of geopotential height responses. The results illustrate that the responses of atmospheric height fields to the mid-latitude heating can be either baroclinic or barotropic. The response structure is sensitive to the relative horizontal location of heating with respect to the background jet flow, as well as to the vertical profile of heating. The response to the idealized deep heating over the eastern North Pacific, mimicking the observed heating anomaly, is baroclinic. The atmospheric response to the mid-latitude vorticity forcing is always barotropic, resulting in a geopotential low that is in phase with the forcing. The atmospheric responses to the realistic heat and vorticity forcing show the similar results, suggesting that diabatic heating, transient eddy heating and transient eddy vorticity forcing can all cause atmospheric anomalies and that the vorticity forcing plays a relatively more important role in maintaining the equivalent-barotropic structure of geopotential height anomalies.     

LBM模式中中纬度大气对热源和涡度强迫的响应(英文)

Based on diagnostic analysis of reanalysis data for 58-year,the distribution characteristics of decadal variability in diabatic heating,transient eddy heating and transient eddy vorticity forcing related to the sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies over the North Pacific,as well as their relationship with anomalous atmospheric circulation have been investigated in this paper.A linear baroclinic model(LBM)was used to investigate atmospheric responses to idealized and realistic heat and vorticity forcing anomalies,and then to compare relative roles of different kinds of forcing in terms of geopotential height responses.The results illustrate that the responses of atmospheric height fields to the mid-latitude heating can be either baroclinic or barotropic.The response structure is sensitive to the relative horizontal location of heating with respect to the background jet flow,as well as to the vertical profile of heating.The response to the idealized deep heating over the eastern North Pacific,mimicking the observed heating anomaly,is baroclinic.The atmospheric response to the mid-latitude vorticity forcing is always barotropic,resulting in a geopotential low that is in phase with the forcing.The atmospheric responses to the realistic heat and vorticity forcing show the similar results,suggesting that diabatic heating,transient eddy heating and transient eddy vorticity forcing can all cause atmospheric anomalies and that the vorticity forcing plays a relatively more important role in maintaining the equivalent-barotropic structure of geopotential height anomalies.     

太平洋湍流热通量异常与中国夏季降水年代际变化

采用NCEP/NCAR再分析感热、潜热资料,利用EOF方法,分析了夏季太平洋湍流热通量年代际变化的时空特征及其与中国夏季降水的关系。分析结果显示,1951—2003年夏季太平洋湍流热通量距平的年代际分量的EOF前3个模态的方差贡献率分别为32.27%、12.52%、11.10%,且这3个模态分别与中国华北、华南和东北地区夏季降水的年代际关系密切;太平洋湍流热通量年代际异常EOF第1模态的时间系数与东亚夏季风指数年代际变化有显著的负相关。20世纪70年代中期以前,太平洋湍流热通量异常偏多,东亚夏季风偏强,对应华北降水偏多;20世纪70年代中期以后,太平洋湍流热通量异常偏少,东亚夏季风偏弱,对应华北夏季降水减少,干旱化趋势明显。     

北太平洋风暴轴“深冬抑制”现象的能量分析

采用欧洲中期天气预报中心逐日再分析资料（ERA-40）,从局地能量变化方程出发,通过分析北太平洋风暴轴区域对流层不同层次局地能量的季节演变过程,对风暴轴区域各能量项在“深冬抑制”现象中的作用进行了深入探讨。结果表明,天气尺度扰动动能的季节变化可以很好地反映北太平洋风暴轴的“深冬抑制”现象,并且该现象在对流层上层最为显著,其发生概率约为80％,其中20世纪70年代中后期到80年代前期抑制最强。从同期各能量项的变化来看,扰动动能的变化主要受斜压能量转换项、涡动非地转位势通量的散度项和正压能量转换项的影响。在深冬季节,由于消耗扰动动能的正压能量转换项虽有些微弱减少从而使得扰动动能有所增加,但为风暴轴提供扰动动能的斜压能量转换项和涡动非地转位势通量的散度项减少的幅度却更大,因而总的效果是扰动动能大为减小,这可能是造成北太平洋风暴轴“深冬抑制”现象的直接原因。     

Effects of atmosphere-ocean interaction on the interannual variability of winter temperature in Taiwan and East Asia

 This study investigated the ocean-atmosphere interaction effect on the winter surface air temperature in Taiwan. Temperature fluctuations in Taiwan and marine East Asia correlated better with a SST dipole in the western North Pacific than the SST in the central/eastern equatorial Pacific. During the warm (cold) winters, a positive (negative) SST anomaly appears in marine East Asia and a negative (positive) SST anomaly appears in the Philippine Sea. The corresponding low-level atmospheric circulation is a cyclonic (anticyclonic) anomaly over the East Asian continent and an anticyclonic (cyclonic) circulation in the Philippine Sea during the warm (cold) winters. Based on the results of both numerical and empirical studies, it is proposed that a vigorous ocean-atmosphere interaction occurring in the western North Pacific modulates the strength of the East Asian winter monsoon and the winter temperature in marine East Asia. The mechanism is described as follows. The near-surface circulation anomalies, which are forced by the local SST anomaly, strengthen (weaken) the northeasterly trade winds in the Philippine Sea and weaken (strengthen) the northeasterly winter monsoon in East Asia during warm (cold) winters. The anomalous circulation causes the SST to fluctuate by modulating the heat flux at the ocean surface. The SST anomaly in turn enhances the anomalous circulation. Such an ocean-atmosphere interaction results in the rapid development of the anomalous circulation in the western North Pacific and the anomalous winter temperature in marine East Asia. This interaction is phase-locked with the seasonal cycle and occurs most efficiently in the boreal winters. Received: 22 October 1999 / Accepted: 5 June 2000     

夏季热带北大西洋海温异常对西北太平洋热带气旋生成的影响

利用1979—2012年西北太平洋热带气旋最佳路径资料,Hadley中心的海温资料和NCEP/NCAR再分析资料等,研究了夏季(6—10月)热带北大西洋海温异常与西北太平洋热带气旋(Tropical Cyclone,TC)生成的关系及其可能机制。结果表明,夏季热带北大西洋海温异常与同期西北太平洋TC生成频次之间存在显著的负相关关系。热带北大西洋海温的异常增暖可产生一对东—西向分布的偶极型低层异常环流,其中气旋性异常环流位于北大西洋/东太平洋地区,反气旋异常环流位于西北太平洋地区。该反气旋环流异常使得TC主要生成区的对流活动受到抑制、低层涡度正异常、中低层相对湿度负异常、中层下沉气流异常,这些动力/热力条件均不利于TC生成。此外,西北太平洋地区低层涡旋动能负异常,同时来自大尺度环流的涡旋动能的正压转换也受到抑制,不能为TC的生成和发展提供额外能量源。反之亦然。     

Responses of the East Asian Jet Stream to the North Pacific Subtropical Front in Spring

This study concerns atmospheric responses to the North Pacific subtropical front(NPSTF) in boreal spring over the period 1982–2014. Statistical results show that a strong NPSTF in spring can significantly enhance the East Asian jet stream(EAJS). Both transient eddy activity and the atmospheric heat source play important roles in this process. The enhanced atmospheric temperature gradient due to a strong NPSTF increases atmospheric baroclinicity, resulting in an intensification of transient eddy and convection activities. On the one hand, the enhanced transient eddy activities can excite an anomalous cyclonic circulation with a quasi-baraotropical structure in the troposphere to the north of the NPSTF. Accordingly, the related westerly wind anomalies around 30?N can intensify the component of the EAJS over the Northeast Pacific. On the other hand, an enhanced atmospheric heat source over the NPSTF, which is related to increased rainfall, acts to excite an anomalous cyclonic circulation system in the troposphere to the northwest of the NPSTF, which can explain the enhanced component of the EAJS over the Northwest Pacific. The two mechanisms may combine to enhance the EAJS.     

黑潮延伸体中尺度涡年代际变化与北太平洋风暴轴变化之间的关系

利用18年带通滤波的卫星高度计资料,通过引入黑潮延伸体中尺度涡能量(EKE)的面积指数,分析了黑潮延伸体中尺度涡EKE的强度和位置的年代际变化特征,并使用回归分析等方法分析了它们与北太平洋风暴轴之间的关系。结果表明,黑潮延伸体中尺度涡增强与北太平洋风暴轴的增强相对应,而EKE位置偏北(南)时对应的北太平洋风暴轴也偏北(南),同时当EKE的位置偏东(偏西)时北太平洋风暴轴则西退(东移)。此外,北太平洋风暴轴的变化对黑潮延伸体也可能有一定的反馈作用,黑潮延伸体中尺度涡EKE强度的变化与北太平洋风暴轴EOF第一和第三个模态(第二个模态)回归的海表面高度距平模态有明显的3~4年滞后的正(负)相关,而黑潮延伸体中尺度涡EKE位置的变化则相反。这种滞后相关可能是通过北太平洋风暴轴驱动的遥相关型环流改变海表面风应力旋度并强迫出的海表面高度距平的西传导致的。     

Coupled atmosphere�Cmixed layer ocean response to ocean heat flux convergence along the Kuroshio Current Extension

The winter response of the coupled atmosphere?Cocean mixed layer system to anomalous geostrophic ocean heat flux convergence in the Kuroshio Extension is investigated by means of experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model coupled to an entraining ocean mixed layer model in the extra-tropics. The direct response consists of positive SST anomalies along the Kuroshio Extension and a baroclinic (low-level trough and upper-level ridge) circulation anomaly over the North Pacific. The low-level component of this atmospheric circulation response is weaker in the case without coupling to an extratropical ocean mixed layer, especially in late winter. The inclusion of an interactive mixed layer in the tropics modifies the direct coupled atmospheric response due to a northward displacement of the Pacific Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone which drives an equivalent barotropic anomalous ridge over the North Pacific. Although the tropically driven component of the North Pacific atmospheric circulation response is comparable to the direct response in terms of sea level pressure amplitude, it is less important in terms of wind stress curl amplitude due to the mitigating effect of the relatively broad spatial scale of the tropically forced atmospheric teleconnection.     

Boreal summer continental monsoon rainfall and hydroclimate anomalies associated with the Asian-Pacific Oscillation

With the twentieth century analysis data (1901–2002) for atmospheric circulation, precipitation, Palmer drought severity index, and sea surface temperature (SST), we show that the Asian-Pacific Oscillation (APO) during boreal summer is a major mode of the earth climate variation linking to global atmospheric circulation and hydroclimate anomalies, especially the Northern Hemisphere (NH) summer land monsoon. Associated with a positive APO phase are the warm troposphere over the Eurasian land and the relatively cool troposphere over the North Pacific, the North Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. Such an amplified land–ocean thermal contrast between the Eurasian land and its adjacent oceans signifies a stronger than normal NH summer monsoon, with the strengthened southerly or southwesterly monsoon prevailing over tropical Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. A positive APO implies an enhanced summer monsoon rainfall over all major NH land monsoon regions: West Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Mexico. Thus, APO is a sensible measure of the NH land monsoon rainfall intensity. Meanwhile, reduced precipitation appears over the arid and semiarid regions of northern Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, manifesting the monsoon-desert coupling. On the other hand, surrounded by the cool troposphere over the North Pacific and North Atlantic, the extratropical North America has weakened low-level continental low and upper-level ridge, hence a deficient summer rainfall. Corresponding to a high APO index, the African and South Asian monsoon regions are wet and cool, the East Asian monsoon region is wet and hot, and the extratropical North America is dry and hot. Wet and dry climates correspond to wet and dry soil conditions, respectively. The APO is also associated with significant variations of SST in the entire Pacific and the extratropical North Atlantic during boreal summer, which resembles the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation in SST. Of note is that the Pacific SST anomalies are not present throughout the year, rather, mainly occur in late spring, peak at late summer, and are nearly absent during boreal winter. The season-dependent APO–SST relationship and the origin of the APO remain elusive.