Soil moisture memory and West African monsoon predictability: artefact or reality?

Besides sea surface temperature (SST), soil moisture (SM) exhibits a significant memory and is likely to contribute to atmospheric predictability at the seasonal timescale. In this respect, West Africa was recently highlighted as a “hot spot” where the land–atmosphere coupling could play an important role, through the recycling of precipitation and the modulation of the meridional gradient of moist static energy. Particularly intriguing is the observed relationship between summer monsoon rainfall over Sahel and the previous second rainy season over the Guinean Coast, suggesting the possibility of a soil moisture memory beyond the seasonal timescale. The present study is aimed at revisiting this question through a detailed analysis of the instrumental record and a set of numerical sensitivity experiments. Three ensembles of global atmospheric simulations have been designed to assess the relative influence of SST and SM boundary conditions on the West African monsoon predictability over the 1986–1995 period. On the one hand, the results indicate that SM contributes to rainfall predictability at the end and just after the rainy season over the Sahel, through a positive soil-precipitation feedback that is consistent with the “hot spot” hypothesis. On the other hand, SM memory decreases very rapidly during the dry season and does not contribute to the predictability of the all-summer monsoon rainfall. Though possibly model dependent, this conclusion is reinforced by the statistical analysis of the summer monsoon rainfall variability over the Sahel and its link with tropical SSTs. Our results indeed suggest that the apparent relationship with the previous second rainy season over the Guinean Coast is mainly an artefact of rainfall teleconnections with tropical modes of SST variability both at interannual and multi-decadal timescales.     

冷涡背景下飑线过程统计分析

文章首先给出冷涡的定义,根据其定义,利用2008-2013年4-9月的天气图识别出73个冷涡,然后根据飑线的标准筛选出符合条件的飑线过程。利用多普勒雷达资料和1°×1°6 h的NCEP FNL资料,对飑线的时空分布、移动特征、形成、消散方式以及飑线和冷涡的关系等方面进行详细分析。结果表明:(1)2008-2013年6年共识别出73个冷涡、17条飑线,飑线主要形成于我国江淮流域、华北地区和东北地区。(2)飑线的发生有明显的月变化和日变化,约58.8%的飑线发生在7月,52.9%的飑线发生在午后到傍晚。(3)飑线主要形成在冷涡的南部,在冷涡的不同时期飑线形成的位置有所不同。(4)飑线一部分受西风带系统影响自西向东偏南方向移动,另一部分由西北向东南方向移动,具体移动方向具有不一致性。冷涡背景下的飑线移速较快。(5)本文统计的冷涡背景下飑线过程大都伴随短时强降水,主要形成方式为嵌套区线型(EA型),主要消散方式为颠倒破碎面型(RBA型),EA型飑线多产生于高潮湿环境中。     

相似路径台风“派比安”（2006）和“威马逊”（2014）前部飑线过程对比分析

利用常规观测、雷达资料和NCEP 1°×1°再分析资料,对路径相似台风"派比安"(2006)和"威马逊"(2014)的前部飑线过程进行对比分析。结果表明,地面辐合线和边界层辐合系统为台前飑线的发生发展提供了必要的动力条件,持续强盛的东南急流提供了充足的水汽和能量输送。低层暖、高层冷且具有较大垂直温差的特征为台前飑线的形成提供了有利的热力不稳定条件,而强的CAPE积累和释放有利于对流强度的加强。高空槽并入台风倒槽有利于延长飑线的生命史。台前飑线从垂直风切变相对较弱的区域移入较强的区域有利于其组织和发展,反之则不利于其组织和维持。台前飑线移动路径前方存在水汽辐合有利于其发展,反之则不利于其维持。     

The Effects of Strong Ageostrophic Outflows on the Formation of Surface Mesoscale Pressure Systems in Squall Lines

Based on the previous study of the streamline field triggered by singularities in a two-dimensional potential flow,the wind ficld caused by vorticity lines in an incompressible flow is deduced in this paper.The result shows an elliptic cyclonic(anticyclonic)circulation in association with a positive(negative)vorticity line.By use of the shallow-water model,the flow fields are simulated in a weak wind background under the influence of mesoscale vorticity lines.In the case of two vorticity line,one positive and the other negative,a mesoscale vortex couplet forms in the flow.When three vorticity lines are considered,three mesoscale circulations develop,and a mesohigh and two mesolows similar to the thunderstorm high,wake low and pre-squall mesolow of a mature squall line are produced.Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations show that the formation of the surface mesoscale pressure systems in squall lines may be partly attributed to the dynamical effects of the ageostrophic outflows.The strong downdrafts under the thundercloud base of the squall line lead to surface ageostrophic outflows,and produce positive-negative-positive arranged vcrtical vorticity bands(VBs)along the direction normal to the squall line,then the mesoscale circulations develop and mesoscale pressure systems form or strengthen during the geostrophic adjustment.By use of the scale separation method,this dynamic mechanism is confirmed by a case study of a severe storm passing over eastern China on 17 June 1974.     

A GCM-based assessment of the global moisture budget and the role of land-surface moisture reservoirs in processing precipitation

The performance of the Canadian Land Surface Scheme (CLASS) when coupled to the CCCma third generation general circulation model is evaluated in an AMIP II simulation. Our primary aim is to understand how CLASS processes moisture and to compare model estimates of moisture budget components with observations. The modelled mean annual precipitation and runoff, and their latitudinal structures, compare well with observations although some discrepancies remain in the simulation of regional values of these quantities. The amplitude and phase of the first harmonic of the precipitation annual cycle also compares well with observations although less well over regions of sparse precipitation and/or high topography. In the model, the canopy plays a major role in processing moisture at the land surface indicating the importance of vegetation in climate. The canopy intercepts a large fraction of the precipitation and provides the medium for returning much moisture back to the atmosphere as evapotranspiration. Though important locally, the snow moisture reservoir plays a relatively minor role in the global moisture budget. It acts primarily as a storage and delay mechanism with winter precipitation released to the ground reservoir on melting. The ground moisture reservoir also plays a major role and processes a similar amount of moisture as the canopy, although in a different manner. The globally averaged model runoff compares well with observation-based estimates, although the model partitioning into surface runoff and drainage does not agree particularly well with the single available observation-based estimate. How moisture is processed at the land surface serves as a basis for model intercomparison and for understanding the modelled moisture budget and its variation and changes with climate change. Only the most basic quantities (precipitation, runoff, and partitioning of runoff into surface runoff and drainage) may be compared with observation-based estimates, however, and the establishment of more complete moisture budget remains an important need.     

水汽含量对飑线组织结构和强度影响的数值试验

利用2009年6月3～4日一次产生大风、冰雹强对流天气的飑线个例进行数值试验,研究整层水汽含量及其垂直分布对中尺度对流系统的发生发展过程、组织类型和强度等的影响。本文的试验表明环境场中不同的水汽含量和垂直分布,会影响下沉气流和冷池的强度,从而影响对流的组织形态、维持时间和强度。整层水汽试验表明,增加（减少）水汽,对流增强（减弱）,冷池和雷暴高压增强（减弱）导致大风增强（减弱）。增加水汽越多发展阶段冷池强度越强,最大风速越强,但成熟阶段后期冷池减弱的越快,层状云区的后部入流减弱,不利于雷暴大风的出现和维持。不同层次水汽试验表明,在保持整层水汽含量不变的情况下,线状对流和雷暴大风易发生在中层干、下层湿的环境中,这种层结条件对雷暴高压的增强有重要作用,但不利于整个对流系统的长时间维持。     

2009年6月淮河中下游三次飑线过程的对比分析

2009年6月我国淮河中下游地区连续出现三次飑线天气过程,作者应用常规和非常规气象观测资料、雷达和卫星监测、NCEP/NCAR 1°×1°再分析资料和NCEP/GFS分析资料,采用天气学方法和诊断分析方法,对三次飑线的生成环境和形成机制进行对比分析。结果表明:三次飑线具有类似的500 hPa环流形势、较强的不稳定能量积累、低层通量的水汽输送、相似的不稳定层结。在低层辐合抬升、高层干冷空气侵入和较强的风垂直切变产生次级环流动力作用下,不稳定能量释放,发展成有组织的飑线系统。通过卫星雷达的监视,可以较好地预报飑线的影响。     

Initiation of West African squall lines

Summary It is proposed that squall lines are initiated through the growth (with time) of wave-like perturbations along the surface of discontinuity between the monsoon southwesterlies and the dry northeasterlies in West Africa. Out of the many possible modes of different growth rates, the modes with the largest amplification could block the 650-mb mid-tropospheric jet which, because it is cold, progressively sinks as it traverses West Africa from east to west. The distortion created by the blockage forces up parcels of convectively-unstable southwesterlies resulting in precipitation. Precipitation falls or partly evaporates into the underlying jet the latent heat of vaporisation being supplied by the jet. The jet, now cooler, sinks. While sinking, it can reach the surface of the earth and, due to the strong convergence created, a gust front is formed. The front, as a result of ascending southwesterlies, constitutes an area of vigorous convective activity which triggers off a self-regenerative mechanism of condensation, evaporation and sinking. This hypothesis, with others, is able to explain the predominance of highlands as source regions of squall lines, the close association between the propagation speed of squall lines and that of the mid-tropospheric jet, the observed overturning of the atmosphere after the passage of squalls and the possible effects of insolation and African easterly waves on the initiation process.With 2 Figures     

华北飑线系统中地闪活动与雷达回波顶高的关系及预警指标

选取代表华北地区经常出现的三类飑线系统--拖曳层状型(TS)、先导层状型(LS)、平行层状型(PS)的3次强雷暴过程为研究对象,利用天津塘沽多普勒雷达资料、京津冀ADTD型地闪监测网资料和北京探空资料,在对资料进行全面质量控制的基础上,运用粗网格化分析方法,分别以飑线系统整体和飑线系统上局部的强回波块为研究对象,探讨6分钟内地闪频数与雷达回波顶高的关系,找寻雷电预警指标.结果表明:3次过程中,出现在云顶达到8～12km 对流云塔中的地闪频数分别为85.8%、78.9%和80.5%;无论是在飑线系统整体,还是飑线系统上强回波块中,6分钟内地闪频数与对流云回波顶高高于11km或12km的回波面积有正相关关系;而且在飑线系统内的地闪活跃区,回波顶高高于11km的回波面积对地闪活动激烈程度具有预警意义.     

飑的判断与记录

“飑”是一种较复杂的天气,发生频次较少。本文通过对飑的特征的分析,总结了判断的方法,并结合典型个例分析飑与雷暴过境的区别,对其记录方法加以说明,对观测员正确判断记录有一定的借鉴作用。     

African Easterly Waves and convective activity in wet and dry sequences of the West African Monsoon

Janicot and Sultan (Geophys Res Lett 28(3):523–526, 2001) and Sultan et al. (J Clim 16(21):3389–3406, 2003) showed evidence of an intraseasonal signal of Sahelian rainfall corresponding to wet and dry sequences of the West African Monsoon. Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, NOAA outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and observed daily rainfall over West Africa from 1968 to 1990, this paper investigates the variability of 3 to 5-day African Easterly Waves (AEWs), convection and their relationship with rainfall in these wet and dry sequences. The mean daily value rainfall during wet sequences is twice the mean value during dry sequences but the number of dry or wet sequences per year is not correlated with the annual rainfall. Wet sequences account for 39% of the annual accumulated rainfall while dry sequences account for 22%. The number of 3 to 5-day AEWs increases during wet years in wet sequences and the activity tends to be larger during wet years in both wet and dry sequences. These AEWs explain 40% of the accumulated rainfall during wet sequences whereas they contribute to 26% of the accumulated rainfall observed during dry sequences. Generally, they contribute to the increase of rainfall during these sequences. Mean convection is stronger and there are twice as many low OLR days (<225W/m²) during wet than dry sequences. The mean rainfall for days with high convective activity (convective days) is also twice as great during wet sequences. Rainfall that occurs during days without low OLR (weak convection with warm cloud tops or isolated deep convection) contributes to 69% of the total rainfall during dry sequences and 45% during wet sequences. A composite study was performed from day D ₀−10 to day D ₀+10 in each sequence. Wet (dry) sequences of the African monsoon start with a decrease (slight increase) of the negative meridional Ertel Potential Vorticity (PV) gradient at 700 hPa, associated with an increase (decrease) of the spectral density of AEWs. During the wet sequence, the African Easterly Jet (AEJ), detected by 700 hPa zonal wind, decreases and moves northward, whereas the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ), detected at 200 hPa, increases and shifts southward. Convective activity increases from D ₀−6 to D ₀−3 and remains high for 4 days in wet sequences. The daily rainfall increases (decreases) between D ₀−6 and D ₀ and returns to the mean value at D ₀+4 for wet (dry) sequences.     

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.     

Eemian tropical and subtropical African moisture transport: an isotope modelling study

During the last interglacial insolation maximum (Eemian, MIS 5e) the tropical and subtropical African hydrological cycle was enhanced during boreal summer months. The climate anomalies are examined with a General Circulation Model (ECHAM4) that is equipped with a module for the direct simulation of ¹⁸O and deuterium (H ₂ ¹⁸ O and HDO, respectively) in all components of the hydrological cycle. A mechanism is proposed to explain the physical processes that lead to the modelled anomalies. Differential surface heating due to anomalies in orbital insolation forcing induce a zonal flow which results in enhanced moisture advection and precipitation. Increased cloud cover reduces incoming short wave radiation and induces a cooling between 10°N and 20°N. The isotopic composition of rainfall at these latitudes is therefore significantly altered. Increased amount of precipitation and stronger advection of moisture from the Atlantic result in isotopically more depleted rainfall in the Eemian East African subtropics compared to pre-industrial climate. The East–West gradient of the isotopic rainfall composition reverses in the Eemian simulation towards depleted values in the east, compared to more depleted western African rainfall in the pre-industrial simulation. The modelled re-distribution of δ¹⁸O and δD is the result of a change in the forcing of the zonal flow anomaly. We conclude that the orbitally induced forcing for African monsoon maxima extends further eastward over the continent and leaves a distinct isotopic signal that can be tested against proxy archives, such as lake sediment cores from the Ethiopian region.     

飑的观测与记录

为了更好地做好飑的观测,总结了平原站2004年和2006年两次飑出现时气象要素的变化特点,飑出现时常伴随瞬间风速突增,风向突变,强风持续时间短促,并伴有气压、湿度骤增,气温骤降等气象要素的剧烈变化,还常伴随雷阵雨出现。通过这些变化来寻找飑的特征,防止飑的漏记和误记。     

On the northward shift of the West African monsoon

The regional climate model (MAR) is used to perform a simulation of the year 1992 over West Africa. It is shown that MAR is able to simulate the main features of the rainy regime over West Africa and especially the discontinuous seasonal progression of the West African Monsoon along the year. One particular feature that is reasonably well reproduced is the abrupt shift of the rain band from 5° to 10°N at the end of June (also called “monsoon jump”). This study suggests that such a phenomenon is associated with the shift of the Saharan heat low between two favourite positions: one being over the Sahelian area (10–15°N) and the other over the Saharan area (20–25°N). These two favourite locations of the heat low are linked to the spatial distribution of surface albedo over West Africa that drives the spatio-temporal location of the surface temperature maxima. A detailed analysis of this “monsoon jump” is performed and the causes of the strong decrease in precipitation that precedes the northward shift of the rain band are also investigated.     

Intercomparison and analyses of the climatology of the West African Monsoon in the West African Monsoon Modeling and Evaluation project (WAMME) first model intercomparison experiment

This paper briefly presents the West African Monsoon (WAM) Modeling and Evaluation Project (WAMME) and evaluates WAMME general circulation models’ (GCM) performances in simulating variability of WAM precipitation, surface temperature, and major circulation features at seasonal and intraseasonal scales in the first WAMME experiment. The analyses indicate that models with specified sea surface temperature generally have reasonable simulations of the pattern of spatial distribution of WAM seasonal mean precipitation and surface temperature as well as the averaged zonal wind in latitude-height cross-section and low level circulation. But there are large differences among models in simulating spatial correlation, intensity, and variance of precipitation compared with observations. Furthermore, the majority of models fail to produce proper intensities of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) and the tropical easterly jet. AMMA Land Surface Model Intercomparison Project (ALMIP) data are used to analyze the association between simulated surface processes and the WAM and to investigate the WAM mechanism. It has been identified that the spatial distributions of surface sensible heat flux, surface temperature, and moisture convergence are closely associated with the simulated spatial distribution of precipitation; while surface latent heat flux is closely associated with the AEJ and contributes to divergence in AEJ simulation. Common empirical orthogonal functions (CEOF) analysis is applied to characterize the WAM precipitation evolution and has identified a major WAM precipitation mode and two temperature modes (Sahara mode and Sahel mode). Results indicate that the WAMME models produce reasonable temporal evolutions of major CEOF modes but have deficiencies/uncertainties in producing variances explained by major modes. Furthermore, the CEOF analysis shows that WAM precipitation evolution is closely related to the enhanced Sahara mode and the weakened Sahel mode, supporting the evidence revealed in the analysis using ALMIP data. An analysis of variability of CEOF modes suggests that the Sahara mode leads the WAM evolution, and divergence in simulating this mode contributes to discrepancies in the precipitation simulation.     

A hydrological onset and withdrawal index for the West African monsoon

We have developed a hydrological prognostic index, HOWI (hydrological onset and withdrawal index), for the onset and the withdrawal of the West African monsoon (WAM), based on the vertically integrated moisture transport (VIMT). The regions of West Africa with the same climatological onset (withdrawal) date are characterized by a large change of the VIMT around the onset (withdrawal) date. By analyzing the variability of the VIMT, we determine the extension and the geographical position of these regions, which we take sufficiently large to filter out the fast weather variability. It turns out that the regions with the same climatological onset date do not usually coincide with the regions with the same climatological withdrawal date, the areas with the maximum variability of the VIMT during the onset phase are usually a fraction of the area where the variability of the VIMT is large during the withdrawal phase. This is because the onset has active phases and pauses in time and it is fragmented in space, while the withdrawal is rather rapid and almost uniformly distributed through the entire monsoonal region. When the monsoon moves inland, the rainfall slightly trails behind the arrival of the moisture, and, when the monsoon moves back towards the gulf of Guinea, the moisture slightly precedes the retreating rainfall. In a specific region, we say that the onset (withdrawal) of the monsoon occurs when the moisture reaches (declines to) half of its climatological value. The level of the moisture relatively to its climatological value is evaluated through the HOWI, i.e., at the onset (withdrawal) the HOWI is zero with a positive (negative) tendency. We find that the dates of the onset of the monsoon determined using the HOWI, computed in the region where the VIMT has its maximum variability during the onset phase of WAM, well agree with the dates of the sudden transition of the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) from 5 to 10°N. The uncertainty on the onset date is of the order of 2 pentads, which is comparable to the uncertainty on the date of the sudden transition of the ITCZ. We, then, use the HOWI to determine the onset and the withdrawal dates of the monsoon for the period 1979–2004, finding that an early (late) onset usually preludes to a longer (shorter) monsoonal season with more (less) cumulated rain. Finally, we compare the onset dates in the Sahelian region, for the period 1979–2004, with those determined using methods based on rainfall.     

Seasonal forecasts for regional onset of the West African monsoon

The West African monsoon has over the years proven difficult to represent in global coupled models. The current operational seasonal forecasting system of the UK Met Office (GloSea4) has a good representation of monsoon rainfall over West Africa. It reproduces the various stages of the monsoon: a coastal phase in May and June, followed by onset of the Sahelian phase in July when rainfall maxima shift northward of 10N until September; and a secondary coastal rainfall maximum in October. We explore the dynamics of monsoon onset in GloSea4 and compare it to reanalyses. An important difference is the change in the Saharan heat low around the time of Sahelian onset. In Glosea4 the deepening heat low introduces moisture convergence across an east-west Sahelian band, whereas in the reanalyses such an east-west organisation of moisture does not occur and moisture is transported northwards to the Sahara. Lack of observations in the southern Sahara makes it difficult to verify this process in GloSea4 and also suggests that reanalyses may not be strongly constrained by station observations in an area key to Sahelian onset. Timing of monsoon onset has socio-economic importance for many countries in West Africa and we explore onset predictability in GloSea4. We use tercile categories to calculate probabilities for onset occurring before, near and after average in four different onset indicators. Glosea4 has modest skill at 2–3 months’ lead time, with ROC scores of 0.6–0.8. Similar skill is seen in hindcasts with models from the ENSEMBLES project, even in models with large rainfall biases over the Sahel. Forecast skill derives from tropical SST in June and many models capture at least the influence of the tropical Atlantic. This suggests that long-range skill for onset could be present in other seasonal forecasting systems in spite of mean rainfall biases.