Shifts in IOD and their impacts on association with East Africa rainfall

The decadal shift in the relationship between the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and the East African rainfall is investigated using historical observational data. The climate system for equatorial East Africa (EEA) during the October to December (OND) ‘short rains’ season is characterised by spatiotemporal variations of the equatorial East African rainfall (EEAR). Therefore, the EEAR index is derived from the first principal component of the empirical orthogonal function analysis (EOF) of the EEA’s rainfall domain. The IOD, which has been linked with the EEAR in the previous studies, is the main climate mode controlling the tropical Indian Ocean during the OND period. It is usually represented by a dipole mode index based on the zonal gradient of SST anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean. Therefore the climate modes, IOD and EEAR, are assumed to form a two-node network of subsystems which primarily control the climate of equatorial East Africa during the OND period. The collective behaviour of these climate modes is investigated through the examination of their representative indices for the period 1901 to 2009 using simple statistical techniques. The results suggest that the interaction between these two climate modes, which comprise the network, is not predominantly linear as previously assumed, but is characterised by shifts which are determined by the coupling and synchronisation processes of the tropical systems. In cases where synchronisation is preceded by an abrupt increase in coupling strength between the two subsystems, the established synchronous state is destroyed and a new climate state emerges such as in the years 1961 and 1997. This alteration in the regional climate is accompanied by notable changes in the regional rainfall and IOD variations. But in those events where synchronisation is followed by a sudden loss in coupling strength, the climate state is not disturbed and no shift in the climate of equatorial East Africa is noticed as in 1918. This climate shift mechanism appears to be consistent with the theory of synchronised chaos and is useful for long range predictions of the East African short rains.     

热带海温异常对东南亚夏季风爆发的影响

通过季风指数Im定义了能表征东南亚地区降水实况的东南亚夏季风指数,根据东南亚夏季风指数测算出东南亚夏季风爆发的平均时间为5月7日.利用东南亚夏季风指数分析热带海温场及垂直速度场的变化后发现,在东南亚夏季风爆发的前期秋、冬季节,中东太平洋地区以及中西印度洋地区的冷海温有利于东南亚地区夏季风的提前爆发.当中东太平洋地区是冷(暖)海温时,对应着纬向的Walker环流及季风环流圈强(弱),东南亚地区的对流也强(弱),则东南亚地区夏季风爆发早(迟).     

Impact of climate change on mid-twenty-first century growing seasons in Africa

Changes in growing seasons for 2041–2060 across Africa are projected using a regional climate model at 90-km resolution, and confidence in the predictions is evaluated. The response is highly regional over West Africa, with decreases in growing season days up to 20% in the western Guinean coast and some regions to the east experiencing 5–10% increases. A longer growing season up to 30% in the central and eastern Sahel is predicted, with shorter seasons in parts of the western Sahel. In East Africa, the short rains (boreal fall) growing season is extended as the Indian Ocean warms, but anomalous mid-tropospheric moisture divergence and a northward shift of Sahel rainfall severely curtails the long rains (boreal spring) season. Enhanced rainfall in January and February increases the growing season in the Congo basin by 5–15% in association with enhanced southwesterly moisture transport from the tropical Atlantic. In Angola and the southern Congo basin, 40–80% reductions in austral spring growing season days are associated with reduced precipitation and increased evapotranspiration. Large simulated reductions in growing season over southeastern Africa are judged to be inaccurate because they occur due to a reduction in rainfall in winter which is over-produced in the model. Only small decreases in the actual growing season are simulated when evapotranspiration increases in the warmer climate. The continent-wide changes in growing season are primarily the result of increased evapotranspiration over the warmed land, changes in the intensity and seasonal cycle of the thermal low, and warming of the Indian Ocean.     

华西秋雨趋势变化的年代际转折及其成因分析

华西地区（25°N～35°N,100°E～110°E）是中国秋季降水主要地区之一。本文根据华西地区72站月平均降水资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和哈德莱中心海温及海冰资料,利用相关和回归等分析方法研究了1961～2014年华西地区秋雨的年代际变率及其与大气环流和海温的关系。华西秋季降水年代际变率分解为呈现显著下降趋势的P1时段（1964～1998年）和呈现上升趋势的P2时段（1998～2014年）发现,对应P1时段降水下降趋势的华西区域大气位势高度异常场具有西正东负结构,大尺度环流场显示为从大西洋东传经北极巴伦支—喀拉海区至东亚的准纬向波列,该波列体现了上游负位相NAO（North Atlantic Oscillation）的调制作用。对于P2时段的降水上升趋势,其位势高度场配置与P1时段相反,而大尺度波列结构在欧亚大陆的部分呈西北—东南走向,且整体偏西,体现了上游正位相NAO的调制作用。这种环流结构导致华西区域西北侧形成负异常中心,有利于西南暖湿气流进入研究区域。影响华西秋雨趋势转折的海温关键区位于热带中东太平洋和热带印度洋。在P1时段,华西秋雨降水趋势与同期热带中东太平洋和印度洋海温呈显著正相关关系。而在P2时段,华西秋雨与前冬热带中东太平洋和印度洋海温存在显著负相关,前冬西北太平洋海温正异常也同时影响了华西秋雨的上升趋势。     

华南秋季干旱的年代际转折及其与热带印度洋热含量的关系

采用1961—2014年逐月全球标准化降水蒸散指数(Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index,SPEI)数据集、ORA-S4海温资料及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,对华南地区秋季干旱的年代际转折及其与热带印度洋热含量的关系进行了研究。结果表明:华南秋季SPEI主要表现为全区一致变化型,且具有明显的年代际变化特征,在1988年发生了年代际转折,转折后(前)为偏旱(涝)期。进一步分析表明,华南秋季SPEI与同期热带西印度洋海洋热含量变化呈显著的正相关关系,即当秋季热带西印度洋热含量偏低时,华南地区SPEI偏小,易发生干旱。热带西印度洋热含量异常影响华南秋季干旱的可能机制为:秋季热带印度洋热含量变化表现为""型的东西向偶极子分布,即当热带西印度洋热含量偏低时,热带东印度洋热含量将会偏高;而热带东印度洋热含量偏高将会使热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度偏高、外逸长波辐射偏小、降水增多,凝结潜热释放增强,产生偏强的东亚Hadley环流,使华南地区存在异常下沉运动,不利于产生降水;热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度偏高,还会使西北太平洋副热带高压位置偏西、面积偏大,西北太平洋存在气旋性环流异常,使华南地区受偏北气流异常控制,从而削弱了向华南地区的水汽输送。热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度年代际变化是热带西印度洋热含量异常影响华南秋旱年代际变化的重要环节,因此用NCAR CAM5.1全球大气环流模式进行了热带东印度洋—西太平洋海表温度年代际变化的敏感性试验,证实该区海表温度年代际升高对华南秋季年代际干旱具有重要作用。     

Indo-Pacific sea surface temperature influences on failed consecutive rainy seasons over eastern Africa

Rainfall over eastern Africa (10°S–10°N; 35°E–50°E) is bimodal, with seasonal maxima during the "long rains" of March–April–May (MAM) and the "short rains" of October–November–December (OND). Below average precipitation during consecutive long and short rains seasons over eastern Africa can have devastating long-term impacts on water availability and agriculture. Here, we examine the forcing of drought during consecutive long and short rains seasons over eastern Africa by Indo-Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs). The forcing of eastern Africa precipitation and circulation by SSTs is tested using ten ensemble simulations of a global weather forecast model forced by 1950–2010 observed global SSTs. Since the 1980s, Indo-Pacific SSTs have forced more frequent droughts spanning consecutive long and short rains seasons over eastern Africa. The increased frequency of dry conditions is linked to warming SSTs over the Indo-west Pacific and to a lesser degree to Pacific Decadal Variability. During MAM, long-term warming of tropical west Pacific SSTs from 1950–2010 has forced statistically significant precipitation reductions over eastern Africa. The warming west Pacific SSTs have forced changes in the regional lower tropospheric circulation by weakening the Somali Jet, which has reduced moisture and rainfall over the Horn of Africa. During OND, reductions in precipitation over recent decades are oftentimes overshadowed by strong year-to-year precipitation variability forced by the Indian Ocean Dipole and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.     

Seasonal prediction of African precipitation with ECHAM4–T42 ensemble simulations using a multivariate MOS re-calibration scheme

A 15 member ensemble of 20th century simulations using the ECHAM4–T42 atmospheric GCM is utilized to investigate the potential predictability of interannual variations of seasonal rainfall over Africa. Common boundary conditions are the global sea surface temperatures (SST) and sea ice extent. A canonical correlation analysis (CCA) between observed and ensemble mean ECHAM4 precipitation over Africa is applied in order to identify the most predictable anomaly patterns of precipitation and the related SST anomalies. The CCA is then used to formulate a re-calibration approach similar to model output statistics (MOS) and to derive precipitation forecasts over Africa. Predictand is the climate research unit (CRU) gridded precipitation over Africa. As predictor we use observed SST anomalies, ensemble mean precipitation over Africa and a combined vector of mean sea level pressure, streamfunction and velocity potential at 850 hPa. The different forecast approaches are compared. Most skill for African precipitation forecasts is provided by tropical Atlantic (Gulf of Guinea) SST anomalies which mainly affect rainfall over the Guinean coast and Sahel. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences southern and East Africa, however with a lower skill. Indian Ocean SST anomalies, partly independent from ENSO, have an impact particularly on East Africa. As suggested by the large agreement between the simulated and observed precipitation, the ECHAM4 rainfall provides a skillful predictor for CRU precipitation over Africa. However, MOS re-calibration is needed in order to provide skillful forecasts. Forecasts using MOS re-calibrated model precipitation are at least as skillful as forecast using dynamical variables from the model or instantaneous SST. In many cases, MOS re-calibrated precipitation forecasts provide more skill. However, differences are not systematic for all regions and seasons, and often small.     

2012年海洋和大气环流异常及其对中国气候的影响

文章主要对2011/2012年冬季至2012年秋季的海洋和大气环流异常进行分析,并讨论这些异常特征对中国气温和降水的主要影响。分析表明:2012年3月拉尼娜事件结束,赤道中东太平洋在7—8月出现明显暖水波动,之后进入正常状态。暖水波动使9—10月西太副高偏强偏西控制长江以南大部,造成该地温高雨少:8—9月,热带印度洋呈显著的偶极子正位相模态,在热带东太平洋激发出异常反气旋,其西北侧西南气流有利于暖湿气流影响中国华西南部出现明显秋雨。2012年南海夏季风爆发偏早1候,结束偏晚2候,强度偏弱;东亚夏季风为1951年以来第四强,使得东亚夏季风雨带位置偏北,中国北方大部夏季降水偏多。受海温和大气环流异常等的共同影响,我国出现了冬冷、春夏热、秋冷和夏季降水"北多南少"的气候特征。     

Secular spring rainfall variability at local scale over Ethiopia: trend and associated dynamics

Spring rainfall secular variability is studied using observations, reanalysis, and model simulations. The joint coherent spatio-temporal secular variability of gridded monthly gauge rainfall over Ethiopia, ERA-Interim atmospheric variables and sea surface temperature (SST) from Hadley Centre Sea Ice and SST (HadISST) data set is extracted using multi-taper method singular value decomposition (MTM-SVD). The contemporaneous associations are further examined using partial Granger causality to determine presence of causal linkage between any of the climate variables. This analysis reveals that only the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly has direct causal links with spring rainfall over Ethiopia and mean sea level pressure (MSLP) over Africa inspite of the strong secular covariance of spring rainfall, SST in parts of subtropical Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and MSLP. High secular rainfall variance and statistically significant linear trend show consistently that there is a massive decline in spring rain over southern Ethiopia. This happened concurrently with significant buildup of MSLP over East Africa, northeastern Africa including parts of the Arabian Peninsula, some parts of central Africa and SST warming over all ocean basins with the exception of the ENSO regions. The east-west pressure gradient in response to the Indian Ocean warming led to secular southeasterly winds over the Arabian Sea, easterly over central Africa and equatorial Atlantic. These flows weakened climatological northeasterly flow over the Arabian Sea and southwesterly flow over equatorial Atlantic and Congo basins which supply moisture into the eastern Africa regions in spring. The secular divergent flow at low level is concurrent with upper level convergence due to the easterly secular anomalous flow. The mechanisms through which the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly modulates rainfall are further explored in the context of East Africa using a simplified atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) coupled to mixed-layer oceanic model. The rainfall anomaly (with respect to control simulation), forced by the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly and averaged over the 30-year period, exhibits prevalence of dry conditions over East and equatorial Africa in agreement with observation. The atmospheric response to secular SST warming anomaly led to divergent flow at low levels and subsidence at the upper troposphere over regions north of 5^° S on the continent and vice versa over the Indian Ocean. This surface difluence over East Africa, in addition to its role in suppressing convective activity, deprives the region of moisture supply from the Indian Ocean as well as the Atlantic and Congo basins.     

热带季节内振荡与影响广西的热带气旋生成发展的联系

利用1978-2013年美国NOAA逐候MJO指数和中国气象局上海台风研究所热带气旋资料,研究了MJO与影响广西热带气旋发生发展的联系。结果表明,当MJO处于非洲大陆和西印度洋时,热带气旋生成区域上空为异常东风带;而当MJO处于西太平洋时,热带气旋生成区域北侧为东风异常带、南侧为西风异常带,有利于季风槽或气旋性环流加强,导致影响广西热带气旋频数偏多。当MJO处于东印度洋时,南海上空风场存在明显的向南分量,热带气旋生成数少、位置偏南;而当MJO处于东太平洋时,热带西太平洋对流受到抑制,导致影响广西热带气旋偏少。     

印度洋海温异常与中国气温异常的可能联系

利用NCEP/NCAR 50 a冬季再分析资料、英国气象局全球海温资料、中国气象局整编的160站气温资料,采用EOF、合成、奇异值分解等方法讨论了印度洋海温异常对东亚冬季大气环流及气温的影响.结果表明,印度洋海温异常,引起了大气环流的异常,影响了东亚冬季风的强度.当印度洋海温一致变化时,中国温度变化也呈一致;当印度洋海温距平偶极振荡时,中国东、西部的冬季气温也出现偶极变化的现象;印度洋海温偶极振荡正位相年时,东亚冬季风偏弱,中国东北部气温偏高.     

Local onset and demise of the Indian summer monsoon

This paper introduces an objective definition of local onset and demise of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) at the native grid of the Indian Meteorological Department’s rainfall analysis based on more than 100 years of rain gauge observations. The variability of the local onset/demise of the ISM is shown to be closely associated with the All India averaged rainfall onset/demise. This association is consistent with the corresponding evolution of the slow large-scale reversals of upper air and ocean variables that raise the hope of predictability of local onset and demise of the ISM. The local onset/demise of the ISM also show robust internannual variations associated with El Nino and the Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean dipole mode. It is also shown that the early monsoon rains over northeast India has a predictive potential for the following seasonal anomalies of rainfall and seasonal length of the monsoon over rest of India.

     

The regional nature of global challenges: a need and strategy for integrated regional modeling

Glaciers of the conterminous United States have been receding for the past century. Since 1900 the recession has varied from a 24 % loss in area (Mt. Rainier, Washington) to a 66 % loss in the Lewis Range of Montana. The rates of retreat are generally similar with a rapid loss in the early decades of the 20th century, slowing in the 1950s–1970s, and a resumption of rapid retreat starting in the 1990s. Decadal estimates of changes in glacier area for a subset of 31 glaciers from 1900 to 2000 are used to test a snow water equivalent model that is subsequently employed to examine the effects of temperature and precipitation variability on annual glacier area changes for these glaciers. Model results indicate that both winter precipitation and winter temperature have been important climatic factors affecting the variability of glacier variability during the 20th Century. Most of the glaciers analyzed appear to be more sensitive to temperature variability than to precipitation variability. However, precipitation variability is important, especially for high elevation glaciers. Additionally, glaciers with areas greater than 1 km² are highly sensitive to variability in temperature.     

我国南方地区初秋气温的年际变化特征及影响因子分析

利用1979–2021年NCEP2.5°×2.5°、MOHC1°×1°海洋等资料,通过经验正交函数（EOF）分解、合成分析和相关分析等方法,分析了我国南方地区初秋气温的年际变化特征及其相关的大气和海洋异常。结果表明：（1）我国南方地区初秋气温主要表现为一致变化型和经向偶极变化型两种模态。（2）一致变化空间型主要受到高纬度西伯利亚高压和东亚大槽以及中低纬度地区的副热带高压和近地面风的共同影响,而经向偶极变化型则主要受到我国东北地区与我国长江下游流域对流层位势高度反位相变化的影响。（3）一致变化空间型与前期冬季我国邻近海域以及赤道印度洋和东太平洋地区海温异常、鄂霍茨克海和拉布拉多海海冰异常有关,经向偶极变化型则与前期冬季赤道中东太平洋的海温异常、鄂霍茨克海和巴伦支海海冰异常有关。     

Impact of Mascarene High variability on the East African ‘short rains’

The interannual variability of East African ‘short rains’ (EASR) and its link with the Mascarene High (MH) variation are explored, using observations and reanalysis data. Correlation and composite analyses for flood and drought events reveal that the EASR variability is strongly linked to the MH zonal displacement, in particular, the zonal movement of the MH eastern ridge. When the MH eastern ridge is anomalously displaced to the west (east) of its normal position, the south east (SE) trade winds over the South Indian Ocean (SIO) anomalously strengthen (weaken). This enhances (reduces) the relatively cool and dry SE trade winds and induces cold (warm) sea surface temperature anomaly in the SIO. As a result, convection over the western equatorial SIO is suppressed (enhanced) and leads to rainfall deficits (excess) over East Africa. Droughts in East Africa are associated with a westward migration of the MH eastern ridge, while the relationship is less clear for flood events and their link to an eastward migration of the MH. Therefore, the zonal migration of the MH eastern ridge provides a novel indicator for the EASR extremes especially droughts. This revelation has immense social application for rainfall forecast over East Africa where rainfall deficits have become more prevalent against the background of deteriorating conventional forecasts for EASR droughts.     

天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川消融对气候变化的响应

Current glacier recession under the global warming has aroused world-wide attention.Initiated from 1958,the observations show that over the past 50 years,the glacier has changed remarkably in the aspects of snow-firn stratigraphy,ice formation zone,ice temperature,area and terminus position,etc.These changes are apparently the results of temperature rise in this area.The glacier recession continued throughout the entire observed time period,and showed an accelerated tendency since 1985.Meltwater runoff also increased 84.2% over the last 20 years.     

中国东部冬季温度异常偶极型模态的一个前兆信号

利用中国160站逐月温度、NCEP再分析、NOAA-CIRES 20世纪再分析以及NOAA海表温度等资料,分析了中国东部（100°E以东地区）冬季温度年际变化的主要模态,并重点研究了其中第2模态（即偶极型模态）的成因机理和前期信号。同时,也以2012～2013年冬季为例,探讨了这一温度异常模态的预测方法。研究主要发现:除中国东部大范围一致偏冷或偏暖模态以外,110°E以东的北方地区偏冷（暖）还经常对应着华南和110°E以西地区的偏暖（冷）,构成温度异常反向变化的偶极型模态。这种偶极型模态也是冬季气候变化的一个主要模态,2012～2013年冬季温度异常即属于这一模态。中国东部冬季温度一致型模态主要与前期秋季中东太平洋海温异常、亚洲大陆北部积雪,及其邻近的北冰洋地区海冰密集度异常联系紧密。而对于偶极型模态,海温的影响并不明显,前期秋季的东亚中纬度地区积雪、北冰洋斯瓦尔巴群岛、法兰士约瑟夫地群岛附近海域的海冰密集度异常,以及它们引起的表面温度异常分布可能具有重要贡献,其中北冰洋海冰密集度异常导致的该地区表面温度异常的影响可能更为重要。综合了海冰和积雪信号的前期秋季北冰洋—东亚温度差异（Arctic Ocean-East Asian temperature contrast,简称AE）指数与中国东部冬季温度异常偶极型模态具有显著联系,可以作为一个重要的预测因子。2012年秋季赤道中东太平洋海温的正常状态以及北冰洋暖异常和东亚中纬度地区冷异常的表面温度分布特征,都不利于中国东部冬季温度南北一致型异常的发生,而是有利于偶极型异常分布。利用AE指数可以有效地预测2012～2013年中国东部冬季温度异常特征。     

Climate variability over the Greater Horn of Africa based on NCAR AGCM ensemble

Summary The variability and extreme wet anomalies in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) climate are investigated based on a multi-year National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) AGCM ensemble data. While the GCM ensemble average reproduces realistic inter-annual variability of rainfall pattern over the GHA sub-region compared to observations, there is a distinct northward shift in the simulated regions of rainfall maxima throughout the season. However, in agreement with observations and many previous studies, the inter-annual variability derived from leading mode of EOF analysis is dominated by ENSO-related fluctuations. On the other hand, the spatial pattern corresponding to the second mode (EOF2) exhibits a unique dipole rainfall anomaly pattern (wet/dry conditions) over the northern/southern halves of our domain during all the three months of the short rains season. When the 3–10 year periodicity is filtered out from the 40-year EOF2 time series of the ensemble mean data, three distinct quasi-decadal regimes in the rainfall anomalies is exhibited for both monthly and seasonal mean data. It is also evident from our results that a combination of anomalous surface and mid-tropospheric flow from northwestern and eastern Atlantic Ocean and easterly flow from the Indian Ocean played a significant role in setting up the non-ENSO related 1961 floods. Coversely, during the ENSO-related 1997 floods, the mid-troposheric flow was characterized by anomalous westerly flow originating from the Congo rainforest that converged with the flow from Indian Ocean along the East Africa coast and over eastern/northeastern Kenya. The anomalous moisture flux convergence/divergence in both the ensemble and NCEP reanalysis is also consistent with the mid-trospheric flow anomalies that are associated with the two wet events.     

The Arctic Amplification Debate

Rises in surface air temperature (SAT) in response to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are expected to be amplified in northern high latitudes, with warming most pronounced over the Arctic Ocean owing to the loss of sea ice. Observations document recent warming, but an enhanced Arctic Ocean signal is not readily evident. This disparity, combined with varying model projections of SAT change, and large variability in observed SAT over the 20th century, may lead one to question the concept of Arctic amplification. Disparity is greatly reduced, however, if one compares observed trajectories to near-future simulations (2010–2029), rather than to the doubled-CO₂ or late 21st century conditions that are typically cited. These near-future simulations document a preconditioning phase of Arctic amplification, characterized by the initial retreat and thinning of sea ice, with imprints of low-frequency variability. Observations show these same basic features, but with SATs over the Arctic Ocean still largely constrained by the insulating effects of the ice cover and thermal inertia of the upper ocean. Given the general consistency with model projections, we are likely near the threshold when absorption of solar radiation during summer limits ice growth the following autumn and winter, initiating a feedback leading to a substantial increase in Arctic Ocean SATs.     

Intraseasonal and interannual zonal circulations over the Equatorial Indian Ocean

El Ni?o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and given phases of the Madden?CJulian Oscillation (MJO) show similar regional signatures over the Equatorial Indian Ocean, consisting in an enhancement or reversing of the convective and dynamic zonal gradients between East Africa and the Maritime Continent of Indonesia. This study analyses how these two modes of variability add or cancel their effects at their respective timescales, through an investigation of the equatorial cellular circulations over the central Indian Ocean. Results show that (1) the wind shear between the lower and upper troposphere is related to marked regional rainfall anomalies and is embedded in larger-scale atmospheric configurations, involving the Southern Oscillation; (2) the intraseasonal (30?C60?days) and interannual (4?C5?years) timescales are the most energetic frequencies that modulate these circulations, confirming the implication of the MJO and ENSO; (3) extreme values of the Indian Ocean wind shear result from the combination of El Ni?o and the MJO phase enhancing atmospheric convection over Africa, or La Ni?a and the MJO phase associated with convective activity over the Maritime Continent. Consequences for regional rainfall anomalies over East Africa and Indonesia are then discussed.