An index for tropical temperate troughs over southern Africa

Strong cases of the tropical temperate troughs (TTT) that are responsible for the most of the summer rainfall over subtropical southern Africa are analyzed. An index for identifying the TTT is introduced for the first time using anomalies of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and the wind. The TTT is associated with a ridge-trough-ridge wave-like structure in the lower troposphere over southern Africa and the adjoining Indian Ocean. Therefore, the index considers physical processes that occur over southern Africa, adjoining the Atlantic and Indian Oceans to depict the variability of the TTT events. Unusually strong TTT events are identified when the standard deviations of the TTT indices defined by the OLR and wind anomalies in the selected regions are above 1.5 and 0.5 respectively. After applying this criterion and filtering out consecutive events, 55 TTT events are identified during the study period of December–January–February seasons from 1980–1981 to 2009–2010. From the composite analyses of those 55 events, it is found that the TTTs evolve with suppressed (enhanced) convection over the southwest Indian Ocean adjacent to Madagascar (southern Africa). The suppressed convection is, in turn, found to be associated with the enhanced convection around Sumatra in the southeast tropical Indian Ocean. This may explain why more TTT events occur in La Niña years as compared to El Niño years. Time evolution of the canonical TTT event shows that it starts 3 days prior to the mature phase of the event, suggesting possible predictability. After reaching a matured state, the system moves east toward the Indian Ocean and decays within the subsequent couple of days. In addition, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) structure changes over Southern Africa/Madagascar during the TTT event and remains similar to climatology over other regions. The results indicate that the continental part of the ITCZ intensifies prior to the TTT event and then spreads southward following the mid-latitude influence during and after the event.     

初夏影响广西的南支西风槽

初夏(4—6月),广西常常受南支西风槽影响产生暴雨。有关南支槽的研究,各气象部门已有过不少总结。本文对影响广西初夏暴雨的南支槽进行分析,探讨初夏南支槽特征和活动规律。     

Divergent and non-divergent water vapour transport over southern Africa during wet and dry conditions

Summary Inter-seasonal and inter-annual variations of low-level tropospheric water vapour transport over southern Africa and adjacent oceans have been examined using the ECMWF III-B global analysis data set. Velocity potential and stream function analyses have been used to investigate differences between the large-scale circulation fields and the sources and sinks of water vapour over subtropical southern Africa in wet and dry early (October) and late (January) summer months. Water vapour transported over the region in early summer has been found to originate from both the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Transport takes place in a southerly direction over the subcontinent with eddy transport playing an important role only in early summer. During late summer transport is effected mainly by the mean circulation fields. At this time the tropical Indian Ocean becomes the most important source for water vapour. Variations in the intensity and position of the Walker and Hadley cells are important controls of moisture availability over southern Africa. Wet late summers are characterized by an anomalous Hadley cell over tropical and subtropical Africa such that excess vapour transport occurs across southern Africa from the north in the second half of the summer rainfall season. During dry late summers the vapour source region locates over the south-western Indian Ocean and diminished vapour transport takes place across southern Africa from the south east.With 8 Figures     

Impacts of convection schemes on simulating tropical-temperate troughs over southern Africa

This study examines southern African summer rainfall and tropical temperate troughs (TTTs) simulated with three versions of an atmospheric general circulation model differing only in the convection scheme. All three versions provide realistic simulations of key aspects of the summer (November–February) rainfall, such as the spatial distribution of total rainfall and the percentage of rainfall associated with TTTs. However, one version has a large bias in the onset of the rainy season. Results from self-organizing map (SOM) analysis on simulated daily precipitation data reveals that this is because the occurrence of TTTs is underestimated in November. This model bias is not related to westerly wind shear that provides favorable conditions for the development of TTTs. Rather, it is related to excessive upper level convergence and associated subsidence over southern Africa. Furthermore, the model versions are shown to be successful in capturing the observed drier (wetter) conditions over the southern African region during El Niño (La Niña) years. The SOM analysis reveals that nodes associated with TTTs in the southern (northern) part of the domain are observed less (more) often during El Niño years, while nodes associated with TTTs occur more frequently during La Niña years. Also, nodes associated with dry conditions over southern Africa are more (less) frequently observed during El Niño (La Niña) years. The models tend to perform better for La Niña events, because they are more successful in representing the observed frequency of different synoptic patterns.     

Multi-proxy summer and winter precipitation reconstruction for southern Africa over the last 200 years

This study presents the first consolidation of palaeoclimate proxy records from multiple archives to develop statistical rainfall reconstructions for southern Africa covering the last two centuries. State-of-the-art ensemble reconstructions reveal multi-decadal rainfall variability in the summer and winter rainfall zones. A decrease in precipitation amount over time is identified in the summer rainfall zone. No significant change in precipitation amount occurred in the winter rainfall zone, but rainfall variability has increased over time. Generally synchronous rainfall fluctuations between the two zones are identified on decadal scales, with common wet (dry) periods reconstructed around 1890 (1930). A strong relationship between seasonal rainfall and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the surrounding oceans is confirmed. Coherence among decadal-scale fluctuations of southern African rainfall, regional SST, SSTs in the Pacific Ocean and rainfall in south-eastern Australia suggest SST-rainfall teleconnections across the southern hemisphere. Temporal breakdowns of the SST-rainfall relationship in the southern African regions and the connection between the two rainfall zones are observed, for example during the 1950s. Our results confirm the complex interplay between large-scale teleconnections, regional SSTs and local effects in modulating multi-decadal southern African rainfall variability over long timescales.     

Circulation anomalies associated with tropical-temperate troughs in southern Africa and the south west Indian Ocean

Daily rainfall variability over southern Africa (SA) and the southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) during the austral summer months has recently been described objectively for the first time, using newly derived satellite products. The principle mode of variability in all months is a dipole structure with bands of rainfall orientated northwest to southeast across the region. These represent the location of cloud bands associated with tropical temperate troughs (TTT). This study objectively identifies major TTT events during November to February, and on the basis of composites off NCEP reanalysis data describes the associated atmospheric structure. The two phases of the rainfall dipole are associated with markedly contrasting circulation patterns. There are also pronounced intra-seasonal variations. In early summer the position of the temperate trough and TTT cloud band alternates between the SWIO and southwest Atlantic. In late summer the major TTT axis lies preferentially over the SWIO, associated with an eastward displacement in the Indian Ocean high. In all months, positive events, in which the TTT cloud band lies primarily over the SWIO, are associated with large-scale moisture flux anomalies, in which convergent fluxes form a pronounced poleward flux along the cloud band. This suggests that TTT events are a major mechanism of poleward transfer of energy and momentum. Moisture transport occurs along three principle paths: (1) the northern or central Indian Ocean (where anomalous fluxes extend eastward to the Maritime Continent), (2) south equatorial Africa and the equatorial Atlantic, (3) from the south within a cyclonic flow around the tropical-temperate trough. The relative importance of (2) is greatest in late summer. Thus, synoptic scale TTT events over SA/SWIO often result from large-scale planetary circulation patterns. Hovmoeller plots show that TTT development coincides with enhanced tropical convection between 10°–30°E (itself exhibiting periodicity of around 5 days), and often with convergence of eastward and westward propagating convection around 40°E. Harmonic analysis of 200 hPa geopotential anomalies show that TTT features are forced by a specific zonally asymmetric wave pattern, with wave 5 dominant or significant in all months except February when quasi-stationary waves 1, 2 and 3 dominate. These findings illustrate the importance of tropical and extratropical dynamics in understanding TTT events. Finally, it is suggested that in November–Januar TTT rainfall over SA/SWIO may be in phase with similar rainfall dipole structures observed in the South Pacific and South Atlantic convergence zones. Received: 11 August 1998 / Accepted: 28 May 1999     

长江中下游地区冬夏干湿韵律特征分析

通过分析中国160站1952—2013年的月平均降水观测资料,揭示了长江中下游地区冬季和夏季降水间存在显著的韵律现象,即当该地区冬季降水异常偏少(偏多)时,次年夏季降水也趋于异常偏少(偏多),这里称之为干(湿)韵律现象。对干、湿韵律年大气环流背景的分析结果显示,干韵律年和湿韵律年对应的环流形势基本相反:在干(湿)韵律年冬季,东亚地区500 hPa位势高度距平呈现西高东低(东高西低)的分布型,中国南方东部主要受偏北(南)风异常控制,这不利(有利)于低纬度暖湿气流向长江中下游地区输送,导致该地区冬季降水异常偏少(多);在次年夏季,西北太平洋副热带高压异常偏弱(强),不利(有利)于西南暖湿气流向中国东部地区输送,使得长江中下游地区夏季降水也异常偏少(多)。研究进一步指出,长江中下游地区的冬夏干、湿韵律现象与东亚冬夏季风活动的强度密切相关。干、湿韵律现象多在东亚冬夏季风强度变化一致的情况下出现:冬、夏季风一致偏强时多导致干韵律现象,而一致偏弱时易导致湿韵律现象。     

中国南方夏半年湿期概率特征及其极值风险分析

以中国南方诸代表站近40 a(1965—2004年)夏季(5—9月)逐日降水资料为研究对象,探讨了夏半年各站湿期游程及其极端值的概率分布最佳模式。在对各站湿期游程分别验证指数分布的基础上,作耿贝尔(Gumbel)极值分布和广义帕雷托分布(GPD)拟合,进而对两者的拟合效果进行比较。并由此对湿期长度估计其不同重现期(如20 a一遇、50 a一遇和100 a一遇)的极端湿期长度的分位数概率。经K-S方法的统计检验,证明GPD分布拟合效果较好,能更加精确的模拟出中国南方夏季的极端连雨日数及其概率。     

A composite study of early summer squall lines and their environment over West Africa

Summary Composites of synoptic reports and wind observations in a coordinate system moving with the squall lines over the WAMEX area in June 1979 allow us to show the average structure of the airflow, the moisture and temperature fields in the synoptic scale environment of West African continental squall lines.The monsoon front, the African Easterly Jet, the easterly waves, and the squall lines interact and produce the observed air flow patterns. The results of the composite enalysis reveal a northward surge of the monsoonal air masses in the rear of the squall lines thus providing favorable conditions for the generation of new squall lines.With 14 Figures     

Relationship over southern China between the summer rainfall induced by tropical cyclones and that by monsoon

本文分析华南夏季风降水(P_(SM))与热带气旋降水(P_(TC))在年际和年代际尺度上的物理联系,结果表明:在年际变化上,华南P_(SM)与P_(TC)呈显著负相关。南海-西北太平洋的气旋性涡度和相对湿度增加以及垂直风切变减弱,有利于更多的热带气旋生成,从而使得华南P_(TC)增加。同时异常增暖的赤道中太平洋SST和异常偏冷的北印度洋SST会激发南海-西太平洋异常气旋,加之中国东部-日本异常反气旋的作用,使得华南P_(SM)减少。在年代际尺度上,华南P_(SM)与P_(TC)呈显著正相关,在1990s初华南P_(SM)与P_(TC)明显增加。其中,南海生成的热带气旋对华南P_(TC)年代际增多有重要贡献。前期冬春季西太平洋持续异常偏暖的SST会通过垂直环流的作用引起热带印度洋SST增暖并持续到夏季,之后偏暖的热带印度洋SST又反馈作用于西北太平洋异常反气旋,使得华南P_(SM)增加。1990s初南海夏季风爆发年代际偏早,促使华南上空的大气显热源从5月持续增加至夏季,从而有助于东亚副热带夏季风的增强和华南P_(SM)增加。     

Moisture transport between the South Atlantic Ocean and southern Africa: relationships with summer rainfall and associated dynamics

Moisture exchange between the South Atlantic and southern Africa is examined in this study through zonal moisture transport. Along the west coast of southern Africa, a multivariate analysis of the zonal flow of moisture computed from NCEP-DOE AMIP II Re-analyses reveals a primary mode of variability typical of variations in intensity and of the latitudinal migration of the circulation associated with the midlatitude westerlies and the South Atlantic anticyclone. In austral summer (January–February), this mode, referred to as the South Atlantic midlatitude mode, is found to be well correlated with rainfall over southern Africa (i.e. to the south of the upper lands surrounding the Congo basin). Its positive/negative phases are found to correspond with surface pressures changes over the South Atlantic region in austral summer when the South Atlantic anticyclone is shifted northward/southward respectively. Such changes are accompanied by dipole-like SST anomalies in the midlatitude South Atlantic Ocean, while simultaneous SST anomalies with a similar structure are also found over South Indian Ocean regions. In January–February, positive/negative events linked to the South Atlantic midlatitude mode are marked by meridional shifts (northward/southward) and weakening/strengthening of the ITCZ over the southern tropics, together with modulations in intensity (weakened/sustained) of the Angola low, which could act as a tropical source of moisture for Tropical Temperate Troughs (TTTs). In association with a strengthened/weakened zonal component of the southern extension of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ), this could modulate the meridional transfer of moisture south of 15°S to the advantage/detriment of Angolan coastal regions, where above/below rainfall are expected. Variations in the latitudinal position (northward/southward) of the South Atlantic anticyclone, and thus of the midlatitude westerlies, are also found to reduce/favour moisture advection towards southern Africa subtropics allowing the southern Indian trades to penetrate less/more over the subcontinent south of 25°S. This would create a situation where convection processes are inhibited/supported within the SICZ/TTTs region resulting in drier/wetter conditions locally for positive/negative events respectively.     

Onset of the summer monsoon over the southern Vietnam and its predictability

The summer monsoon onset over southern Vietnam is determined through a new criterion based on both in situ daily rainfall at six selected stations provided by the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Vietnam, and the zonal component of the wind at 1,000 hPa from the National Center for Environmental Prediction/Department of Energy Reanalysis 2. Over the period 1979–2004, the summer monsoon onset mean date is on 12 May, with a standard deviation of 11.6 days. The temporal and spatial structures of the atmospheric conditions prevailing during the onset period are detailed. Clear changes are seen in the zonal wind (strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and changed from negative to positive over South Vietnam) and in convection (deeper), in association with an intensification of the meridional gradients of sea level pressure at 1,000 hPa and of moist static energy at 2 m over Southeast Asia. The predictability of onset dates is then assessed. Cross-validated hindcasts based upon four predictors linked to robust signals in the atmospheric dynamics are then provided. They are highly significant when compared to observations (56% of common variance). Basically, late (early) onsets are preceded in March–April by higher (lower) sea level pressure over the East China Sea, stronger (weaker) southeasterly winds over southern Vietnam, decreasing (increasing) deep convection over the Bay of Bengal, and the reverse situation over Indonesia (120–140°E, 0–10°S).     

Composite climatic patterns associated with extreme modes of summer rainfall over southern Africa: 1975–1984

Summary Climatic patterns associated with extreme modes of summer rainfall over southern Africa are investigated using composite techniques. Differences between the wet summers of the mid-1970s and the dry summers of the early 1980s are highlighted. In dry summers both the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) are negatively biased. Composite difference fields of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), sea surface temperature (SST), and upper and lower tropospheric wind are analysed. The OLR difference field indicates the widespread nature of convective variations with a consistent sign in the domain 15–33° S, 0–40° E. An area of opposing sign is conspicuous over the southwest Indian Ocean and represents a dipole, whereby wet summers over southern Africa coincide with dry summers over the adjacent ocean. This dipole behaviour is an expression of the primary mode of interannual climatic variability in the region. SST composite differences are negative over a wide portion of the central equatorial Indian Ocean and SE Atlantic, and positive to the south of Africa where the Agulhas Current flows. Wind composites reveal distinctive circulation differences in the extreme summers considered. In the tropical zone off the east coast of Africa difference vectors indicate upper westerly and lower easterly circulation anomalies, and distinguish a pathway for moist Indian Ocean air. A deep anticyclonic gyre is located over the region of positive SST differences in the sub-tropics to the SE of Africa. The identification of climatic patterns in extreme summers offers some useful guidelines in seasonal forecasts.With 6 Figures     

Water vapour transport from the tropical Atlantic and summer rainfall in tropical southern Africa

An empirical orthogonal functions analysis of the onshore flow of moisture along the west coast of southern Africa using NCEP-DOE AMIP II Re-analyses suggests two dominant modes of variability that are linked to (a) variations in the circulation linked with the South Atlantic anticyclone (b) the intensity of the flow that penetrates from the tropical Atlantic. The second mode, referred as the Equatorial Westerly mode, contributes the most to moisture input from the Atlantic onto the subcontinent at tropical latitudes. Substantial correlations in austral summer between the Atlantic moisture flux in the tropics and rainfall over the upper lands surrounding the Congo basin suggest the potential role played by this zonal mode of water vapour transport. Composites for austral summer months when this Equatorial Westerly mode had a particularly strong expression, show an enhanced moisture input at tropical latitudes that feeds into the deep convection occurring over the Congo basin. Sustained meridional energy fluxes result in above normal rainfall east and south of the Congo belt. During years of reduced equatorial westerly moisture flux, a deficit of available humidity occurs in the southern tropics. A concomitant eastward shift of deep convection to the southwest Indian ocean and southeastern Africa, leads to below normal rainfall over the uplands surrounding the Congo basin.     

华南黑碳气溶胶浓度与南海夏季风关系的年代际突变

利用重建的华南区域黑碳气溶胶(Black Carbon,BC)浓度资料,分析其与南海夏季风在年际尺度上的关系.结果 表明,华南区域BC浓度与南海夏季风的关系在2000年前后有明显的突变,由显著负相关变为显著正相关,即由高BC浓度弱季风变为高BC浓度强季风.通过合成对比分析,发现1988-1999年(第一时间段)的华南B...     

Kinematic properties of the mean circulation over southern Africa

Summary Harmonic analysis is used to study the temporal and spatial distributions of monthly-mean zonal and meridional wind components, and their standard deviations, above southern African radiosonde stations. Thermal and mechanical influences of the underlying subcontinent have substantial impacts on the form of the flow. Below the plateau inversion mechanical effects are the predominant influence but above inversion levels winds are primarily modified by spatially-varying pressure gradients related to differential surface-atmosphere heat fluxes. The flow below is decoupled from that above the coastal inversion, as is the flow across the plateau inversion. Two independent high pressure systems influence the circulation of either side of the coastal inversion. Two standing waves may be detected above the inversion. The first, modulated on an annual cycle, is marked by a local Hadley Cell over the west coast and a local Ferrel Cell over the east coast. The second, modulated on a semi-annual cycle, is marked by meridional component reversals over the interior of the subcontinent. With these reversals there is a shift in the latitude of the subtropical jet.With 13 Figures