Interannual variability of the South Pacific Ocean in observations and simulated by the NCEP Climate Forecast System,version 2

The mechanism of the South Pacific Ocean Dipole (SPOD) mode is examined, using a 50-year simulation of the Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2) and 50-year observation-based ocean–atmosphere analyses (1961–2010). It is shown that the SPOD, a sea surface temperatures (SST) seesaw between the subtropics and extratropics, is the dominant mode of the interannual variability in the South Pacific in both observations and CFSv2 simulation. CFSv2 also reproduces the seasonal phase-locking of the observed SPOD, with the anomaly pattern developing in austral spring, peaking in summer, and decaying in autumn. Composite analyses based on both observational and model data suggest that in the warm phase of SPOD, positive SST anomaly (SSTA) is initiated by weakened westerly winds over the central South Pacific in austral spring, which suppress the surface evaporative heat loss and reduce the oceanic mixed layer depth, both contributing to the SST warming. The wind-SST-mixed layer anomalies then evolve coherently over the next two seasons while the cold SSTA develops to the north. The wind perturbations are in turn a response to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which forces an atmospheric planetary wave train, the Pacific-South American pattern, emanating from an anomalous heat source in the tropical western Pacific. Moreover, SPOD is significantly correlated with the southern annular mode (SAM) while the latter is also significantly correlated with the ENSO index. This suggests that ENSO’s influence on the SPOD may be partially conveyed through SAM.     

PRINCIPAL MODES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC SSTA IN JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST AND THEIR RELATIONS TO ENSO AND SAM

The relationships of variations of sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the South Pacific with ENSO and Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode (SAM) are examined in the present article by employing the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis from 1951 to 2006. Two principal modes of South Pacific SSTA are obtained using the EOF (Empirical Orthogonal Function) analysis for austral winter (June, July and August). Our results suggest that EOF1 is closely related with ENSO and EOF2 links to SAM. The EOF1 varies largely on an interannual and EOF2 on a decadal scale. The time series of coefficients of EOF1 is highly correlated simultaneously with Nino3 index. However, the time series of coefficients of EOF2 is significantly correlated with the March-April-May mean SAM index. Both the EOF1 and EOF2 are found in significant correlation to summer precipitation over China. With higher-than-normal SSTs in the eastern South Pacific and simultaneously lower SSTs in the western South Pacific in June-July-August, the summertime rainfall is found to be less than normal in northern China. As displayed in EOF2 of SSTA, in years with lower-than-normal SSTs in mid-latitude southern and equatorial eastern Pacific and higher-than-normal SSTs in the equatorial middle Pacific in March-April-May, the summer precipitation in August tends to be more than normal in regions south of Yangtze River.     

Evaluation of the performance of CMIP5 and CMIP6 models in simulating the South Pacific Quadrupole-ENSO relationship

先前的观测研究表明,南太平洋四极子海温模态(SPQ)可以有效地作为ENSO的前兆信号.本文利用20个CMIP6模式及其对应的20个先前的CMIP5模式的工业化前气候模拟试验数据,评估和比较了CMIP6以及CMIP5模式对SPQ与ENSO的关系的模拟能力.结果表明,大多数CMIP5和CMIP6模式可以合理地模拟SPQ的基...     

The Interdecadal Changes of South Pacific Sea Surface Temperature in the Mid-1990s and Their Connections with ENSO简

The characteristic changes of South Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTAs） for the period January 1979 to December 2011, during which the 1990s Pacific pan-decadal variability （PDV） interdecadal regime shifts occurred, were examined. Empirical Orthogonal Function （EOF） analysis was applied to the monthly mean SSTA for two sub-periods： January 1979 to December 1994 （P 1） and January 1996 to December 2011 （P2）. Both the spatial and temporal features of the leading EOF mode for P1 and P2 showed a remarkable difference. The spatial structure of the leading EOF changed from a tripolar pattern for P 1 （EOF-P 1） to a dipole-like pattern for P2 （EOF-P2）. Besides, EOF-P 1 （EOF-P2） had significant spectral peaks at 4.6 yr （2.7 yr）. EOF-P2 not only had a closer association with E1 Nifio-Southern Oscillation （ENSO）, but also showed a faster response to ENSO than EOF-P1 based on their lead-lag relationships with ENSO. During the development of ENSO, the South Pacific SSTA associated with ENSO for both PI and P2 showed a significant eastward propagation. However, after the peak of ENSO, EOF-P1 showed a stronger persistence than EOF-P2, which still showed eastward propagation. The variability of the SSTA associated with the whole process of ENSO evolution during P1 and the SSTA associated with the development of ENSO during P2 support the existence of ocean-to-atmosphere forcing, but the SSTA associated with the decay of ENSO shows the phenomenon of atmosphere-to-ocean forcing.     

Interdecadal variability of the ENSO teleconnection to the wintertime North Pacific

The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences the large-scale atmospheric circulation over the extratropical North Pacific during boreal winter, which has an important impact on North American winter climate. This study analyses the interdecadal variability of the ENSO teleconnection to the wintertime extratropical North Pacific, over the period 1900–2010, using a range of observationally derived datasets and an ensemble of atmospheric model simulations. The observed teleconnection strength is found to vary substantially over the 20th century. Specifically, 31-year periods in the early-century (1912–1942), mid-century (1946–1976) and the late-century (1980–2010) are identified in the observations when the ENSO teleconnection to the North Pacific circulation are found to be particularly strong, weak and strong respectively. The ENSO teleconnection to the North Pacific in the atmospheric model ensemble is weak in the mid-century period and substantially stronger in the late-century, closely following the variability in the observed ENSO-North Pacific teleconnection. In the early-century, however, the atmospheric model also exhibits a weak teleconnection to the North Pacific, unlike in observations. In a subset of the model realisations that exhibit similar ENSO-North Pacific teleconnection as in observations during the early-century period there are large differences in extratropical circulation but not in equatorial Pacific precipitation anomalies, in contrast to the late-century period. This suggests that the high correlation in the early century period is largely due to internal extratropical variability. The important implications of these results for seasonal predictability and the assessment of seasonal forecasting systems are discussed.

     

Interdecadal Variability of the ENSO–North Pacific Atmospheric Circulation in Winter

The interdecadal change in the relationship between the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and atmospheric circulation over the North Pacific is investigated using both observational data and an atmospheric general circulation model. There are two prominent modes of winter mid-latitude atmospheric variability in the North Pacific: the West Pacific (WP) teleconnection and the Aleutian Low (AL). The relationship between ENSO and the WP-AL patterns changed notably around the late 1970s. From 1957 to 1975, during the mature phase of ENSO, significant sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) occurred, mainly in the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean; the associated atmospheric circulation anomaly pattern resembles the negative phase of a WP teleconnection pattern. In contrast, for the 1978–2011 period, significant negative SSTAs were observed in the western and extratropical Pacific in both hemispheres, with some significant positive SSTAs appearing over the eastern Pacific. This is in agreement with the defined regions of a mega-ENSO, the associated atmospheric circulation anomaly pattern resembles the AL mode. Further analysis suggests that a negative–positive anomaly pattern in the 500?hPa geopotential height throughout the entire North Pacific, possibly enhanced by the SSTAs in the extratropical North Pacific associated with the mature phase of ENSO, is responsible for modulating the relationship between ENSO and the North Pacific atmospheric circulation.     

Annual ENSO simulated in a coupled ocean–atmosphere model

Using an output from 200-year integration of the Scale Interaction Experiment of EU project-F1 model (SINTEX-F1), the annual ENSO reproduced in the coupled general circulation model is investigated, suggesting the importance of reproducing an annual cycle in realistically simulating ENSO events. Although many features of the annual ENSO are reproduced, the northward expansion of sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the eastern tropical Pacific stays south of the equator. It is suggested that this model bias is due to the excitation of the too strong Rossby waves in the southeastern tropical Pacific, which reflect at the western boundary and intrude into the eastern equatorial Pacific. The zonal wind stress anomaly along the equator also plays an important role in generating the equatorial Kelvin waves. The amplitude of SSTA for the annual ENSO mode is reproduced, but its variance is only 20% of the observation; this is again due to the lack of northward migration of seasonal SSTA in the equatorial region and weaker coastal Kelvin waves along South America. Remedies for the model bias are discussed.     

前冬澳大利亚周边海温与我国长江流域夏季降水的联系

利用1980～2012年Hadley中心的HadISST再分析海温资料、美国NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料和中国160站月平均降水资料,研究了前冬澳大利亚周边海温与长江流域夏季降水关系。研究表明,澳大利亚周边冬季逐月海表温度距平（SSTA）EOF分解第一模态具有全区一致模形式,澳大利亚周边海温一致模具有季节持续性,可从前一年冬季一直维持到当年的夏季。用Ni?o3.4指数剔除海温场中ENSO线性信号后,表明澳大利亚周边海温一致模可能是独立于ENSO位相的区域局地现象。基于冬季澳大利亚周边海温一致模形式,定义了表征长江流域夏季降水一致模指数（CMI）,对长江流域夏季降水具有一定的短期预测意义。澳大利亚周边海温一致模与长江流域夏季降水显著相关,一方面是因为澳大利亚周边海温异常能激发南北半球遥相关,造成西太平洋副热带高压异常,从而影响长江流域夏季降水;另一方面,澳大利亚周边海温异常导致热带地区南北半球对流异常,尤其使得菲律宾周边地区的对流活动异常,进而造成长江流域夏季降水异常。     

Influence of the Preceding Austral Summer Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode on the Amplitude of ENSO Decay

There is increasing evidence of the possible role of extratropical forcing in the evolution of ENSO.The Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode(SAM) is the dominant mode of atmospheric circulation in the Southern Hemisphere extratropics.This study shows that the austral summer(December–January–February; DJF) SAM may also influence the amplitude of ENSO decay during austral autumn(March–April–May;MAM).The mechanisms associated with this SAM–ENSO relationship can be briefly summarized as follows:The SAM is positively(negatively) correlated with SST in the Southern Hemisphere middle(high) latitudes.This dipole-like SST anomaly pattern is referred to as the Southern Ocean Dipole(SOD).The DJF SOD,caused by the DJF SAM,could persist until MAM and then influence atmospheric circulation,including trade winds,over the Nio3.4 area.Anomalous trade winds and SST anomalies over the Nio3.4 area related to the DJF SAM are further developed through the Bjerkness feedback,which eventually results in a cooling(warming) over the Nio3.4 area followed by the positive(negative) DJF SAM.     

热带西太平洋海温异常对东北亚阻塞形势影响的数值模拟

本文利用ＩＡＰ－ＡＧＣＭ模拟研究了实测海温异常和热带西太平洋假想海温异常对夏季东亚地区环流异常的影响,并与观测结果进行了比较,籍此间接地研究了海温异常对东北亚阻塞形势的影响。首先,利用１９８０年实测海温异常,分三种试验（全球海温异常试验、热带海温异常试验、热带外海温异常试验）模拟了该年７月和８月的大气环流异常,指出海温异常是致使东北亚阻塞形势得以形成和维持的一个重要原因,同时也表明在对东亚大气环流异常型的影响方面,热带海温异常比热带经温异常更为重要。此外,我们还模拟研究了热带西太平洋的假想海温异常对东亚大气环流异常的影响,表明了热带西太平浃海温负异常对东北亚阻塞形势形成和维持有着重要作用     

滤除ENSO信号前后夏季热带印度洋海盆尺度海温距平对西太平洋副热带高压的不同影响

使用NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、哈得来海表温度和中国国家气候中心的西太平洋副热带高压（西太副高）特征指数,对比分析了ENSO背景下的夏季印度洋海盆尺度模（Indian Ocean basin mode,IOBM）与独立于ENSO的纯IOBM（pure Indian Ocean basin mode,IOBM_P）对西太副高的影响机理。结果表明,滤除前期ENSO信号后,西北太平洋上为海温负距平,并在其西北侧强迫出Gill型反气旋。另外,印度洋与海洋性大陆间存在西高东低的海温距平梯度,印度洋正、负海温距平激发出的赤道开尔文波影响至海洋性大陆西部地区,强迫出的异常大气环流关于赤道基本对称。加之此时中国南海至西北太平洋地区降水偏弱,潜热释放偏少,从而非绝热冷却,导致西太副高异常偏强、偏南。而在前期厄尔尼诺的影响下,次年夏季印度洋与海洋性大陆地区均有利于出现海温正距平,开尔文波的影响偏强、偏东,强迫出的异常环流偏向北半球,通过“埃克曼抽吸”和非绝热冷却在对流层低层制造出异常负涡度进而影响西太副高,使其明显偏强、偏西、偏南。由于IOBM_P在2和8年周期上对西太副高的影响最明显,而ENSO信号中主要是3—7 a的短周期振荡,因此,ENSO背景下的印度洋变暖对西太副高的遥强迫实际包含了来自热带中太平洋的3—7 a周期信号的滞后影响和印度洋地区局地变化特别是2和8年周期变化的作用。这些结果为人们深入理解西太副高变化规律和做出有效预报提供了线索。      

前冬印度洋海盆一致模对ENSO衰减期华南春季降水的影响

利用逐月台站观测降水、HadISST1.1海温和ERA5大气再分析资料,研究了前冬印度洋海盆一致模（Indian Ocean Basin,IOB）对华南春季降水（SCSR）与ENSO关系的影响,并分析了IOB通过调控ENSO环流异常进而影响SCSR的可能机制。结果表明:当前冬El Ni?o（La Ni?a）与IOB暖（冷）位相同时发生时,SCSR显著增多（减少）;而当El Ni?o或La Ni?a单独发生而IOB处于中性时,SCSR并无明显多寡倾向。其原因在于,当El Ni?o与IOB暖相位并存时,前冬热带印度洋和赤道中东太平洋均为正海温异常（Sea-Surface Temperature Anomaly,SSTA）,且印度洋SSTA强度可一直维持至春季。在对流层低层,春季赤道中东太平洋的正SSTA激发出异常西北太平洋反气旋（Western North Pacific Anticyclone,WNPAC）。而热带印度洋的正SSTA在副热带印度洋激发出赤道南北反对称环流,赤道以北的东风异常有利于异常WNPAC西伸;赤道以南的西风异常与来自赤道西太平洋的东风异常在东印度洋辐合上升,气流至西北太平洋下沉,形成经向垂直环流,有利于春季WNPAC维持。在对流层高层,印度洋的正SSTA在热带印度洋上空激发出位势高度正异常,随之形成的气压经向梯度加强了东亚高空副热带西风急流,进而在华南上空形成异常辐散环流。WNPAC的西伸和加强可为华南提供充足的水汽,同时高空辐散在华南引发水汽上升运动,共同导致SCSR正异常。而若El Ni?o发生时IOB处于中性状态,El Ni?o相关的SSTA衰减较快,春季WNPAC不显著,SCSR无明显多寡趋势。      

春季北大西洋三极型海温异常变化及其与NAO和ENSO的联系

利用1951—2016年HadISST逐月海表温度(Sea Surface Temperature,SST)资料,NCEP/NCAR再分析资料以及1958—2016年美国伍兹霍尔海洋研究所(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,WHOI)提供的OAFlux数据集,运用经验正交函数分解(Empirical Orthogonal Function,EOF)和偏相关分析等统计方法,研究了春季北大西洋海温异常的主要特征及其与春季NAO和前期冬季ENSO联系。结果表明:春季北大西洋海温异常EOF的第一模态是自北而南出现的三极结构的海温距平型,其方差贡献率为35.7%。春季北大西洋三极型海温异常的形成主要受到春季NAO主导作用,还受到前期冬季热带中东太平洋海温异常的影响。消除前期冬季Niňo3.4的影响后,春季北大西洋三极型海温异常指数与同期北大西洋涛动(North Atlantic Oscillation,NAO)指数的偏相关系数分别为0.50,通过了99%置信度水平的显著性检验。消除春季NAO的影响后,春季北大西洋三极型海温异常指数与前期冬季Niňo3.4指数的偏相关系数为-0.26,通过了95%信度水平的显著性检验。春季NAO正(负)位相引起的海表风场和海表湍流热通量的异常,进而激发出正(负)位相的北大西洋三极型海温异常。前期冬季ENSO事件可以引起春季大气环流异常和热带外海温异常,进而调制春季NAO对北大西洋三极型海温异常的影响。     

Exploring the impacts of the tropical Pacific SST on the precipitation patterns over South America during ENSO periods

Summary Previous studies on precipitation over South America that strongly support the existence of links between precipitation and SST anomalies in the Pacific Ocean have identified specific regions where the ENSO signal is particularly stronger. Northeast of Brazil and some parts of southern South America are examples of these regions. However, the same attention was not taken to identify which regions in the Central and East Pacific ocean are better correlated with the South America precipitation during extreme ENSO events, and also which are the transition regions of the precipitation signal over South America during these events. Coincident periods of ENSO events for both SST over the tropical Pacific ocean and monthly precipitation sums from many observational stations over South America were selected and analyzed. Two statistical methods were used for the data analysis: Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Simple Linear Correlation (SLC). The SVD results for warmer events in the Pacific corroborate previous ones and also clearly identified a transition region between the drier conditions in the Northeast of Brazil and the wetter conditions in the Southeast/South of Brazil. Transition regions were also determined over Peru and central Amazon. The SLC results indicated that the SST anomalies in the tropical east Pacific ocean has the strongest influence in the South American precipitation during El Ni?o events. During La Ni?a events the central area of the Pacific, around 180°, has shown a more significant influence. Received August 10, 2000 Revised August 22, 2001     

海温异常对台风形成的影响

本文利用地球流体力学实验室(GFDL)的低分辨气候模式进行数值试验,以研究海温异常对台风形成的影响.试验采用恒定8月气候条件和海表温度(SST).海温异常(SSTA)被置于北太平洋不同区域.结果表明,台风生成频率在暖SSTA区明显增加.这是由于暖SSTA区低层辐合的增强一方面使低空气旋式环流和高空反气旋式环流加大,另一方面导致低层水汽向该区辐合,使潜热释放加强,对流加剧所致.此一机制被用于解释台风频率和ENSO事件的相关.在冷ENSO年份,西北和西南太平洋台风增多不仅是由于赤道东太平洋SST异常冷,还与西太平洋SST异常暖有关.     

春季南半球环状模与长江流域夏季降水的关系：Ⅱ 印度洋和南海海温的“海洋桥”作用

用回归、合成、相关、ESVD等方法分析了春夏季印度洋、南海海温异常在春季南半球环状模(SAM)与夏季长江中下游降水关系中的作用.研究发现春季南半球环状模指数(SAMI)正(负)异常时,同期南印度洋中高纬、北印度洋海域海温出现了明显正(负)异常,这种海温的正(负)异常在夏季依然存在,并且北印度洋的海温异常得到加强.对印度洋和南海海域详细划分区域后的进一步分析表明春季南半球热带外大气环流(SAM)异常可以强迫南印度洋中高纬海域海温发生明显异常.这种异常可以持续到夏季,而且表现出传播特性,即南印度洋中高纬海温异常可以传播到北印度洋(包括阿拉伯海和孟加拉湾)和南海海域,加强这些海域的海温异常.对东亚夏季风与夏季海温关系的分析表明东亚夏季风异常对应的夏季北印度洋、南海海温异常与春季SAM异常对应的夏季北印度洋、南海海温异常的形势相似,符号相反.说明印度洋、南海海温是春季SAM影响夏季长江中下游降水的一个"桥梁".基本思路为强(弱)春季SAM可以引起南印度洋中高纬海域海温的偏高(偏低);南印度洋中高纬海域偏高(偏低)的海温从春季持续到夏季并且传播到阿拉伯海、孟加拉湾、南海海域;这些海区偏高(偏低)的海温可以导致东亚夏季风减弱(加强),而东亚夏季风减弱(加强)是长江中下游降水偏多(偏少)的一种有利条件.     

The interannual leading modes of the extratropical variability in the Southern Hemisphere simulated by the ECHAM-4 atmospheric model

 An ensemble of twenty-three 14-year experiments conducted with the ECHAM-4 GCM has been examined to test the model's capability to simulate the principal modes of interannual variability. The integrations were performed under specified monthly SST between 1979–1993. The analysis was focused on the Southern Hemisphere (SH) extratropics. Empirical orthogonal functions analysis (EOF) using seasonal anomaly fields has been performed to isolate the principal modes that dominate the southern extratropical variability at the interannual time scale. Leading patterns of 500 hPa geopotential height (z500) have been compared with those estimated from the ECMWF re-analysis dataset. The model is able to adequately reproduce the spatial pattern of the annular mode, but it represents the temporal variations of the oscillation less satisfactorily. The model simulation of the Pacific South American (PSA) pattern is better, both in the shape of the pattern and in the temporal evolution. To verify if the capability of the model to adequately simulate the temporal oscillation of the propagating patterns is related to the increased influence of the tropical external forcing, covarying SST-atmospheric modes have been identified by singular value decomposition (SVD). In winter (July-August-September, JAS) the tropical SST variability is highly correlated with the ENSO mode. In summer (January-February-March, JFM) the strength of the teleconnections is related to strong westerly anomalies, disrupted by a meridional out of phase relation near to South America. The large size of the ensemble was exploited by comparing the time-varying model spread and degrees of freedom of the simulated extratropical circulation. Results show that when the extratropical circulation has a few degrees of freedom, the reproducibility is relatively low and the ensemble is governed by a fairly robust zonally symmetric structure of dispersion. Received: 9 May 2000 / Accepted: 30 January 2001     

Decadal Changes in Interannual Dependence of the Bay of Bengal Summer Monsoon Onset on ENSO Modulated by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Interannual variations of the Bay of Bengal summer monsoon (BOBSM) onset in association with El Ni?o?Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are reexamined using NCEP1, JRA-55 and ERA20C atmospheric and Hadley sea surface temperature (SST) reanalysis datasets over the period 1900?2017. Decadal changes exist in the dependence of the BOBSM onset on ENSO, varying with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). A higher correlation between the BOBSM onset and ENSO arises during the warm PDO epochs, with distinct late (early) onsets following El Ni?o (La Ni?a) events. In contrast, less significant correlations occur during the cold PDO epochs. The mechanism for the PDO modulating the ENSO?BOBSM onset relationship is through the variations in SST anomaly (SSTA) patterns. During the warm PDO epochs, the superimpositions of the PDO-related and ENSO-related SSTAs lead to the SSTA distribution of an El Ni?o (La Ni?a) event exhibiting significant positive (negative) SSTAs over the tropical central?eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean along with negative (positive) SSTAs, especially over the tropical western Pacific (TWP), forming a strong zonal interoceanic SSTA gradient between the TWP and tropical Indian Ocean. Significant anomalous lower tropospheric easterlies (westerlies) together with upper-tropospheric westerlies (easterlies) are thus induced over the BOB, favoring an abnormally late (early) BOBSM onset. During the cold PDO epochs, however, the superimpositions of PDO-related SSTAs with El Ni?o-related (La Ni?a-related) SSTAs lead to insignificant SSTAs over the TWP and a weak zonal SSTA gradient, without distinct circulation anomalies over the BOB favoring early or late BOBSM onsets.     

The impact of combined ENSO and PDO on the PNA climate: a 1,000-year climate modeling study

This study analyzes the atmospheric response to the combined Pacific interannual ENSO and decadal–interdecadal PDO variability, with a focus on the Pacific-North American (PNA) sector, using a 1,000-year long integration of the Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCma) coupled climate model. Both the tropospheric circulation and the North American temperature suggest an enhanced PNA-like climate response and impacts on North America when ENSO and PDO variability are in phase. The anomalies of the centers of action for the PNA-like pattern are significantly different from zero and the anomaly pattern is field significant. In association with the stationary wave anomalies, large stationary wave activity fluxes appear in the mid-high latitudes originating from the North Pacific and flowing downstream toward North America. There are significant Rossby wave source anomalies in the extratropical North Pacific and in the subtropical North Pacific. In addition, the axis of the Pacific storm track shifts southward with the positive PNA. Atmospheric heating anomalies associated with ENSO variability are confined primarily to the tropics. There is an anomalous heating center over the northeast Pacific, together with anomalies with the same polarity in the tropical Pacific, for the PDO variability. The in-phase combination of ENSO and PDO would in turn provide anomalous atmospheric energy transports towards North America from both the Tropical Pacific and the North Pacific, which tends to favor the occurrence of stationary wave anomalies and would lead to a PNA-like wave anomaly structure. The modeling results also confirm our analysis based on the observational record in the twentieth century.     

Precipitation interannual variability in South America from the WCRP-CMIP3 multi-model dataset

The ability of coupled climate models from the WCRP-CMIP3 multi-model dataset to reproduce the interannual seasonal variability of precipitation in South America and the influence of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on such variability is examined. Models are able to reproduce the northward migration of the precipitation variability maximum during autumn and winter and its later return towards the south during spring and summer as well as the high variability throughout the year in southern Chile. Nevertheless, most of them have problems in representing accurately the variability associated with the South Atlantic convergence zone during summer and the typical maximum of variability in the subtropical continent during autumn and winter. The annular-like structure characteristic of the SAM influence on the Southern Hemisphere circulation is basically simulated by all models, but they have serious deficiencies in representing the observed relationship between SAM and both precipitation and circulation anomalies in South America. In addition, most of the models are not able to reproduce the typical wavetrains observed in the circulation anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere associated to ENSO. Only few models, previously identified as those with reasonable ENSO representation at the equatorial Pacific, have evidences of such wavetrains. Coherently, they exhibit the best representation of the ENSO signal in the South American precipitation. Results show that considerable improvement in the model representation of the climate variability in South America and in the associated large-scale teleconnections is still needed.