平流层准两年变化对南海夏季风影响机制的探讨

利用美国大气研究中心(the National Center for Atmospheric Research, NCAR)的中层大气模式模拟了平流层准两年振荡(Quasi-Biennial Oscillation, QBO)过程对对流层顶和对流层上层的影响, 并结合NCEP(the National Centers for Environmental Prediction)/NCAR、欧洲中期天气预报中心(European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, ECMWF)月平均的风场资料和实际的探空观测资料, 分析了平流层QBO对南海夏季风的影响作用. 结果表明: 平流层QBO会引起平流层的异常经向环流并向下传播, 在QBO位相的中后期和位相转换期影响到对流层顶和对流层上层, 使热带和低纬度的对流层上层形成异常的经向气压梯度, 最终在夏季的对流层热带地区激发出不同类型的异常环流—西风位相时, 激发出与南海夏季风环流相反的异常环流, 在南海地区有显著的异常下沉运动, 对南海夏季风有削弱作用; 东风位相时, 激发出反Hadley环流型的异常环流, 在南海地区有明显的异常上升气流, 对南海夏季风有加强的效果. 虽然QBO对南海夏季风经向环流有影响, 但它并不是决定南海夏季风准两年变化的唯一因子.     

南海夏季风爆发与南大洋海温变化之间的联系

利用1979-2009年NCEP第二套大气再分析资料和ERSST海温资料,分析南海夏季风爆发时间的年际和年代际变化特征,考察南海夏季风爆发早晚与南大洋海温之间的联系.主要结果为:(1)南海夏季风爆发时间年际和年代际变化明显,1979-1993年与1994-2009年前后两个阶段爆发时间存在阶段性突变;(2)南海夏季风爆发时间与前期冬季(12-1月)印度洋-南大洋(0-80°E,75°S-50°S)海温、春季(2-3月)太平洋-南大洋(170°E -80°W,75°S-50°S)海温都存在正相关关系,当前期冬、春季南大洋海温偏低(高)时,南海夏季风爆发偏早(晚).南大洋海温信号,无论是年际还是年代际变化,都对南海夏季风爆发具有一定的预测指示作用;(3)南大洋海温异常通过海气相互作用和大气遥相关影响南海夏季风爆发的迟早.当南大洋海温异常偏低(偏高)时,冬季南极涛动偏强(偏弱),同时通过遥相关作用使热带印度洋-西太平洋地区位势高度偏低(偏高)、纬向风加强(减弱),热带大气这种环流异常一直维持到春季4、5月份,位势高度和纬向风异常范围逐步向北扩展并伴随索马里越赤道气流的加强(减弱),从而为南海夏季风爆发偏早(偏晚)提供有利的环流条件.初步分析认为,热带大气环流对南大洋海气相互作用的遥响应与半球际大气质量重新分布引起的南北涛动有关.     

青藏高原冬春积雪对长江流域夏季降水的影响

本文根据青藏高原主体72个气象站日测资料建立的积雪序列分析了高原积雪对长江流域夏季降水的影响,高原冬春积雪异常与长江流域汛期特别是6、7月降水呈显著的正相关关系.青藏高原冬春多雪年,随后夏季多出现Ⅱ、Ⅲ类雨型,长江中游和下游鄱阳湖地区多偏涝;青藏高原冬春少雪年,随后夏季多出现Ⅰ、Ⅱ类雨型,长江下游鄱阳湖地区多偏旱,长江中游多正常偏旱.多(少)雪年东亚洲大陆上空的气温明显偏低(高),而大陆南部海洋上空的气温明显偏高(低),降低(增加)了陆海温差,延迟(促进)了东亚夏季风的到来,一定程度上减弱(加强)东亚季风的强度.多(少)雪随后夏季,由于南亚夏季风和东亚夏季风都明显减弱(增强),对流层中低层从孟加拉湾吹向中南半岛的西南风减弱(增强),我国大陆东部的南风也明显减弱(增强),西太副高偏南(北);青藏高原东南侧到中南半岛北部的上升运动较弱(强),长江中下游及其以东洋面上升运动较强(弱),长江中下游地区多(少)雨.     

青藏高原冬季热状况对赤道太平洋纬向风异常的影响

用经过改进的CCM 1动力气候模式研究了冬季青藏高原上空大气热源汇异常对太平洋纬向风异常的影响, 发现: (1) 当青藏高原1~3月份大气冷源加强时, 在对流层低层出现围绕青藏高原的异常反气旋, 随后的月份在中国大陆沿海出现异常的北风, 西太平洋出现异常气旋. 随后, 西太平洋赤道出现异常西风并向东扩展到东太平洋; (2) 当青藏高原1~3月份大气冷源异常减弱时, 首先在低层出现一个围绕青藏高原的异常气旋, 随后在西太平洋出现异常反气旋, 并向西南移动, 引起赤道太平洋地区的异常东风, 并向东传播. 此外青藏高原冬季和初春冷源强弱还可以引起赤道印度洋的纬向风的异常变化, 因而冬季青藏高原大气冷热源异常可以作为亚洲冬季风和ENSO之间的桥梁.     

5月热带印度洋大气大洋耦合环流的统计动力分析

对大气大洋耦合环流作直接的统计动力分析, 即将大气环流风场和大洋上层环流场看作一个整体, 作经验正交函数(矢量)展开, 从而可以得到在统计意义上的海气耦合模态和分析耦合的特征. 应用该方法对5月份热带印度洋区域(含南海)的大气大洋耦合环流进行联合统计动力分析, 得到以下结论: 第1模态是南海夏季风模态, 该模态时间系数序列有明显的两个态, 分别代表季风爆发前、后的大气、大洋环流并与南海夏季风爆发的迟早有密切关系; 在南海夏季风爆发偏早(晚)的年份, 印度洋表层到次表层的海温距平大多呈正(负)IOD形态, 印度洋赤道辐合带的上升运动和在该带南北两侧的动力性补偿下沉运动均偏强(弱); 总的说来该模态中大洋次表层到表层的流与地面风方向一致, 这表明该流是风生流. 第2模态反映ENSO在印度洋的延伸, 其时间系数序列也有两个态, 分别与Niño 3, 4区的海温异常相关较好.     

南海夏季风季节内振荡特征及其对热带印度洋MJO活动异常的响应

本文采用OLR和风场等NCEP再分析资料、日本APHRO_MA_V1003R1降水资料和CPC提供的MJO指数,分析了1979～2008年南海夏季风的季节内振荡特征和年际差异、对应的低频环流和对流场及降水分布、夏季风ISO的传播路径以及热带印度洋MJO对南海夏季风ISO的影响,发现：（1）气候均态下的南海夏季风在夏季（5～8月）共有3次ISO波动.每一次完整波动中经历发展-最强-减弱-抑制-最弱-恢复的6个位相（弱位相除外）.由于热带低频对流的东传和北传,在阿拉伯海-西太平洋纬带上,1～3位相和4～6位相的低频对流场和环流场呈反位相特征.对应雨带分布在1～3位相和4～6位相也大致呈反位相特征,20°N以南的热带地区主要是雨带随着低频对流的东移而东移,而20°N以北的东亚副热带地区则主要是雨带随着南海低频对流的北移而北移.（2）南海夏季风ISO强度具有显著年际变化特征.在南海夏季风ISO强年,夏季共有3次较强的ISO波动,前两次均来自于热带印度洋ISO先北传到孟加拉湾、再沿10°～20°N纬带东传到南海、在南海加强并激发ISO的北传,构成热带印度洋ISO向我国华南的经纬向接力传播;而在南海夏季风ISO弱年,其振荡强度大为减小且很不规律,ISO的经纬向传播也较弱;在平均状况下,热带印度洋ISO向南海的传播需要约20d左右（1/2个ISO周期）的时间.（3）MJO1（CPC提供的MJO指数第一模态）在4月第1～2候的平均值与南海夏季风ISO强度呈显著负相关,当热带印度洋MJO在4月第1～2候较活跃时,在随后5～8月中也大致偏强,ISO向南海地区的传播也较强,使得南海夏季风ISO加强;反之,则南海夏季风ISO将减弱.MJO在4月第1～2候的异常状况可以为我们预测随后的南海夏季风ISO强度以及分析相关地区的降水异常提供一定的理论依据.     

南印度洋海温偶极子型振荡及其气候影响

印度洋海表温度（Sea Surface Temperature，简称SST）的方差分析和相关分析表明南印度洋也存在一个海温偶极子型振荡，并定义了一个南印度洋海表温度异常偶极子指数.夏、秋季（南半球冬、春）的南印度洋偶极子指数与后期热带500hPa和100hPa高度场异常有显著而持续的相关，在冬、春达到最大，并可以持续到次年夏、秋.前期夏、秋季节的南印度洋偶极模对次年我国大陆东部夏季降水异常有显著的影响，对应偶极子正位相，次年夏季印度洋、南海（东亚）夏季风偏弱；副高加强且南撤、西伸，南亚高压偏强且位置偏东，易形成我国长江流域降水偏多，华南降水偏少；负位相年反之.后期冬季西太平洋暖池是联系南印度洋偶极子与次年我国夏季降水异常关系的一条重要途径.南印度洋偶极子表现出了明显的独立于ENSO（El Nio Southern Oscillation，简称ENSO）的特征.     

影响中国北方强降雪事件年际变化的典型环流背景和水汽收支特征分析

基于1961-2014年中国台站观测资料和NECP/NCAR再分析资料,对影响中国北方强降雪事件（日降雪量5 mm及以上,包括大到暴雪）年际变化的典型大尺度环流特征和水汽条件进行了综合分析.结果表明：中国北方强降雪事件主要集中在新疆北部和东北两个地区,而且强降雪日数和降雪量具有高度一致的年际变化特征.中国北方强降雪事件偏多时,对应北大西洋涛动（NAO）和北极涛动（AO）负位相;贝加尔湖上空维持异常低槽区,有利于冷空气的爆发南下;热带印度洋至热带西太平洋上空维持一条异常反气旋带,有利于暖湿气流向北输送;中国北方及以北区域高空为异常西风气流,提供有利的动力抬升条件,使得强降雪易于在中国北方发生;反之亦然.水汽收支分析显示,中国北方西边界和南边界水汽入流增强在强降雪偏多中起着主要贡献.异常西风水汽输送利于新疆北部大到暴雪偏多,异常西南风水汽输送则利于东北地区大到暴雪的发生.进一步研究揭示：与小雪相比,影响中国北方大到暴雪年际偏多的中高纬环流特征相类似,但环流经向度更大;而且大到暴雪与NAO和AO的关系更密切,并更多的受到来自中低纬地区的水汽输送影响.     

印度洋偶极子对北印度洋热带气旋活动的影响研究

利用JTWC提供的1981～2010年北印度洋热带气旋路径资料,NECP提供的风场、OLR场等资料,以及NOAA提供的SST资料,使用统计诊断方法研究了北印度洋热带气旋活动时空分布特征及其与印度洋海温的关系.结果表明：北印度洋热带气旋活动频次EOF1占总方差贡献的比例为16%,反映了北印度洋整个海盆尺度热带气旋活动频次变化基本一致的分布形态,但是其空间分布具有不均匀性,表现为以孟加拉湾热带气旋偏西路径变化为主的特征;小波分析表明EOF1模态有显著的准5年变化周期.印度洋偶极子对北印度洋热带气旋活动年际变化影响显著,其影响机制概念模型为：印度洋偶极子处于正（负）位相模态时,印度洋海温异常呈显著的西暖东冷（西冷东暖）型分布,造成北印度洋上空对流减弱（加强）、低层有反气旋（气旋）式环流异常,不利（有利）于热带气旋在北印度洋生成,北印度洋热带气旋活动频次偏少（多）;且可造成孟加拉湾上空西风引导气流加强（减弱）,进一步使得出现在孟加拉湾90°E以西的偏西路径热带气旋偏少（多）.     

孟加拉湾夏季风爆发的判断指标及其年际特征

利用高低层大气环流、OLR（向外长波辐射）、CMAP降水、SST（海表温度）等资料分析了孟加拉湾地区3—5月多年气候平均大气环流及不同要素的演变特征,定义了一个新的孟加拉湾夏季风（BOBSM,下同）爆发指标为孟加拉湾地区（5°N—15°N,90°E—97.5°E）850 hPa和200 hPa纬向风区域平均的变化同时满足U850 > 3 m·s^-1和U200 < -5 m·s^-1,并持续5天的第一天即作为BOBSM爆发日期.该季风指数有明确的天气学意义,可以反映孟加拉湾低层西南风持续稳定和南亚高压在青藏高原建立早晚的特征.文章进一步分析了BOBSM爆发的年际特征及其前兆海洋信号特征,结果表明：1981—2010年BOBSM爆发的平均日期为5月10日,季风爆发有显著的年际波动,爆发最早在1999年（4月11日）和最晚在1968年（6月1日）,年代际尺度上表现为由爆发偏晚至偏早的变化趋势;BOBSM爆发早（晚）与热带印度洋地区850 hPa的越赤道气流和西风异常加强（减弱）,以及200 hPa青藏高原南亚高压的季节性建立偏早（晚）等密切联系;前期冬季赤道西太平洋的海温冷（暖）变化对BOBSM爆发早（晚）有很好的指示意义,前期冬季海温偏高（低）有利于季风偏早（晚）,其影响的主要途径是通过热源变化激发纬向垂直环流及其热带印度洋和太平洋低层环流异常,进而影响季风爆发早晚.     

Impact of winter thermal condition of the Tibetan Plateau on the zonal wind anomaly over equatorial Pacific

Using the improved CCM1 dynamic climate model, the impact of abnormal heat source and sink over the Tibetan Plateau in winter on the abnormal zonal wind over the Pacific Ocean is studied in this paper. The following new-findings are obtained: (1) When the at mospheric cold source during January—March on the Tibetan Plateau gets intensified, an abnormal anticyclone around the Tibetan Plateau will appear in lower troposphere. Abnormal northerly wind at the coastal area of the mainland of China and an abnormal cyclone will appear on the West Pacific in the following months. Then, abnormal west wind will appear over the equator of the West Pacific and extends to the East Pacific. (2) When the atmospheric cold source during January—March over the Tibetan Plateau is unusually weak, an abnormal cyclone around the Tibetan Plateau will appear at lower levels first, then abnormal anticyclone will appear on the West Pacific and move to the south and result in abnormal easterly wind over the equator of the West Pacific, which will extend to the east. Furthermore, abnormal changes of zonal wind on equatorial Indian Ocean can be caused by the intensity change of atmospheric cold source in winter and early spring over the Tibetan Plateau.

     

Influences of Indian Ocean interannual variability on different stages of El Nio: A FOAM1.5 model approach

Both the tropical Indian and tropical Pacific Oceans are active atmosphere-ocean interactive regions with robust interannual variability, which also constitutes a linkage between the two basins in the mode of variability. Using a global atmosphereocean coupled model, we conducted two experiments(CTRL and PC) to explore the contributions of Indian Ocean interannual sea surface temperature(SST) modes to the occurrence of El Ni?o events. The results show that interannual variability of the SST in the Indian Ocean induces a rapid growth of El Ni?o events during the boreal autumn in an El Ni?o developing year. However, it weakens El Ni?o events or even promotes cold phase conversions in an El Ni?o decaying year. Therefore, the entire period of the El Ni?o is shortened by the interannual variations of the Indian Ocean SST. Specifically, during the El Ni?o developing years, the positive Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) events force an anomalous Walker circulation, which then enhances the existing westerly wind anomalies over the west Pacific. This will cause a warmer El Ni?o event, with some modulations by ocean advection and oceanic Rossby and Kelvin waves. However, with the onset of the South Asian monsoon, the Indian Ocean Basin(IOB) warming SST anomalies excite low level easterly wind anomalies over the west tropical Pacific during the El Ni?o decaying years. As a result, the El Ni?o event is prompted to change from a warm phase to a cold phase. At the same time, an associated atmospheric anticyclone anomaly appears and leads to a decreasing precipitation anomaly over the northwest Pacific. In summary, with remote forcing in the atmospheric circulation, the IOD mode usually affects the El Ni?o during the developing years, whereas the IOB mode affects the El Ni?o during the decaying years.     

初夏西北太平洋副高东西变动对中国南部降水东西差异的影响

西北太平洋副热带高压(以下简称副高)是影响中国气候的大尺度环流系统,为了进一步了解副高对中国气候的影响,本文利用站点观测资料和大气环流再分析资料,通过资料诊断分析和数值模拟方法,探讨了6月副高东西变动对中国南部降水的影响,以及影响副高东西变动的前期海洋因子.结果表明副高东西变动对中国西南和华南地区降水的影响明显不同:副高偏东有利于降水西南偏多而华南偏少,偏西则降水变化刚好相反.其原因与副高东西变化引起的环流差异有关,华南降水与副高东(西)变动时西太平洋地区副高西北侧的东北(西南)风异常以及东亚中低纬度地区异常经向波列的变化直接有关,而西南降水异常不仅与副高东西变动在东南亚地区引起的纬向风异常有关,与青藏高原大地形动力作用对副高北侧异常纬向风的变化也有十分密切的联系.此外,副高东西变动时影响西南和华南地区的水汽来源不同,影响西南的水汽主要来源于赤道印度洋80°E附近越赤道气流,而影响华南的水汽主要来源于副高南侧偏东气流从西北太平洋地区输送的水汽.进一步分析发现前期冬春季热带西北太平洋和赤道西太平洋海温变化的偶极差异与后期初夏副高东西变动有密切联系,冬春季西北太平洋暖海温和赤道西太平洋冷海温变化有利于后期初夏副高偏西,相反则有利于副高偏东,数值模拟结果在一定程度证实了资料诊断分析结果.     

Seasonal changes in aerosol characteristics over Arabian Sea and their consequence on aerosol short-wave radiative forcing: Results from ARMEX field campaign

Extensive and collocated measurements of several aerosol parameters were made over the eastern Arabian Sea, during the inter-monsoon and summer monsoon seasons of 2003 as a part of the Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX). Associated with the seasonal changes in the synoptic wind fields from northeasterly/easterly to westerly/northwesterly, the aerosol characteristics and columnar optical depth show large variations. Consequently, the atmospheric forcing is found to increase from March to April and then to decrease consistently towards June. However, the magnitude of the forcing efficiency of aerosols continuously decreases from winter to summer. Such temporal changes in radiative forcing need to be accounted for in reducing the uncertainty in aerosol climate impact.     

Teleconnection between the Indian summer monsoon onset and the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Valley

Based on the Indian and Chinese precipitation data and the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis circulation data, the relationship between the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) onset and the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Valley has been discussed by the methods of correlation analysis and composite analysis. The results show that the date of ISM onset over Kerala in the southwestern coast of the Indian Peninsula is about two weeks earlier than the beginning of the Meiyu over the Yangtze River Valley. After the outbreak of ISM, the teleconnection mode sets up from the western coast of India via the Bay of Bengal (BOB) to the Yangtze River Valley and southern Japan. It is different both in time and space from the telecon- nection mode which is from the northwest of India via the Tibetan Plateau to northern China. The for- mer mode is defined as the "south" teleconnection of the Asian summer monsoon, forming in the pe- riod of ISM onset; while the latter mode is called the "north" teleconnection, mainly occurring in the Asian monsoon culminant period. During the process of the "south" teleconnection’s formation, the Asian monsoon circulation has experienced a series of important changes: ISM onset, the northward movement of the south Asia high (SAH), the onset vortex occurrence, the eastward extension of the stronger tropical westerly belt, and the northeastward jump of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), etc. Consequently, since ISM sets up over Kerala, the whole Asian continent is covered by the upper SAH after about two weeks, while in the mid- and lower troposphere, a strong wind belt forms from the Arabian Sea via the southern India, BOB and the South China Sea (SCS), then along the western flank of WPSH, to the Yangtze River Valley and southern Japan. With the northward moving of the subtropical jet streams, the upper westerly jet stream and the low level jet have been coupled ver- tically over east Asia, while the Yangtze River Valley happens to locate in the ascending motion area between the upper jet stream and the low level jet, i.e. right of the entrance of the upper jet stream and left of the low level jet. Such a structure of the vertical circulation can trigger the Meiyu onset over the Yangtze River Valley.     

积雪在El Niño影响东亚夏季气候异常中的作用

本文利用1948-2010年Global Land Data Assimilation System（GLDAS）NOAH陆面模式资料、GPCC月平均降水资料和NCAR/NCEP全球月平均再分析资料,采用滤波、距平合成和线性相关等方法,分析了El Niño成熟位相冬季欧亚大陆积雪异常的分布特征,研究了关键区积雪融化对后期春、夏季土壤湿度、土壤温度以及大气环流与降水的影响,揭示了El Niño事件通过关键区积雪储存其强迫信号并影响东亚夏季气候异常的机制和过程.主要结论如下：El Niño成熟阶段冬季伊朗高原、巴尔喀什湖东北部和青藏高原南麓区域是雪深异常的三个关键区,这些区域的雪深、雪融和土壤湿度有明显的正相关;这三个关键区雪深异常通过春季融雪将冬季El Niño信号传递给春、夏季局地土壤湿度,通过减少感热通量和增加潜热通量对大气环流产生影响;春末夏初伊朗高原土壤湿度异常对东亚夏季气候异常的影响最大,其引起的降水异常与El Niño次年夏季降水异常分布基本一致,春夏季青藏高原南麓和巴尔喀什湖附近土壤湿度也都明显增加,均会对中国华北降水增加有显著正贡献.总之,在利用El Niño事件研究和预测东亚夏季气候异常时,还应考虑关键区雪深异常对El Niño信号的存储和调制作用.     

The relationship between significant wave height and Indian Ocean Dipole in the equatorial North Indian Ocean

Based on reanalysis data, we find that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) plays an important role in the variability of wave climate in the equatorial Northern Indian Ocean (NIO). Significant wave height (SWH) in the equatorial NIO, especially over the waters southeast to Sri Lanka, exhibits strong interannual variations. SWH anomalies in the waters southeast to Sri Lanka correlate well with dipole mode index (DMI) during both summer and autumn. Negative SWH anomalies occur over the oceanic area southeast to Sri Lanka during positive IOD events and vary with different types of IOD. During positive prolonged (unseasonable) IOD, the SWH anomalies are the strongest in autumn (summer); while during positive normal IOD, the SWH anomalies are weak in both summer and autumn. Strong easterly wind anomalies over the southeast oceanic area of Sri Lanka during positive IOD events weaken the original equatorial westerly wind stress, which leads to the decrease in wind-sea waves. The longer wave period during positive IOD events further confirms less wind-sea waves. The SWH anomaly pattern during negative IOD events is nearly opposite to that during positive IOD events.     

外热带大气扰动对ENSO的影响

合成分析了20世纪80年代以来5次主要的ENSO事件,发现外热带大气扰动通过经向风异常不仅对ENSO的发生起到重要的触发作用,而且影响到ENSO的发展和衰减. 因此,尽管ENSO对外热带大气扰动有影响,但同时外热带大气扰动又与ENSO有相互作用. 在ENSO发生前,南印度洋中纬度为反气旋异常,并通过Rossby波的频散作用加强了澳大利亚附近的反气旋异常;同时,澳大利亚东部沿海的南风异常与菲律宾附近的北风异常在赤道辐合,促进了赤道西太平洋西风异常的爆发和其后ENSO的发生. 在ENSO发生之后,东南太平洋上的气旋异常及相关的南风异常进一步增强了赤道中东太平洋的西风异常和ENSO的发展. 当ENSO达到成熟时,澳大利亚东部的反气旋异常东移,使东南太平洋的气旋异常减弱,南方涛动型环流异常亦随之减弱;同时,阿留申气旋异常加强,尤其是副热带北太平洋的风场异常可加强赤道中东太平洋海水的涌升,使该地区海表温度降低,加速ENSO的消亡.     

Influence of southern oscillation index on the variability and predictability of Indian monsoon. A reappraisal

The relationship between the monsoon rainfall throughout all India, northwest India and peninsular India as well as the onset dates of the monsoon and two indices of southern oscillation (SOI), namely Isla de Pascua minus Darwin (I-D) and Tahiti minus Darwin (T-D) pressure anomaly have been studied for different periods. The study indicates that the monsoon rainfall shows a strong and significant direct relationship with SOI for the concurrent, succeeding autumn and succeeding winter seasons. The magnitude of the direct correlation coefficient for the SOI using (I-D) is enhanced over all India and peninsular India if the above seasons happen to be associated with an easterly phase of the QBO (Quasi-Biennial Oscillation) at 50 mb. The result indicates that the strength of the monsoon plays an important role in the following southern oscillation events in the Pacific Ocean. The premonsoon tendency of the SOI anomaly spring minus winter SOI shows a significant positive correlation with monsoon rainfall over all India, northwest India and peninsular India. The absolute value of the positive correlation coefficient becomes highly enhanced over all India, northwest India as well as peninsular India if the 6-month period from December to March is associated with the westerly phase of the QBO. Hence, the premonsoon SOI tendency parameter can be a useful predictor of Indian monsoon rainfall especially if it happens to be associated with the westerly QBO. Significant negative association is also found between the anomaly of monsoon onset dates and SOI of the previous spring season, the absolute value being higher for SOI (T-D) than for SOI (I-D). The negative correlation coefficient becomes enhanced if the previous springs are associated with a westerly phase of the QBO. It shows that the previous spring SOI has some predictive value for the onset date of Indian monsoon, a positive SOI followed by an early onset of monsoon, andvice versa, especially if it is associated with a westerly phase of the QBO.