Climatology of Lightning Activity over the Indian Seas

The climatology of lightning activity over the Indian seas (Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BoB)) has been studied using monthly satellite-based lightning flash count grid (0.5°?×?0.5°) data from 1998 to 2007. These data have been used to investigate the annual and seasonal variations in lightning activity over the Indian seas. It was found that annual variations in flash rate density and sea surface temperature (SST) show a bimodal pattern with the first peak occurring in May and the second in October. The correlation coefficients between flash rate density and SSTs are 0.76 and 0.65 for the AS and BoB, respectively. Further, the relationship between flash rate density and a low pressure system (LPS) over the BoB shows that the formation of severe tropical cyclonic storms starts during April with the maximum number of storms forming during August. The performance of monsoon on a seasonal and monthly basis depends on the total number of lows, the formation of a depression in the monsoon trough, and the number of days with an LPS. Secular decreases in the number of lows and monsoon depressions were observed in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Overall, results indicate that the peaks in SST during April and September/October over the AS and the BoB may be responsible for advancing the onset of the southwest and northeast monsoon by 30–40 days.     

Some evidence of climate change in twentieth-century India

The study of climate changes in India and search for robust evidences are issues of concern specially when it is known that poor people are very vulnerable to climate changes. Due to the vast size of India and its complex geography, climate in this part of the globe has large spatial and temporal variations. Important weather events affecting India are floods and droughts, monsoon depressions and cyclones, heat waves, cold waves, prolonged fog and snowfall. Results of this comprehensive study based on observed data and model reanalyzed fields indicate that in the last century, the atmospheric surface temperature in India has enhanced by about 1 and 1.1°C during winter and post-monsoon months respectively. Also decrease in the minimum temperature during summer monsoon and its increase during post-monsoon months have created a large difference of about 0.8°C in the seasonal temperature anomalies which may bring about seasonal asymmetry and hence changes in atmospheric circulation. Opposite phases of increase and decrease in the minimum temperatures in the southern and northern regions of India respectively have been noticed in the interannual variability. In north India, the minimum temperature shows sharp decrease of its magnitude between 1955 and 1972 and then sharp increase till date. But in south India, the minimum temperature has a steady increase. The sea surface temperatures (SST) of Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal also show increasing trend. Observations indicate occurrence of more extreme temperature events in the east coast of India in the recent past. During summer monsoon months, there is a decreasing (increasing) trend in the frequency of depressions (low pressure areas). In the last century the frequency of occurrence of cyclonic storms shows increasing trend in the month of November. In addition there is increase in the number of severe cyclonic storms crossing Indian Coast. Analysis of rainfall amount during different seasons indicate decreasing tendency in the summer monsoon rainfall over Indian landmass and increasing trend in the rainfall during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon months.     

On the Influence of QBO over North Indian Ocean Storm and Depression Tracks

Summary  In this paper the modulation of storm and depression tracks over North Indian Ocean by the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) of zonal winds in the equatorial stratosphere is discussed for the period 1953–1991. It was observed that during post monsoon season the storms and depressions of Bay of Bengal were mostly confined to south of 17° N and move in west/North-westward direction during easterly phase of QBO. However during the westerly phase no such similar type influence of QBO on the system tracks was observed. Also such type of QBO-System tracks association was not observed during pre-monsoon season. Received February 6, 1998 Revised January 20, 1999     

南海夏季风爆发前后SST异常特征及其与近地面西南气流的关系

利用1982~1999年周平均海表温度资料和逐日近地面风场资料,采用合成分析与相关分析技术,研究了南海和孟加拉湾地区夏季风爆发前后短时间尺度SST变率的异常及其与近地面西南气流的关系。结果表明:季风爆发前2周,南海和孟加拉湾海温的上升除与海洋现象有关外,还与大气的影响因子有一定的关系;季风爆发后1~2周,南海和孟加拉湾海温变率出现较大差异,二者西南部海温降低,而其东海岸及西北部海温却升高;海温变率这种异常分布与西南气流的变化具有较好的相关性,即西南气流的增强导致南海西南部和孟加拉湾西南部海温降低及二者东海岸与西北部海温升高,这是由于离岸的上翻作用及海洋蒸发作用共同所致。     

Long-Term variability of the indian summer monsoon and related parameters

The long-term variability of the Indian summer monsoon rain-fall and related regional and global param-eters are studied. The cubic spline is used as a digital filter to smooth the high frequency signals in the time series of the various parameters. The length of the data series varies from 95 to 115 years during the period 1871-1985. The parameters studied within the monsoon system are: (a) monsoon rainfall of the country as a whole; (b) number of break-monsoon days during July and August; (c) number of storms/ depressions in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea during summer monsoon season; and (d) dates of onset of summer monsoon over South Kerala Coast. The parameters studied outside the monsoon system are: (a) the Wright’s Southern Oscillation Index (June-July-August); (b) the January mean Northern Hemi-spheric surface air temperature anomaly; and (c) the East-equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature anomaly.In order to examine the variability under various degrees of the smoothing, the series are filtered with splines of 50% variance reduction frequency of one cycle per 10, 20 and 30 years. It is observed that the smoothed time series of the parameters within the monsoon system comprise a common slowly varying com-ponent in an episodic manner distinctly showing the excess and deficient rainfall epochs. The change of intercorrelations between the time series with increasing degree of smoothing throws some light on the time scales of the dominant interactions. The relation between Southern Oscillation and East equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature and the Indian summer monsoon seems to be dominant on the interannual scale. The low frequency variations are found to have significantly contributed to the instability of the correlations of monsoon rainfall with parameters outside the monsoon system.     

Cause-effect relationships between sea surface temperature, precipitation and sea level along the Bangladesh coast

Summary  The Bangladesh coast, which lies on the confluence of three mighty rivers, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna, with the Himalayas to the north and the Bay of Bengal to the south, is an ideal zone for sea level rise due to enhanced rainfall during the monsoon season from June to September. An attempt has been made here to look into the cause-effect relationships between observed trends in sea surface temperature (SST) over the Bay of Bengal and the trends in monsoon rains and sea level in Bangladesh. The study utilizes the 14-year satellite-derived SSTs over the Bay of Bengal for 1985–1998, the tide gauge stations data along the Bangladesh coast for 1977–1998 and the 31-year monsoon rainfall data for Bangladesh, 1961–1991. Received October 20, 2000     

热带印度洋MJO活动异常对四川盆地降水的影响

利用四川省132个气象观测站降水资料和NOAA的逐日向外长波辐射(OLR)资料,分析了主汛期热带东印度洋MJO活动异常年低频对流传播的显著差异,及其影响四川盆地主汛期降水的物理过程。探讨了热带东印度洋MJO活跃年低频振荡向四川盆地传播的路径和源头,以及孟加拉湾西南季风系统、东亚副热带季风系统的低频振荡分别对四川盆地主汛期低频对流活动的影响。结果表明:热带印度洋的低频对流激发了孟加拉湾西南季风ISO进入活跃期,并在西南气流的引导下继续向四川盆地传播;低频对流先从热带印度洋东传至菲律宾群岛南部的热带洋面,并向东亚副热带地区北传,激发了东亚副热带季风ISO的活跃加强,进而向四川盆地西传。热带印度洋MJO活动异常对四川盆地降水的调制,正是通过两支季风系统(孟加拉湾夏季风和东亚副热带夏季风)的共同作用,影响了四川盆地主汛期异常的对流活动以及降水的多寡。      

Temperature variability over the Indian Ocean and its relationship with Indian summer monsoon rainfall

Summary The present study examines the long term trend in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Equatorial South India Ocean in the context of global warming for the period 1901–2002 and for a subset period 1971–2002. An attempt has also been made to identify the relationship between SST variations over three different ocean areas, and All-India and homogeneous region summer monsoon rainfall variability, including the role of El-Ni?o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Annual sea surface temperatures of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Equatorial South India Ocean show a significant warming trend of 0.7 °C, 0.6 °C and 0.5 °C per hundred years, respectively, and a relatively accelerated warming of 0.16 °C, 0.14 °C and 0.14 °C per decade during the 1971–2002 period. There is a positive and statistically significant relationship between SSTs over the Arabian Sea from the preceding November to the current February, and Indian monsoon rainfall during the period 1901–2002. The correlation coefficient increases from October and peaks in December, decreasing from February to September. This significant relationship is also found in the recent period 1971–2002, whereas, during 1901–70, the relationship is not significant. On the seasonal scale, Arabian Sea winter SSTs are positively and significantly correlated with Indian monsoon rainfall, while spring SSTs have no significant positive relationship. Nino3 spring SSTs have a negative significant relationship with Indian monsoon rainfall and it is postulated that there is a combined effect of Nino3 and Arabian Sea SSTs on Indian monsoon. If the Nino3 SST effect is removed, the spring SSTs over the Arabian Sea also have a significant relationship with monsoon rainfall. Similarly, the Bay of Bengal and Equatorial South Indian Ocean spring SSTs are significantly and positively correlated with Indian monsoon rainfall after removing the Nino3 effect, and correlation values are more pronounced than for the Arabian Sea. Authors’ address: Dr. D. R. Kothawale, A. A. Munot, H. P. Borgaonkar, Climatology and Hydrometeorology divisions, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune 411008, India.     

初夏孟加拉湾风暴与前期印度洋海温的关系研究

利用美国联合台风警报中心JTWC发布的自1972年以来的北印度洋风暴数据,美国国家环境预测中心和国家大气研究中心NCEP/NCAR逐月再分析资料和日本气象厅JMA月平均海表面温度SST资料,分析了初夏4、5月孟加拉湾风暴活动与前期印度洋海温的关系。结果表明:4、5月孟加拉湾TS活动与前期1—3月澳大利亚以西海域海温呈显著的负相关,即冬末春初海温偏高时,4、5月孟加拉湾(简称孟湾,下同)TS爆发偏少、爆发时间偏晚或者不发生;而关键区海温偏低时,如果30°S以北的印度洋海温稍偏冷(暖),而西南印度洋和东南印度洋海温则稍偏暖(冷),则初夏孟湾TS不爆发(多发、早发)。进一步分析显示由东南印度洋海温偏高(低),引起的局地环流变化导致了马斯克林高压偏弱(强),从而引起东半球越赤道气流偏弱(强),是初夏孟湾TS爆发晚(早)、不(多)发生的可能的主要原因。而且,当索马里越赤道气流和新几内亚越赤道气流存在弱的反位相协同变化时,对孟湾TS有较好的指示意义。     

Radiative effects of black carbon aerosols on Indian monsoon: a study using WRF-Chem model

The Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) is utilized to examine the radiative effects of black carbon (BC) aerosols on the Indian monsoon, for the year 2010. Five ensemble simulations with different initial conditions (1st to 5th December, 2009) were performed and simulation results between 1st January, 2010 to 31st December, 2010 were used for analysis. Most of the BC which stays near the surface during the pre-monsoon season gets transported to higher altitudes with the northward migration of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) during the monsoon season. In both the seasons, strong negative SW anomalies are present at the surface along with positive anomalies in the atmosphere, which results in the surface cooling and lower tropospheric heating, respectively. During the pre-monsoon season, lower troposphere heating causes increased convection and enhanced meridional wind circulation, bringing moist air from Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal to the North-East India, leading to increased rainfall there. However, during the monsoon season, along with cooling over the land regions, a warming over the Bay of Bengal is simulated. This differential heating results in an increased westerly moisture flux anomaly over central India, leading to increased rainfall over northern parts of India but decreased rainfall over southern parts. Decreased rainfall over southern India is also substantiated by the presence of increased evaporation over Bay of Bengal and decrease over land regions.     

North-East monsoon rainfall extremes over the southern peninsular India and their association with El Niño

The present study investigates the relationship between extreme north-east (NE) monsoon rainfall (NEMR) over the Indian peninsula region and El Niño forcing. This turns out to be a critical science issue especially after the 2015 Chennai flood. The puzzle being while most El Niños favour good NE monsoon, some don’t. In fact some El Niño years witnessed deficit NE monsoon. Therefore two different cases (or classes) of El Niños are considered for analysis based on standardized NEMR index and Niño 3.4 index with case-1 being both Niño-3.4 and NEMR indices greater than +1 and case-2 being Niño-3.4 index greater than +1 and NEMR index less than −1. Composite analysis suggests that SST anomalies in the central and eastern Pacific are strong in both cases but large differences are noted in the spatial distribution of SST over the Indo-western Pacific region. This questions our understanding of NEMR as mirror image of El Niño conditions in the Pacific. It is noted that the favourable excess NEMR in case-1 is due to anomalous moisture transport from Bay of Bengal and equatorial Indian Ocean to southern peninsular India. Strong SST gradient between warm western Indian Ocean (and Bay of Bengal) and cool western Pacific induced strong easterly wind anomalies during NE monsoon season favour moisture transport towards the core NE monsoon region. Further anomalous moisture convergence and convection over the core NE monsoon region supported positive rainfall anomalies in case-1. While in case-2, weak SST gradients over the Indo-western Pacific and absence of local low level convergence over NE monsoon region are mainly responsible for deficit rainfall. The ocean dynamics in the Indian Ocean displayed large differences during case-1 and case-2, suggesting the key role of Rossby wave dynamics in the Indian Ocean on NE monsoon extremes. Apart from the large scale circulation differences the number of cyclonic systems land fall for case-1 and case-2 have also contributed for variations in NE monsoon rainfall extremes during El Niño years. This study indicates that despite having strong warming in the central and eastern Pacific, NE monsoon rainfall variations over the southern peninsular India is mostly determined by SST gradient over the Indo-western Pacific region and number of systems formation in the Bay of Bengal and their land fall. The paper concludes that though the favourable large scale circulation induced by Pacific is important in modulating the NE monsoon rainfall the local air sea interaction plays a key role in modulating or driving rainfall extremes associated with El Niño.     

Changes in the frequency of tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean

Summary  Changes in the frequency of tropical cyclones developing over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal have been studied utilizing 122 year (1877–1998) data of tropical cyclone frequency. There have been significant increasing trends in the cyclone frequency over the Bay of Bengal during November and May which are main cyclone months. During transitional monsoon months; June and September however, the frequency has decreased. The results have been presented for five months, i.e., May-November which are relevant as far as tropical cyclone frequency over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal are concerned. The tropical cyclone frequency in the Arabian Sea has not shown any significant trend, probably due to small normal frequency. The frequency time series has been subjected to the spectral analysis to obtain the significant periods. The cyclone frequency over the Bay of Bengal during May has shown a 29 year cycle. A significant 44 year cycle has been found during November. Over the Arabian Sea significant cycles of 13 and 10 years have been observed during May-June and November, respectively. The tropical cyclone frequency in the North Indian Ocean has a prominent El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) scale cycle (2–5 years) during all above five months. The annual cyclone frequency exhibits 29 year and ENSO scale (2–4 years) oscillations. There is a reduction in tropical cyclone activity over the Bay of Bengal in severe cyclone months May and November during warm phases of ENSO. Examination of the frequencies of severe cyclones with maximum sustained winds ≥ 48 knots has revealed that these cyclones have become more frequent in the North Indian Ocean during intense cyclone period of the year. The rate of intensification of tropical disturbances to severe cyclone stage has registered an upward trend. Received June 7, 1999/Revised March 20, 2000     

Performance of GCMs for seasonal prediction over India��a case study for 2009 monsoon

The 2009 drought in India was one of the major droughts that the country faced in the last 100?years. This study describes the anomalous features of 2009 summer monsoon and examines real-time seasonal predictions made using six general circulation models (GCMs). El Ni?o conditions evolved in the Pacific Ocean, and sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the Indian Ocean were warmer than normal during monsoon 2009. The observed circulation patterns indicate a weaker monsoon in that year over India with weaker than normal convection over the Bay of Bengal and Indian landmass. Skill of the GCMs during hindcast period shows that neither these models simulate the observed interannual variability nor their multi-model ensemble (MME) significantly improves the skill of monsoon rainfall predictions. Except for one model used in this study, the real-time predictions with longer lead (2- and 1-month lead) made for the 2009 monsoon season did not provide any indication of a highly anomalous monsoon. However, with less lead time (zero lead), most of the models as well as the MME had provided predictions of below normal rainfall for that monsoon season. This study indicates that the models could not predict the 2009 drought over India due to the use of less warm SST anomalies over the Pacific in the longer lead runs. Hence, it is proposed that the uncertainties in SST predictions (the lower boundary condition) have to be represented in the model predictions of summer monsoon rainfall over India.     

An ocean–atmosphere interaction mechanism for the active break cycle of the Asian summer monsoon

A typical active–break cycle of the Asian summer monsoon is taken as beginning with maximum SST (pentad 0) over the north Bay of Bengal when the oceans to its west and east from longitude 40°–160°E, and between latitudes 10° and 25°N (area A) also has maximum SST. During this pentad the recently found “Cold Pool” of the Bay of Bengal (between latitudes 3°N and 10°N) has its minimum SST. An area of convection takes genesis over the Bay of Bengal immediately after pentad 0 in the zone of large SST gradient north of the Cold Pool and it pulls the monsoon Low Level Jetstream (LLJ) through peninsular India. Convection and the LLJ westerlies then spread to the western Pacific Ocean during pentads 1–4 taken as the active phase of the monsoon during which convection and LLJ have grown in a positive feed back process. The cyclonic vorticity to the north of the LLJ axis is hypothesized to act as a flywheel maintaining the convection during the long active phase against the dissipating effect of atmospheric stabilization by each short spell of deep convection. By the end of pentad 4 the SST over area A has cooled and the convection weakens there, when the LLJ turns clockwise over the Arabian Sea and flows close to the equator in the Indian ocean. A band of convection develops at pentad 5 between the equator and latitude 10°S over the Indian ocean and it is nourished by the cyclonic vorticity of the LLJ now near the equator and the moisture supply through it. This is taken as the break monsoon phase lasting for about three to four pentads beginning from pentad 5 of a composite active–break cycle of 40 day duration. With reduced wind and convection over the area A during the break phase, solar radiation and light winds make the SST there warm rapidly and a new active–break cycle begins. SST, convection, LLJ and the net heat flux at the ocean surface have important roles in this new way of looking at the active–break cycle as a coupled ocean–atmosphere phenomenon.     

Empirical prediction of Indian summer monsoon rainfall with different lead periods based on global SST anomalies

Summary The main objective of this study was to develop empirical models with different seasonal lead time periods for the long range prediction of seasonal (June to September) Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR). For this purpose, 13 predictors having significant and stable relationships with ISMR were derived by the correlation analysis of global grid point seasonal Sea-Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies and the tendency in the SST anomalies. The time lags of the seasonal SST anomalies were varied from 1 season to 4 years behind the reference monsoon season. The basic SST data set used was the monthly NOAA Extended Reconstructed Global SST (ERSST) data at 2° × 2° spatial grid for the period 1951–2003. The time lags of the 13 predictors derived from various areas of all three tropical ocean basins (Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans) varied from 1 season to 3 years. Based on these inter-correlated predictors, 3 predictor sub sets A, B and C were formed with prediction lead time periods of 0, 1 and 2 seasons, respectively, from the beginning of the monsoon season. The selected principal components (PCs) of these predictor sets were used as the input parameters for the models A, B and C, respectively. The model development period was 1955–1984. The correct model size was derived using all-possible regressions procedure and Mallow’s “Cp” statistics. Various model statistics computed for the independent period (1985–2003) showed that model B had the best prediction skill among the three models. The root mean square error (RMSE) of model B during the independent test period (6.03% of Long Period Average (LPA)) was much less than that during the development period (7.49% of LPA). The performance of model B was reasonably good during both ENSO and non-ENSO years particularly when the magnitudes of actual ISMR were large. In general, the predicted ISMR during years following the El Ni?o (La Ni?a) years were above (below) LPA as were the actual ISMR. By including an NAO related predictor (WEPR) derived from the surface pressure anomalies over West Europe as an additional input parameter into model B, the skill of the predictions were found to be substantially improved (RMSE of 4.86% of LPA).     

The evolution of Indian summer monsoon in 1997 and 1983

Summary During most El-Ni?o events the Indian summer monsoon rainfall has been below normal. El-Ni?o that occurred during 1997 was one of the strongest in the 20th century, but did not have an adverse impact on the Indian summer monsoon rainfall in 1997. This is despite the fact that most parameters observed in May 1997 suggested that the Indian summer monsoon rainfall may be below normal. This intriguing feature of the 1997 Indian summer monsoon rainfall has been examined by studying the evolution of various parameters from May to August. The behavior of the 1997 monsoon is related to its evolution during June and July, with westward migration of cloudbands from West Pacific that increased convection over Bay of Bengal. We find that there exists a significant correlation between convective activity over Bay of Bengal and winds over the Arabian Sea with the latter lagging convection over Bay of Bengal by about three days. The convective activity over Bay of Bengal induces stronger winds over the Arabian Sea and this in turn enhances advection of moisture into the Indian landmass and leads to increased precipitable water and strength of the monsoon. Using a simple thermodynamic model we show that increased precipitable water during July leads to increased rainfall. A similar behavior has also been noticed during the 1983 monsoon, with precursors indicating a possible poor monsoon but subsequent events changed the course of the monsoon. Received May 21, 2001 Revised October 10, 2001     

The Onset of the Monsoon over the Bay of Bengal: The Observed Common Features for 2008–2011

In situ buoy observation data spanning four years(2008-2011) were collected and used to perform a composite analysis of the monsoon onset process in the Bay of Bengal(BoB).The sea surface temperature(SST) in the central BoB increases dramatically during the monsoon transition period and reaches its annual maximum just before the onset of the monsoon.This process is illustrated by the northward-propagating deep convection phase of the intraseasonal oscillation and the establishment of a steady southwest wind.It is argued that the SST peak plays a potential role in triggering the onset of the monsoon in the BoB and its vicinity.The general picture of the BoB monsoon onset summarized here reveals the possibility of regional land-ocean-atmosphere interaction.This possibility deserves further examination.     

南海夏季风爆发与热带太平洋两类海温型关系的年代际差异

南海夏季风爆发日期在1993/1994年出现年代际偏早的转变,利用海温和再分析资料的研究证实西北太平洋增暖和两类海温型的年代际差异可能是导致此种变化的重要成因。进一步的研究揭示出在南海夏季风爆发出现年代际变化的背景下,南海夏季风爆发日期与太平洋海温的关系也出现明显的变化:1993/1994年之前的第一年代东太平洋(EP)型海温异常起主导作用,而1993/1994年之后的第二年代两类海温型均影响了季风爆发,但以中太平洋(CP)型海温异常为主。第一年代,东太平洋型增温(EPW)通过抑制西北太平洋-孟加拉湾的对流活动,在菲律宾海、孟加拉湾西部激发出两个距平反气旋,使越赤道气流建立偏晚、孟加拉湾低槽填塞、西北太平洋副热带高压增强,进而导致南海夏季风爆发偏晚,且其影响可从4月维持到5月;而中太平洋型增温(CPW)对季风爆发前期的流场无显著影响。第二年代,CPW通过抑制菲律宾-孟加拉湾东部的对流活动,在菲律宾-孟加拉湾激发出一个距平反气旋,使孟加拉湾低槽填塞、南海地区副高增强,进而阻碍季风爆发,且显著影响仅出现在4月;EPW对4月大气环流场的影响与第一年代较为接近,在菲律宾-孟加拉湾一带产生的风场、对流场异常稍弱于CPW,但其影响无法持续到5月。     

南海西南季风爆发日期及其影响因子

利用1950～1999年NCEP全球格点日平均资料,在总结南海西南季风爆发前后850 hPa大气环流特征的基础上,提出了一个较为客观的确定南海西南季风爆发日期的大气环流方法.在与1980～1991年其他多种指标确定的爆发日期比较后,作者认为该大气环流方法所确定的爆发日期基本合理,并给出了1950～1999年各年南海西南季风爆发的日期.通过合成对比分析和相关分析发现,前期热带太平洋地区海温异常分布是影响南海西南季风爆发早晚的重要因素.菲律宾以东洋面海温偏高,赤道太平洋中部偏东地区海温偏低,可以使低层西太平洋副高减弱、高层中东太平洋洋中槽加深,印度洋热带地区偏西风偏强,印度洋-太平洋热带地区Walker环流偏强,为热带对流在孟加拉湾-南海地区发展提供了有利的环境.在孟加拉湾南部偏西气流的作用下,南海地区对流活动较为容易发展起来,低层较弱的西太平洋副热带高压也容易较早地撤出南海上空,使得南海西南季风较早爆发.反之亦然.     

1998年南海西南季风活动的初步分析

利用NCEP再分析资料和OLR、SST观测数据,分析了1998年南海西南季风的建立日期、强度的多时间尺度变化特征、与海面温度的相互作用以及对广东降水的影响.得出南海西南季风建立的日期为5月17日(5月4候).1998年为弱季风年,OLR具有1个月左右的振荡周期,西南风具有半个月左右的振荡周期.孟加拉湾地区季风和105°E越赤道气流是南海季风低频变化的重要策源地.1998年南海季风弱,主要是由于初春赤道东太平洋海温正距平,并导致南海-阿拉伯海海温正距平的结果.