Analysis of formation and forecast of spring snowmelt flood runoff in forest and forest-steppe basins of Siberian rivers

Popov’s infiltration-capacitive model of the spring runoff, including the computation of the runoff losses due to evaporation in the period of snow melting and losses due to evaporation and absorption in the period of exhaustion of the sheet inflow into the channel net, is used. Equations to forecast the spring snowmelt flood runoff, taking account of the frozen soil melting, are derived. The method of estimation of their parameters on the base of the joint use of linear regression and optimization methods is realized. It is demonstrated that factors of the autumn moistening and freezing of soils of basins in the beginning of winter influence the spring runoff losses. The integrated index of the initial state of the basin, taking account of mentioned factors, is proposed.     

Climate change impacts on streamflow extremes and summertime stream temperature and their possible consequences for freshwater salmon habitat in Washington State

This study evaluates the sensitivity of Washington State’s freshwater habitat of Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) to climate change. Our analysis focuses on summertime stream temperatures, seasonal low flows, and changes in peak and base flows because these physical factors are likely to be key pressure points for many of Washington’s salmon populations. Weekly summertime water temperatures and extreme daily high and low streamflows are evaluated under multimodel composites for A1B and B1 greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Simulations predict rising water temperatures will thermally stress salmon throughout Washington’s watersheds, becoming increasingly severe later in the twenty-first century. Streamflow simulations predict that basins strongly influenced by transient runoff (a mix of direct runoff from cool-season rainfall and springtime snowmelt) are most sensitive to climate change. By the 2080s, hydrologic simulations predict a complete loss of Washington’s snowmelt dominant basins, and only about ten transient basins remaining in the north Cascades. Historically transient runoff watersheds will shift towards rainfall dominant behavior, undergoing more severe summer low flow periods and more frequent days with intense winter flooding. While cool-season stream temperature changes and impacts on salmon are not assessed in this study, it is possible that climate-induced warming in winter and spring will benefit parts of the freshwater life-cycle of some salmon populations enough to increase their reproductive success (or overall fitness). However, the combined effects of warming summertime stream temperatures and altered streamflows will likely reduce the reproductive success for many Washington salmon populations, with impacts varying for different life history-types and watershed-types. Diminishing streamflows and higher stream temperatures in summer will be stressful for stream-type salmon populations that have freshwater rearing periods in summer. Increased winter flooding in transient runoff watersheds will likely reduce the egg-to-fry survival rates for ocean-type and stream-type salmon.     

Hydrologic Sensitivity of Global Rivers to Climate Change

Climate predictions from four state-of-the-art general circulation models (GCMs) were used to assess the hydrologic sensitivity to climate change of nine large, continental river basins (Amazon, Amur, Mackenzie, Mekong, Mississippi, Severnaya Dvina, Xi, Yellow, Yenisei). The four climate models (HCCPR-CM2, HCCPR-CM3, MPI-ECHAM4, and DOE-PCM3) all predicted transient climate response to changing greenhouse gas concentrations, and incorporated modern land surface parameterizations. Model-predicted monthly average precipitation and temperature changes were downscaled to the river basin level using model increments (transient minus control) to adjust for GCM bias. The variable infiltration capacity (VIC) macroscale hydrological model (MHM) was used to calculate the corresponding changes in hydrologic fluxes (especially streamflow and evapotranspiration) and moisture storages. Hydrologic model simulations were performed for decades centered on 2025 and 2045. In addition, a sensitivity study was performed in which temperature and precipitation were increased independently by 2 °C and 10%, respectively, during each of four seasons. All GCMs predict a warming for all nine basins, with the greatest warming predicted to occur during the winter months in the highest latitudes. Precipitation generally increases, but the monthly precipitation signal varies more between the models than does temperature. The largest changes in the hydrological cycle are predicted for the snow-dominated basins of mid to higher latitudes. This results in part from the greater amount of warming predicted for these regions, but more importantly, because of the important role of snow in the water balance. Because the snow pack integrates the effects of climate change over a period of months, the largest changes occur in early to mid spring when snow melt occurs. The climate change responses are somewhat different for the coldest snow dominated basins than for those with more transitional snow regimes. In the coldest basins, the response to warming is an increase of the spring streamflow peak, whereas for the transitional basins spring runoff decreases. Instead, the transitional basins have large increases in winter streamflows. The hydrological response of most tropical and mid-latitude basins to the warmer and somewhat wetter conditions predicted by the GCMs is a reduction in annual streamflow, although again, considerable disagreement exists among the different GCMs. In contrast, for the high-latitude basins increases in annual flow volume are predicted in most cases.     

长江源流量对长江源流域气候年代际变化的响应

利用长江源流域气象站降水、气温资料和源区直门达水文站流量,建立了历年各月、季降水距平百分率和气温距平序列,分析了长江源流量与长江源流域降水、气温的年代际变化.结果表明,长江源流域气候演变存在非常明显的年代际变化.年降水量呈平缓下降趋势,60、80年代年降水量正常或偏多,70、90年代偏少,主要受夏季降水的影响;年气温明显呈上升趋势,60年代最冷,70年代开始回升,80年代暖在冬,90年代暖在秋,目前年、夏、秋、冬季已达到1961年以来的最暖期;年流量与年降水的年代际变化、突变年份对应,60、80年代偏多,70、90年代偏少,目前除春季流量外,夏、秋、冬季已转入上升趋势,1965、1979、1997年二者均发生了突变.     

澜沧江源区气温与降水对径流变化的影响

为研究澜沧江源区水文气候变化特征,采用线性回归拟合分析方法、M-K非参数检验法对1960—2010年间澜沧江源区的水文气候变化趋势进行分析,计算了各季节气温变化对年气温变化的贡献量,并基于Pearson相关分析法和贡献率的计算讨论了降水量和气温对径流量变化的影响。结果表明:澜沧江源区年平均气温和各季节平均气温均呈显著上升趋势,其中,冬季的增温对年平均气温增加贡献最大(38%)。澜沧江流域源区年降水量无明显增减趋势,但春季降水量显著增加。澜沧江流域源区年径流量未呈现显著变化趋势,冬季和春季径流量呈现出显著的增加趋势。年际尺度上,径流量的主控因素是降水量,降水量对径流量年内变化的影响主要发生在降水相对丰沛的6—10月份;冬季和初春季节气温上升对径流量的改变存在一定的影响,且气温的贡献率要比降水的贡献率大,原因是气温升高加剧研究区内冰雪的消融,进而导致澜沧江源区的径流增加。     

20世纪80～90年代我国气候增暖进程的统计事实

运用统计诊断方法分析了近50年来我国年平均及四季的气温变化特征，重点研究了20世纪90年代和80年代气温变化的主要差异及其增暖进程。结果表明，我国年平均气温是呈上升趋势的，但80年代以前年代际变化并不明显, 升温幅度不大。我国气候增暖始于20世纪80年代后期，90年代增暖加速，急剧增暖的主要原因是长江流域以南地区经历了由偏冷向偏暖的趋势转变。我国四季气温变化趋势在80～90年代增暖的进程中存在明显差异:其中冬季增暖开始时间最早、幅度最大、持续时间最长；90年代我国气候增暖急剧加速，其原因除了冬季气温持续攀升作用外，春、夏、秋季气温上升, 特别是春、夏季增暖幅度的加大增暖区域的显著扩展也起到很重要的作用。     

青藏高原积雪与亚洲季风环流年代际变化的关系

利用高原测站的月平均雪深资料和NCEP／NCAR再分析资料，分析了20世纪70年代末以来，青藏高原积雪的显著增多与亚洲季风环流转变的联系。研究表明，高原南侧冬春季西风的增强及西风扰动的活跃是造成青藏高原冬春积雪显著增多的主要原因，高原积雪的增多与亚洲夏季风的减弱均是亚洲季风环流转变的结果；20世纪70年代末以来，夏季华东降水的增多、华南降水的减少及华北的干旱化与青藏高原冬春积雪增多及东亚夏季风的减弱是基本同步的，高原冬春积雪与华东夏季降水的正相关、与华北及华南夏季降水的负相关主要是建立在年代际时间尺度上，因此，高原积雪与我国夏季降水关系的研究应以亚洲季风环流的年代际变化为背景。     

青藏高原冬春雪深分布与中国夏季降水的关系

利用SSMR和SSM／I卫星遥感雪深反演资料,通过与高原测站雪深观测资料的对比分析,揭示了高原雪深的时空分布特征,在此基础上对积雪异常年中国夏季降水异常和大气环流进行了对比分析。结果表明,卫星遥感雪深资料可较真实反映出高原积雪的状况,并可反映出高原西部积雪的变化;高原冬、春季积雪EOF分解第1模态具有相同的空间分布,反映了高原冬、春季积雪分布具有相当的一致性,而春季积雪的第2模态则反映高原积雪的东西差异;冬、春季雪深EOF第1模态的时间序列与中国夏季降水的相关分析表明,大致以长江为界,我国东部地区呈现出南涝北旱的分布模态,春季高原东（西）部多（少）雪与东（西）部少（多）雪年的夏季,我国东部降水表现出长江以南（北）地区为大范围的降水偏多（少）。     

Atmospheric contribution to hydrologic variations in the Arctic

Abstract

High‐latitude rawinsonde data for 18 years (1973–1990) are used to compute the atmospheric moisture flux convergence over two regions: the Arctic Ocean and the Mackenzie River drainage basin. The primary objectives are to assess the interannual variability and to compare the macroscale hydrologie regimes of the two regions. The moisture flux convergence is positive in all months over the Arctic Ocean, but is occasionally negative during summer over the Mackenzie Basin. The climatological seasonal cycle of the moisture convergence contains a late‐summer (August‐September) maximum over the Arctic Ocean but a late‐summer minimum over the Mackenzie Basin. Evaporation, deduced from the moisture inflow and independent data on precipitation, makes a much greater contribution to the atmospheric moisture budget of the Mackenzie domain, especially during summer. The respective equivalent area averages of the 18‐year annual mean moisture flux convergence, precipitation and derived evaporation are 17.3, 19.5 and 2.2 cm a^‐1 for the Arctic Ocean and 24.9, 33.6 and 8.7 cm a^‐1 for the Mackenzie domain. However, the range of interannual variations of the flux convergence is about ±50% of the annual means and more than twice the monthly means. The annual totals of the flux convergence are correlated with station‐derived precipitation over the Mackenzie domain and with yearly variations of the Mackenzie discharge. The moisture flux convergence over the Mackenzie domain suggests that station reports underestimate precipitation during the winter months by amounts equivalent to several centimetres per annum.     

Moisture recycling over the Mackenzie basin

Abstract

Moisture recycling over the Mackenzie basin is investigated by estimating the precipitation recycling ratio (the ratio of precipitation derived from local evaporation to the total precipitation within the basin) for the region with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis dataset and the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) precipitation climatology. The results suggest that recycling is very active over the region during the warm season (April – August) and extremely inactive during the cold season. The annual recycling ratio estimated for the basin is about 0.25, which is close to that estimated by others for the Mississippi and Amazon basins despite the lower annual evapotranspiration over the Mackenzie basin.

The high recycling ratios and the recycling patterns estimated for the basin during the warm season are found to be consequences of the unique topographical and climatic settings characterizing the region. Analysis of conditions during the years having anomalous spring and summer precipitation suggests that the large‐scale atmospheric setting could act in concert with the basin's unique topographic and surface characteristics to increase or to decrease precipitation and its recycling over the basin, depending on whether the basin is under the influence of a persistent large‐scale low or a high pressure system. In the former case, much of the recycled precipitation would fall over the north‐western parts of the basin where the runoff ratios are relatively high, and thus enhance the summer discharge from the basin. When the basin is under the influence of a persistent high pressure system, much of the recycled precipitation would fall over the southern part of the basin where the runoff ratios are relatively low, and thus reduce the discharge from the basin. It is suggested that this latter effect might have contributed to the record low summer discharge from the basin during 1995.     

青藏高原冬春季积雪异常对中国春夏季降水的影响

利用1956年12月～1998年12月共42a，青藏高原及其附近地区78个积雪观测站的雪深和我国160站月降水的距平资料，分析了其气候特征，并用SVD方法分析了冬春季积雪异常与春夏季我国降水异常的关系。用区域气候模式RegCM2模拟了青藏高原积雪异常的气候效应并检验了诊断分析的结果。分析表明，雪深异常，尤其是冬季雪深异常是影响中国降水的一个因子。研究证明，高原冬季雪深异常对后期中国区域降水的影响比春季雪深异常的影响更为重要。数值模拟的结果表明，高原雪深和雪盖的正异常推迟了东亚夏季风的爆发日期，减弱了季风强度，造成华南和华北降水减少，而长江和淮河流域降水增加。冬季雪深异常比冬季雪盖异常和春季雪深异常对降水的影响更为显著。机理分析指出，高原及其邻近地区的积雪异常首先通过融雪改变土壤湿度和地表温度，从而改变了地面到大气的热量、水汽和辐射通量。由此所引起的大气环流变化又反过来影响下垫面的特征和通量输送。在湿土壤和大气之间，这样一种长时间的相互作用是造成后期气候变化的关键过程。与干土壤和大气的相互作用过程有本质差别。     

Relationship between winter snow cover days in Northeast China and rainfall near the Yangtze River basin in the following summer

Based on observed snow and precipitation data and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data,the relationship between the number of winter snow cover days in Northeast China and the following summer’s rainfall in the northern part of southern China is analyzed and the possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.The results indicate that a negative relationship is significant throughout the study period,especially more obvious after the 1980s.The pre-winter circulation patterns in years with more snow cover days and less summer rainfall in the south bank of the Yangtze River are almost the same.In years with more snow cover days,lower temperatures at the lower level over Northeast China are found in winter and spring.The winter monsoon is weaker and retreats later in these years than in those with fewer snow cover days.In spring of years with more snow cover days,anomalous cyclonic circulation is observed over Northeast China,and anomalous northerly wind is found in eastern China.In summer of these years,anomalous northeasterly wind at the lower level is found from the area south of the Yangtze River to the East China Sea and Yellow Sea;and with less southwesterly water vapor transport,the rainfall in the area south of the Yangtze River is less than normal,and the opposite patterns are true in years with fewer snow cover days.In recent years,the stable relationship between winter snow cover in Northeast China and summer rainfall in the Yangtze River basin can be used for summer rainfall prediction.The results are of great importance to short-term climate prediction for summer rainfall.     

Tracing freshwater anomalies through the air‐land‐ocean system: A case study from the Mackenzie river basin and the Beaufort Gyre

Abstract

Mackenzie River discharge was at a record low in water year (WY) 1995 (October 1994 to September 1995), was near average in WY 1996, and was at a record high in WY 1997. The record high discharge in WY 1997, with above average flow each month, was followed by a record high flow in May 1998, then a sharp decline. Through diagnosing these changing flows and their expression in the Beaufort Sea via synthesis of observations and model output, this study provides insight into the nature of the Arctic's freshwater system. The low discharge in WY 1995 manifests negative anomalies in P‐E and precipitation, recycled summer precipitation, and dry surface conditions immediately prior to the water year. The complex hydrograph for WY 1996 reflects a combination of spring soil moisture recharge, buffering by rising lake levels, positive P‐E anomalies in summer, and a massive release of water held in storage by Bennett Dam. The record high discharge in WY 1997 manifests the dual effects of reduced buffering by lakes and positive P‐E anomalies for most of the year. With reduced buffering, only modest P‐E the following spring led to a record discharge in May 1998. As simulated with a coupled ice‐ocean model, the record low discharge in WY 1995 contributed to a negative freshwater anomaly on the Mackenzie shelf lasting throughout the winter of 1995/96. High discharge from July–October 1996 contributed approximately 20% to a positive freshwater anomaly forming in the Beaufort Sea in the autumn of that year. The remainder was associated with reduced autumn/winter ice growth, strong ice melt the previous summer, and positive P‐E anomalies over the ocean itself. Starting in autumn 1997 and throughout 1998, the upper ocean became more saline owing to sea‐ice growth.     

植被覆盖异常变化影响陆面状况的数值模拟

利用NCAR最新的公用陆面模式CLM3．0，通过数值模拟初步研究了植被叶面积指数（LAI，leafareaindex）异常变化对陆面状况的可能影响，结果表明，植被LAI的异常变化能够引起地表能量平衡、地表水循环等陆面状况的异常。（1）植被LAI的异常变化主要影响太阳辐射在植被与地表之间的分配，以及地表的感热、潜热通量。植被LAI增大，能够引起植被吸收的太阳辐射增加，而到达土壤表面的太阳辐射减小，并导致植被的蒸发、蒸腾潜热通量增加，造成地表的蒸发潜热和感热通量不同程度的减小。（2）植被LAI增大时，植被对降水的拦截和植被叶面的蒸发增大，植被的蒸腾作用也明显增强；植被LAI增加会使得热带地区各个季节的土壤表面蒸发、地表径流减小，而土壤湿度有所增加；LAI增加造成中高纬度地区土壤蒸发的减少主要出现在夏季；LAI增加还能够引起中高纬地区冬、春积雪深度不同程度的增加，造成春末、夏初地表径流的增加。（3）植被LAI增加能够使得叶面和土壤温度有所下降，但植被LAI的变化对叶面、土壤温度的影响相对较小。     

Modelling spatially distributed snowmelt and meltwater runoff in a small Arctic catchment with a hydrology land‐surface scheme (WATCLASS)

Abstract

The fully distributed hydrology land‐surface scheme WATCLASS is used to simulate spring snowmelt runoff in a small Arctic basin, Trail Valley Creek, dominated by open tundra and shrub tundra vegetation. The model calculates snowmelt rates from a full surface energy balance, and a three‐layer soil model is used to simulate the infiltration into and the exchange of heat and moisture within the ground. The generated meltwater is delivered to the stream channel network by overland flow, interflow, and baseflow and subsequently routed out of the catchment. Subgrid spatial variability is handled by the model through the use of grouped response units (GRUs). The GRUs in WATCLASS are chosen according to vegetation land cover.

Five spring snowmelt periods with a variety of initial end‐of‐winter snow cover and melt conditions were simulated and compared with observed runoff data. In a second step, the model's ability to simulate spatially variable snow covered area (SCA) within the basin was tested by comparing model predictions to remotely sensed SCA. WATCLASS was able to predict runoff volumes (on average within 15% over five years of modelling) as well as timing of snowmelt and meltwater runoff for open tundra fairly accurately. However, the model underestimated melt in the energetically more complex shrub tundra areas of the basin. Furthermore, the observed high spatial variability of the SCA at a 1‐km resolution was not captured well by the model.

Several recommendations are made to improve model performance in Arctic basins, including a more realistic implementation of the gradual deepening of the thawed layer during the spring, and the use of topographic information in the definition of land cover classes for the GRU approach.     

青藏高原大气热源和冬春积雪与中国东部降水的年代际变化关系

利用NCEP 1950—2004年逐日再分析资料,采用倒算法,对青藏高原大气热源的长期变化进行了计算,结果发现,青藏高原及附近地区上空大气春夏季热源在过去50年里,尤其是最近20年,表现为持续减弱的趋势。而1960—2004年青藏高原50站的冬春雪深却出现了增加,尤其是春季雪深在1977年出现了由少到多的突变。用SVD方法对高原积雪和高原大气热源关系的分析表明,二者存在非常显著的反相关关系,即高原冬春积雪偏多,高原大气春夏季热源偏弱。高原大气春夏季热源和中国160站降水的SVD分析表明,高原大气春夏季热源和夏季长江中下游降水呈反相关,与华南和华北降水呈正相关;而高原冬春积雪和中国160站降水的SVD分析显示,高原冬春积雪和夏季长江流域降水呈显著正相关,与华南和华北降水呈反相关。在年代际尺度上,青藏高原大气热源和冬春积雪与中国东部降水型的年代际变化(南涝北旱)有很好的相关。最后讨论了青藏高原大气热源影响中国东部降水的机制。青藏高原春夏季热源减弱,使得海陆热力差异减小,致使东亚夏季风强度减弱,输送到华北的水汽减少,而到达长江流域的水汽却增加;同时,高原热源减弱,使得副热带高压偏西,夏季雨带在长江流域维持更长时间。导致近20年来长江流域降水偏多,华北偏少,形成"南涝北旱"雨型。高原冬春积雪的增加,降低了地表温度,减弱了地面热源,并进而使得青藏高原及附近地区大气热源减弱。     

Permafrost hydrology in North America 1

Abstract

This paper reviews hydrologic processes in the permafrost regions of northern North America. Much work has recently been done at specific experimental plots to parallel the progress in laboratory investigations, improving our understanding of the heat and water fluxes in thawed and frozen grounds, infiltration in frozen soils, evaporation in a cold environment, interaction between snow and its frozen substrate, and the dynamics of storage in the active layer. Field research on permafrost slopes and in northern research basins adds to our knowledge of permafrost groundwater hydrology, runoff generating processes, river freeze‐up and breakup processes and allows more precise definition of basin water balance. Sufficient hydrometric data are now available to analyse the streamflow characteristics in an area with permafrost, and more work should be done along this line. It is urged that process studies be continued to gain a better understanding of the effect of permafrost upon the hydrologic cycle. Further research is needed to predict the impacts of human activities on the movement and redistribution of water.     

近45年拉萨深层地温变化趋势分析

利用1961—2005年拉萨0.8 m, 1.6 m和3.2 m逐月平均地温, 采用气候倾向率、累积距平、信噪比等气候诊断方法, 分析了近45年拉萨深层平均地温的变化趋势, 以及异常、突变等气候特征。结果表明:近45年拉萨0.8 m和1.6 m年平均地温呈极显著的增温趋势, 倾向率为 (0.58~0.69 ℃)/10a;0.8 m和1.6 m平均地温倾向率春季最大, 秋季最小; 3.2 m平均地温却以夏季升幅最大, 冬季最小; 与同时期平均气温的增温幅度比较, 地温增幅更大; 20世纪60—90年代0.8 m和1.6 m年平均地温呈明显的逐年代升高趋势; 季平均地温20世纪60—70年代均偏低, 80年代大部分季节仍略偏低, 90年代都表现为正距平; 0.8 m, 1.6 m和3.2 m年平均地温均在1999年出现了异常偏暖, 异常偏冷现象仅发生在1.6 m土层上, 时间为1963年; 夏季深层平均地温异常偏暖均发生在1999年; 冬季0.8 m和1.6 m平均地温多异常偏冷年份, 主要发生在20世纪60年代; 1999, 2002—2005年冬季3.2 m平均地温异常偏暖; 夏、秋季和年平均地温的气候突变都出现在1986年, 冬、春季发生在1983年。     

青海黄南地区近54年蒸发量变化特征及其影响因子

利用青海省黄南地区近54a(1960—2013年)蒸发量、气温、降水量、日照时数、水汽压等资料,应用地理信息系统、数理统计、线性回归和Mann-Kendall检验等方法分析了黄南地区蒸发量的空间及时间变化趋势,并对黄南地区蒸发量变化特征及其影响因子进行了诊断研究。结果表明:黄南地区年平均蒸发量呈明显的下降趋势,20世纪60—70年代为蒸发量偏多阶段,80年代及后为偏少阶段;黄南地区蒸发量最大的季节是春季和夏季,各季蒸发量均呈减少趋势;黄南地区年蒸发量在1973年发生了由多到少的突变,春、夏、秋、冬季分别发在1973、1975、1976和1974年;分析影响蒸发量的相关因子,蒸发量与日照时数呈显著的正相关关系,与水汽压和降水量呈显著的负相关关系,日照时数的减小是蒸发量减少的主要影响因子。     

Recent Progress in the Impact of the Tibetan Plateau on Climate in China

Studies of the impacts of the Tibetan Plateau （TP） on climate in China in the last four years are reviewed. It is reported that temperature and precipitation over the TP have increased during recent decades. From satellite data analysis, it is demonstrated that most of the precipitation over the TP is from deep convection clouds. Moreover, the huge TP mechanical forcing and extraordinary elevated thermal forcing impose remarkable impacts upon local circulation and global climate. In winter and spring, stream flow is deflected by a large obstacle and appears as an asymmetric dipole, making East Asia much colder than mid Asia in winter and forming persistent rainfall in late winter and early spring over South China. In late spring, TP heating contributes to the establishment and intensification of the South Asian high and the abrupt seasonal transition of the surrounding circulations. In summer, TP heating in conjunction with the TP air pump cause the deviating stream field to resemble a cyclonic spiral, converging towards and rising over the TP. Therefore, the prominent Asian monsoon climate over East Asia and the dry climate over mid Asia in summer are forced by both TP local forcing and Eurasian continental forcing.
Due to the longer memory of snow and soil moisture, the TP thermal status both in summer and in late winter and spring can influence the variation of Eastern Asian summer rainfall. A combined index using both snow cover over the TP and the ENSO index in winter shows a better seasonal forecast.
On the other hand, strong sensible heating over the Tibetan Plateau in spring contributes significantly to anchor the earliest Asian monsoon being over the eastern Bay of Bengal （BOB） and the western Indochina peninsula. Qualitative prediction of the BOB monsoon onset was attempted by using the sign of meridional temperature gradient in March in the upper troposphere, or at 400 hPa over the TP. It is also demonstrated by a numerical experiment and theoretical study that the heating over the TP lea