Potential predictability of Eurasian snow cover

Potential predictability and skill of simulated Eurasian snow cover are explored using a suite of seasonal ensemble hindcasts (i.e. retrospective forecasts), an ensemble climate simulation (spanning the years 1982–1998) and observations. Using remotely sensed observations of snow cover, we find significant point-wise correlation over the North Atlantic and North Pacific between winter and spring averaged sea-surface temperatures and Eurasian snow cover area. The observed correlation shows no discernible pattern related to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The hindcasts show correlation patterns similar to the observations. However, the climate simulation shows an exaggerated ENSO pattern. The results underscore the importance of initialization in seasonal climate forecasts, and that the observed potential predictability of Eurasian snowcover cannot be solely attributed to ENSO.     

基于IAP AGCM4的欧亚大陆春季雪水当量可预报性评估

欧亚大陆积雪是重要的气候预测因子,评估其在气候模式中的预测潜力可为季节气候预测和模式发展提供重要参考。本文利用IAP AGCM4的多年集合后报结果,分析了欧亚大陆春季雪水当量的可预报性。结果表明该模式对提前1月后报的欧亚大陆春季雪水当量的空间分布,主要模态及变化趋势具有较好的可预报能力。此外模式对欧亚中高纬积雪的年际异常也具有较高的预报技巧,特别是高纬度区域。可预报性来源分析则表明,大气初始异常对欧亚中高纬积雪可预报性的影响与海温异常相比显得更为重要。     

欧亚大陆中高纬积雪消融异常对东北夏季低温的影响

利用美国冰雪资料中心提供的1979~2007年月平均积雪水当量资料、NCEP/NCAR的逐月再分析资料 以及中国743站的逐日气温资料,讨论了欧亚中高纬春季融雪异常分布与中国东北夏季温度的联系及其可能的影响机理。结果表明:欧亚大陆中高纬西部春季融雪偏多、东部春季融雪偏少时,我国东北夏季易出现低温。春季东部融雪量少,导致夏季剩余积雪偏多;夏季积雪融化吸热增多,加上后期的土壤湿度增加会导致该地区夏季温度异常偏低,高度场下降,500 hPa上欧亚中高纬东部的长波槽加深,槽后偏北气流加强;来自极地的冷空气容易入侵东亚中高纬地区,引起我国东北夏季低温。     

Potential predictors for spring season dust storm forecast in Inner Mongolia, China

This study identifies potential predictors for seasonal forecast of dust storm frequency for the Inner Mongolia region of China. Regionally averaged antecedent annual precipitation anomaly has a significant influence on spring dust storm frequency. It is strongly linked to the frequency of severe dust storms that produce strong impact on the downstream Beijing-Tianjin area. A hindcast that uses precipitation anomaly to predict dust storm frequency in the following spring significantly outperforms climatologic forecast. Limited soil moisture observations indicate that an abundant annual precipitation increases the soil moisture of subsurface layer in the subsequent spring, which in turn improves vegetation growth that could lead to a reduction in the frequency of dust storms.     

中国积雪气候调节服务价值评估

文中通过长时间中国雪深序列数据集、ERA-5的反照率数据,以及CESM-CAM5的辐射数据,分析了1988—2016年中国积雪的辐射强迫,并通过DICE/RICE模型计算其大气碳当量,进而对中国年均积雪气候调节服务价值进行了核算,同时分析其时空变化,由此得到功能分区。结果表明,中国积雪对于全球的辐射强迫贡献等价于-0.22 (±0.01) W/m²,相当于减少大气碳当量17 (±1) Gt C带来的降温效应,从能源转变的替代成本角度出发,其气候调节服务价值可达到3.9 (±2.1)万亿元。同时发现,由于积雪减少趋势引起的中国积雪气候调节服务衰减,相当于碳当量以0.67亿t/a的速率减少,这相当于每年气候调节服务衰减造成的替代成本达到150 (±12)亿元,在29年间累积损失可达4100 (±328)亿元。最后基于评估结果对中国积雪气候调节服务功能进行了分区讨论。     

Influence of the Eurasian snow cover on the Indian summer monsoon variability in observed climatologies and CMIP3 simulations

The present study is aimed at revisiting the possible influence of the winter/spring Eurasian snow cover on the subsequent Indian summer precipitation using several statistical tools including a maximum covariance analysis. The snow–monsoon relationship is explored using both satellite observations of snow cover and in situ measurements of snow depth, but also a subset of global coupled ocean–atmosphere simulations from the phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) database. In keeping with former studies, the observations suggest a link between an east–west snow dipole over Eurasia and the Indian summer monsoon precipitation. However, our results indicate that this relationship is neither statistically significant nor stationary over the last 40 years. Moreover, the strongest signal appears over eastern Eurasia and is not consistent with the Blanford hypothesis whereby more snow should lead to a weaker monsoon. The twentieth century CMIP3 simulations provide longer timeseries to look for robust snow–monsoon relationships. The maximum covariance analysis indicates that some models do show an apparent influence of the Eurasian snow cover on the Indian summer monsoon precipitation, but the patterns are not the same as in the observations. Moreover, the apparent snow–monsoon relationship generally denotes a too strong El Niño-Southern Oscillation teleconnection with both winter snow cover and summer monsoon rainfall rather than a direct influence of the Eurasian snow cover on the Indian monsoon.     

Potential consequences of projected climate change impacts on hydroelectricity generation

There is a growing concern that countries should reduce their dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation and look to other cleaner technologies. Hydroelectricity is one such option. However, given that hydropower is dependent on rainfall and associated runoff for power generation, it is susceptible to both the positive and negative impacts of climate change, such as increases in temperature and changes in precipitation and runoff. In this paper, impacts on hydropower generation have been organised as either changes in long-term trends or short-term variability and shocks. These impacts could either manifest themselves as direct impacts on hydropower generation potential or as indirect impacts (or ancillary impacts) such as increased competition for water. Citing examples from around the world, this paper investigates the scale of these projected impacts, and the potential cost implication of inaction. It concludes by making recommendations for possible adaptive options to build resilience in response to local impacts.     

中国西部积雪类型划分

利用中国105°E以西地区189个地面气象台站1960-2004年积雪日资料和1981-2004年SMMR、SSM/Ⅰ反演的逐日雪深资料,使用积雪年际变率方法划分中国西部积雪类型,并与积雪日数方法的划分结果进行比较.在此基础上,尝试建立了结合以上两种要素的综合分类指标.利用积雪年际变率方法和台站资料,将中国西部积雪划分为3类.其中,稳定积雪区主要包括北疆、天山和青藏高原东部高海拔山区;年周期性不稳定积雪区包括南疆和东疆盆地周边、河西走廊、青海北部、青藏高原中西部、藏南谷地以及青藏高原东南缘;其他积雪区均为非年周期性不稳定积雪区.气候突变后,积雪日数方法划分的积雪类型变化反映出沙漠和低纬度地区积雪变幅增大,在积雪年际变率方法的结果中体现出青藏高原东部地区趋于稳定的积雪面积在增加.在没有台站记录地区,卫星遥感资料很大程度上弥补了台站观测的缺陷,使用这种资料划分积雪类型时,积雪年际变率方法比积雪日数方法的结果更符合西部积雪的分布特点,反映出积雪分布与地形的密切关系.利用综合分类指标划分西部积雪类型的结果表明,台站资料的划分结果很大程度上受积雪持续时间的影响,而在卫星遥感结果中,积雪年际变率则是影响类型划分的主要因素.     

Modeling impacts of vegetation in western China on the summer climate of northwestern China

Using the monthly NCEP-NCAR reanalysis dataset, the monthly temperature and precipitation at surface stations of China, and the MM5 model, we examine impacts of vegetation cover changes in western China on the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China during the past 30 years. It is found that the summer atmospheric circulation, surface air temperature, and rainfall in the 1990s were different from those in the 1970s over northwestern China, with generally more rainfall and higher temperatures in the 1990s. Associated with these changes, an anomalous wave train appears in the lower troposphere at the midlatitudes of East Asia and the low-pressure system to the north of the Tibetan Plateau is weaker. Meanwhile, the South Asian high in the upper troposphere is also located more eastward. Numerical experiments show that change of vegetation cover in western China generally forces anomalous circulations and temperatures and rainfall over these regions. This consistency between the observations and simulations implies that the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China between the 1990s and 1970s may result from a change of vegetation cover over western China.     

积雪分布及其对中国气候影响的研究进展

对北半球不同地区的积雪分布状况、积雪异常影响中国气候的事实以及影响机理等问题的研究成果进行了较系统的回顾与总结。青藏高原、蒙古高原、欧洲阿尔卑斯山脉及北美中西部是北半球积雪分布的关键区,其中青藏高原是北半球积雪异常变化最强烈的区域。中国积雪分布范围广泛,其中新疆、东北和青藏高原是3个大值区。总体来看,北半球积雪有减少的趋势,而中国积雪却有弱的增加趋势。冬、春季高原积雪与欧亚积雪对中国夏季降水的影响是相反的。积雪影响中国气候的机理解释为：冬季积雪反照率效应起主要作用,春夏季积雪水文效应起主要作用。积雪被视为中国短期气候预测的一个重要物理因子,继续加强该领域的研究对于提高中国短期气候预测的准确率将有重要意义。     

江南春雨雨日的变化及其与欧亚大陆积雪的联系

利用中国气象局提供的1960—2019年江南区站点观测逐日降水数据,分析了江南春雨不同持续时长雨日的变化及其与欧亚大陆积雪的联系。结果表明,江南春雨以持续5 d及以上的长持续降水为主,但降水日数下降趋势明显,导致长持续降水减少。利用奇异值分解法(Singular Value Decomposition,SVD)发现,欧亚大陆3—5月积雪覆盖率与江南春雨雨日数有显著正相关关系。将(48°~59°N,90°~110°E)区域平均积雪覆盖率定义为积雪覆盖指数,通过指数与同期大气环流的回归分析发现,当积雪偏少时,我国中北部及西伯利亚地区500 hPa位势高度正异常,在江南区850 hPa风场和水汽通量场西南向负异常,导致江南春雨雨日数减少。合成分析进一步验证了积雪偏少会在江南区形成异常东北风抑制水汽输送至江南地区,不利于降水发生。     

激光探测沙暴过程中的气溶胶消光系数分布

本文基于光波与气溶胶质点相互作用的弹性理论,根据激光雷达大气回波信息,讨论了1982年5月上旬北京地区接连两次出现的沙暴过程的气溶胶消光系数分布特征.     

Projection of snow cover changes over China under RCP scenarios

Snow cover changes in the middle (2040–2059) and end (2080–2099) of the twenty-first century over China were investigated with a regional climate model, nested within the global model BCC_CSM1.1. The simulations had been conducted for the period of 1950–2099 under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Results show that the model perform well in representing contemporary (1986–2005) spatial distributions of snow cover days (SCDs) and snow water equivalent (SWE). However, some differences between observation and simulation were detected. Under the RCP4.5 scenarios, SCDs are shortened by 10–20 and 20–40 days during the middle and end of the twenty-first century, respectively. Whereas simulated SWE is lowered by 0.1–10 mm in most areas over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). On the other hand, the spatial distributions of SWE are reversed between the middle and end terms in the northeast China. Furthermore, compared with the changes of RCP4.5 scenario, SCDs are reduced by 5–20 days in the middle period under RCP8.5 scenario with even larger decreasing amplitude in the end term. SWE was lowered by 0.1–2.5 mm in most areas except the northeast of China in middle term under RCP8.5 scenario. The great center of SCDs and SWE changes are always located over TP. The regional mean of SCDs and SWE for the TP and for China display a declining trend from 2006 to 2099 with more pronounced changes in the TP than in China as a whole. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, the changes are enhanced compared to those under RCP4.5.     

Mean circulations of boundary-layer rolls in lake-effect snow storms

An observational study of the roll-average flow fields of boundary-layer rolls is presented. Data used for this purpose were collected by dual-Doppler radar and aircraft measurements taken over southern Lake Michigan during the 1983/1984 field operations of Project Lake Snow. The roll circulations agreed well with findings of past observational, numerical and theoretical studies, with cross-roll components roughly 10% of the convective internal boundary layer (CIBL)-mean wind speeds and weaker vertical components. Along-roll winds were systematically stronger in the rollupdraft regions than in the roll-downdraft regions, probably due to distortion of the along-roll wind profile by the rolls. Comparison of observed wind profiles to those required by roll formation mechanisms found by past numerical and theoretical studies suggested that the observed rolls were formed by the along-roll wind shear (Asai, 1970) or wind shear curvature (Kuettner, 1971) in the lowest 0.2Z _i, whereZ _i is the height of the top of the CIBL.     

Statistical Regression Analysis of Response of Northern Mid and Upper Tropospheric Circulation to Winter Eurasian Snow Cover Effects

Response for anomalous circulation in relation to snow coverage is derived by use of regression coefficients in dealing with the Eurasian snow cover time series and northern mid and upper tropospheric height data. Results show that not only does the regression response pattern represent the correlation between snow coverage and circulation change but reflects the amplitude strength in correlation cores as well, with a greater amplitude of the circulation response in the mid troposphere and remarkable equivalent barotropy in the mid to upper levels, and that the response of winter-summer circulations to winter snow cover displays noticeable stationary planetary-scale wavetrain, leading to NEUP and NPNA patterns in winter, slightly changed forms in spring months and LEU and EANA in summer time. Also, the study demonstrates that the rasponse-produced wavetrain is marked by branch and propagates energy in a wave-front manner with the energy trapped at subtropical latitudes.     

Potential impact of future climate change on crop yield in northeastern China

We evaluated the potential impact of future climate change on spring maize and single-crop rice in northeastern China(NEC) by employing climate and crop models. Based on historical data, diurnal temperature change exhibited a distinct negative relationship with maize yield, whereas minimum temperature correlated positively to rice yield. Corresponding to the evaluated climate change derived from coupled climate models included in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5) under the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 scenario(RCP4.5), the projected maize yield changes for three future periods [2010–39(period 1), 2040–69(period 2), and 2070–99(period 3)] relative to the mean yield in the baseline period(1976–2005) were 2.92%, 3.11% and 2.63%, respectively. By contrast, the evaluated rice yields showed slightly larger increases of 7.19%, 12.39%, and 14.83%, respectively. The uncertainties in the crop response are discussed by considering the uncertainties obtained from both the climate and the crop models. The range of impact of the uncertainty became markedly wider when integrating these two sources of uncertainty. The probabilistic assessments of the evaluated change showed maize yield to be relatively stable from period 1 to period 3, while the rice yield showed an increasing trend over time. The results presented in this paper suggest a tendency of the yields of maize and rice in NEC to increase(but with great uncertainty) against the background of global warming, which may offer some valuable guidance to government policymakers.     

MJO对我国东部春季降水影响的分析

利用1982-2011年夏季（5-8月）中国气象观测站点逐日降水资料、NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料、NOAA逐日向外长波辐射和海表温度资料集,通过选取低频降水事件的方法,分析了华南夏季12-30 d持续性强降水事件的基本特征,然后利用位相合成法对持续性强降水期间伴随的低频大气环流型以及低频信号的来源和传播情况进行研究,同时也分析了低频海-气耦合过程对持续性强降水的影响。结果表明：（1）华南夏季降水具有显著的12-30 d低频振荡特征,持续性强降水事件在6月发生次数最多,低频降水期间的雨带自东南向西北传播。（2）在持续性强降水发生期间,华南及邻近海域低层受强大的低频气旋式环流控制,低频上升运动显著,而中国南海-菲律宾海一带则是强的低频反气旋式环流,其西侧向北的低频水汽输送不断将中国南海的水汽送至华南及邻近海域进行辐合上升。低层的低频信号来源于热带西太平洋和中国南海-菲律宾海一带低频振荡的西北向传播,同时伴随着西太平洋副热带高压明显的西伸东退过程。（3）在高层,华南北侧（22°-45°N,95°-130°E）区域强大的低频气旋式环流和孟加拉湾-中国南海一带的低频反气旋式环流相互配合,使华南高层处于强大的辐散环境中,从而加强了华南低层的辐合与低频上升运动,造成持续性强降水的增强。高层的低频信号来源于低频罗斯贝波列的东南向传播。（4）低频大气环流异常通过云辐射和热通量过程改变低频海表温度异常,而由大气强迫的低频海表温度异常通过影响低层大气的稳定性来对大气施加明显的反馈作用,该海-气耦合过程有利于大气低层低频信号向华南地区传播,从而影响了华南持续性强降水的发生、发展与结束。     

两次春季强风暴天气环境场对比分析

利用NCAR/NCEP再分析资料和常规气象观测资料,对发生在长江中下游的两次春季强风暴天气影响系统、不稳定条件、触发机制进行对比分析。结果表明:(1)两次强风暴天气,都是在东北冷涡大背景、高空槽、低层切变线和偏西气流的有利形势下产生的;(2)两次强风暴过程的近地面比湿不足12 g/kg,相对湿度在600 hPa附近呈现低—高—低的变化,近地面的水汽通量在强对流发生地附近辐合;(3)流场分布表征:低层辐合、高层辐散;强风暴发生前后垂直速度是下沉—上升—上升运动减弱的变化;(4)风暴发生前近地层温度梯度明显加强;K指数30℃、SWEAT指数100;(5)上层干冷空气下传侵入引发的对流不稳定层结、较强垂直风切变、能量锋区的存在、高低空急流耦合所造成的抽吸作用均有利于触发强对流天气的产生;(6)两次强风暴过程的不同点有:近地面第1次过程的湿度比第2次过程的湿度低;第1次过程的能量锋区自下而上北抬,第2次过程南撤。     

Synoptic analysis of dust storms in the Middle East

Dust storm in the Middle East and south-west Asia is a natural hazard and the Tigris-Euphrates alluvial plain has been recognized as the main dust source in this area. In this study, more than 60 dust storms that occurred during the period 2003–2011 are investigated on the basis of MODIS satellite images, and 12 of the dust storms are selected for synoptic analysis using the NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis Data. The potential dust sources in the Middle East and south-west Asian region (20°E to 80°E, 5°N to 50°N) are analyzed and used in the synoptic analysis. Dust storms in the region can be grouped into two main categories, i.e., the Shamal dust storms and the frontal dust storms. Synoptic systems, associated with the two categories, are distinguished and the frequency of the patterns is identified. For 68% of the Shamal dust storms, a high pressure system is situated between 0°E to 30°E and 27°N to 45°N, and a low pressure system between 50°E to 70°E and 23°N to 43°N. For 86% of the frontal dust storms, a high is located between 51°E to 67°E and 18°N to 33°N and a low between 28°E to 48°E and 32°N to 43°N. Three main patterns for Shamal dust storms are identified, which represent about 60% of the Shamal dust storms. This analysis confirms that the Shamal is related to the anticyclones located over northern Africa to Eastern Europe and the monsoon trough over Iraq, southern Iran, Pakistan and the Indian Subcontinent. The analysis also shows that the main dust sink for the frontal dust storms in Tigris and Euphrates alluvial plain extends from center of Iraq to west and center of Iran and, in most severe cases, to northern Iran and the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.