A study on drought features of the Indian summer monsoon 2002

In this paper, a diagnostic study is carried out with global analysis data sets to determine how the large scale atmospheric circulation affecting the anomalous drought of the Indian summer monsoon 2002. The daily analysis obtained from National Centre for Environmental Prediction/National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) for the month of July is used to investigate the mean circulation characteristics and the large scale energetics over the Indian monsoon domain. Examination of rainfall revealed that the summer monsoon (JJAS) rainfall of 2002 over India is 22% below normal in which the large deficit of 56% below normal rainfall in July. The recent past drought during summer season of 2004 and 2009 are 12 and 23%, respectively, below normal rainfall. The large deficit of rainfall in 2009 is from the June month with 48% below normal rainfall, where as 2004 drought contributed from July (19%) and August (24%). Another significant facet of the rainfall in July 2002 is lowest ever recorded in the past 138 years (1871–2008). The circulation features illustrated weak low level westerly wind at 850 hPa (Somali Jet) in July during large deficit rainfall years of 1987 and 2002 with a reduction of about 30% when compared with the excess and normal rainfall years of 1988 and 2003. Also, tropical easterly jet at 150 hPa reduced by 15% during the deficit rainfall year of 2002 against the excess rainfall year of 1988. Both the jet streams are responsible for low level convergence and upper level divergence leading to build up moisture and convective activity to sustain the strength of the monsoon circulation. These changes are well reflected in reduction of tropospheric moisture profile considerably. It is found that the maximum number of west pacific cyclonic system during July 2002 is also influenced for large deficit rainfall over India. The dynamic, thermodynamic and energetic clearly show the monsoon break type situation over India in the month of July 2002 resulting less convective activity and the reduction of moisture. The large diabatic heating, flux convergence of heat and moisture over south east equatorial Indian Ocean are also responsible for drought situation in July 2002 over the Indian region.     

A study on radiative properties of Indian summer monsoon clouds

Possible causes behind the unusual cooling by summer monsoon clouds over India are investigated. Results suggest that the causes behind the cooling over the Bay of Bengal, India (BBI) and Arabian Sea (AS) within the Indian monsoon region are different. Over the BBI, clouds are tall. A unique upper tropospheric easterly jet stream exists over India during the summer monsoon season, which horizontally spreads the vertically growing deep convective clouds and thereby increases the cloud cover. Hence, more incoming solar radiation is reflected back to space, which leads to cooling. A radiative transfer study employing the Santa Barbara DISORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer model supports this view. Over the Arabian Sea, clouds are shallow, and hence the upper tropospheric jet cannot affect them. Due to their proximity to the ground, Arabian Sea clouds exert less warming effect, but they exert a considerable cooling effect, which arises because of the high reflectivity of the clouds. Over the Equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO), where the monsoon clouds originate and propagate towards the monsoon trough region, both cooling and warming effects are nearly canceled out. The upper tropospheric jet is located hundreds of kilometers north of the EIO, and hence it does not disturb the deep convective clouds of the EIO. Therefore, they behave similarly to other deep convective clouds in the tropical belt.     

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.     

Boreal summer continental monsoon rainfall and hydroclimate anomalies associated with the Asian-Pacific Oscillation

With the twentieth century analysis data (1901–2002) for atmospheric circulation, precipitation, Palmer drought severity index, and sea surface temperature (SST), we show that the Asian-Pacific Oscillation (APO) during boreal summer is a major mode of the earth climate variation linking to global atmospheric circulation and hydroclimate anomalies, especially the Northern Hemisphere (NH) summer land monsoon. Associated with a positive APO phase are the warm troposphere over the Eurasian land and the relatively cool troposphere over the North Pacific, the North Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. Such an amplified land–ocean thermal contrast between the Eurasian land and its adjacent oceans signifies a stronger than normal NH summer monsoon, with the strengthened southerly or southwesterly monsoon prevailing over tropical Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. A positive APO implies an enhanced summer monsoon rainfall over all major NH land monsoon regions: West Africa, South Asia, East Asia, and Mexico. Thus, APO is a sensible measure of the NH land monsoon rainfall intensity. Meanwhile, reduced precipitation appears over the arid and semiarid regions of northern Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, manifesting the monsoon-desert coupling. On the other hand, surrounded by the cool troposphere over the North Pacific and North Atlantic, the extratropical North America has weakened low-level continental low and upper-level ridge, hence a deficient summer rainfall. Corresponding to a high APO index, the African and South Asian monsoon regions are wet and cool, the East Asian monsoon region is wet and hot, and the extratropical North America is dry and hot. Wet and dry climates correspond to wet and dry soil conditions, respectively. The APO is also associated with significant variations of SST in the entire Pacific and the extratropical North Atlantic during boreal summer, which resembles the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation in SST. Of note is that the Pacific SST anomalies are not present throughout the year, rather, mainly occur in late spring, peak at late summer, and are nearly absent during boreal winter. The season-dependent APO–SST relationship and the origin of the APO remain elusive.     

A study of vertical cloud structure of the Indian summer monsoon using CloudSat data

Precise specification of the vertical distribution of cloud optical properties is important to reduce the uncertainty in quantifying the radiative impacts of clouds. The new global observations of vertical profiles of clouds from the CloudSat mission provide opportunities to describe cloud structures and to improve parameterization of clouds in the weather and climate prediction models. In this study, four years (2007–2010) of observations of vertical structure of clouds from the CloudSat cloud profiling radar have been used to document the mean vertical structure of clouds associated with the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and its intra-seasonal variability. Active and break monsoon spells associated with the intra-seasonal variability of ISM have been identified by an objective criterion. For the present analysis, we considered CloudSat derived column integrated cloud liquid and ice water, and vertically profiles of cloud liquid and ice water content. Over the South Asian monsoon region, deep convective clouds with large vertical extent (up to 14 km) and large values of cloud water and ice content are observed over the north Bay of Bengal. Deep clouds with large ice water content are also observed over north Arabian Sea and adjoining northwest India, along the west coast of India and the south equatorial Indian Ocean. The active monsoon spells are characterized by enhanced deep convection over the Bay of Bengal, west coast of India and northeast Arabian Sea and suppressed convection over the equatorial Indian Ocean. Over the Bay of Bengal, cloud liquid water content and ice water content is enhanced by ~90 and ~200 % respectively during the active spells. An interesting feature associated with the active spell is the vertical tilting structure of positive CLWC and CIWC anomalies over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, which suggests a pre-conditioning process for the northward propagation of the boreal summer intra-seasonal variability. It is also observed that during the break spells, clouds are not completely suppressed over central India. Instead, clouds with smaller vertical extent (3–5 km) are observed due to the presence of a heat low type of circulation. The present results will be useful for validating the vertical structure of clouds in weather and climate prediction models.     

A qualitative study on sea surface temperature over the tropical Indian Ocean and performance of Indian summer monsoon

A careful analysis of the sea surface temperature (SST) over the tropical Indian Ocean using the available SST data sets (namely, Hadley Center Ice SST, tropical rainfall measuring mission microwave imager SST, and optimum interpolation SST) at different time scales has been presented in the present study. By simple visual inspection of the SST plots, it has been shown that the qualitative prediction of Indian summer monsoon condition (weak/normal) and northern limit of monsoon (NLM) can be possible a month in advance using SST. The present qualitative study may be useful for common man to know the behavior of summer monsoon well a month in advance. Therefore, the qualitative study may enable the common man to show the application of satellite data to bring out the information regarding the onset of summer monsoon and related performance of Indian summer monsoon well in advance.     

Local onset and demise of the Indian summer monsoon

This paper introduces an objective definition of local onset and demise of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) at the native grid of the Indian Meteorological Department’s rainfall analysis based on more than 100 years of rain gauge observations. The variability of the local onset/demise of the ISM is shown to be closely associated with the All India averaged rainfall onset/demise. This association is consistent with the corresponding evolution of the slow large-scale reversals of upper air and ocean variables that raise the hope of predictability of local onset and demise of the ISM. The local onset/demise of the ISM also show robust internannual variations associated with El Nino and the Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean dipole mode. It is also shown that the early monsoon rains over northeast India has a predictive potential for the following seasonal anomalies of rainfall and seasonal length of the monsoon over rest of India.

     

Weakening of Indian summer monsoon in recent decades

The analysis of 43 years of NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data and station observations reveals the connections between tropospheric temperature variations and the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon circulation. The Indian summer monsoon variation is strongly linked to tropospheric temperature over East Asia, showing significant positive correlations of mean tropospheric temperature with all-Indian summer rainfall and the monsoon circulation intensity. The result shows that Indian summer monsoon circulation underwent two weakening processes in recent decades. The first occurred in circa the mid-1960s, and the other occurred in circa the late 1970s. The finding indicates that the mean tropospheric temperature may play a crucial role in the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon intensity via changing land-sea thermal contrast. The role of the tropospheric temperature contrast between East Asia and the tropical area from the eastern Indian Ocean to the tropical western Pacific is to weaken the Indian summer monsoon circulation.     

A coupled model study on ENSO, MJO and Indian summer monsoon rainfall relationships

Summary In this paper, we have tried to understand the ENSO, MJO and Indian summer monsoon rainfall relationships from observation as well as from coupled model results. It was the general feeling that El-Niño years are the deficient in Indian monsoon rainfall and converse being the case for the La-Niña years. Recent papers by several authors noted the failure of this relationship. We find that the model output does confirm a breakdown of this relationship. In this study we have seen that a statistically defined modified Indian summer monsoon rainfall (MISMR) index, a linearly regressed ISMR index and dynamical Webster index (WBSI), shows an inverse relationship with ENSO index during the entire period of integration (1987 to 1999). It is also seen from this study that the amplification of the MJO signals were large and the ENSO signals were less pronounced during the years of above normal ISMR. The MJO signal amplitudes were small and ENSO signals were strong during the years of deficient ISMR. It has been noted that here is a time lag between the MJO and ENSO signal in terms of their modulation aspect. If time lag is added with the ENSO signal then both signals maintain the amplitude modulation theory. A hypothesis is being proposed here to define a relationship between MJO and ENSO signals for the entire period between 1987 and 1999.Received September 18, 2002; revised November 22, 2002; accepted December 20, 2002 Published online: May 8, 2003     

Global effect of irrigation and its impact on the onset of the Indian summer monsoon

In a context of increased demand for food and of climate change, the water consumptions associated with the agricultural practice of irrigation focuses attention. In order to analyze the global influence of irrigation on the water cycle, the land surface model ORCHIDEE is coupled to the GCM LMDZ to simulate the impact of irrigation on climate. A 30-year simulation which takes into account irrigation is compared with a simulation which does not. Differences are usually not significant on average over all land surfaces but hydrological variables are significantly affected by irrigation over some of the main irrigated river basins. Significant impacts over the Mississippi river basin are shown to be contrasted between eastern and western regions. An increase in summer precipitation is simulated over the arid western region in association with enhanced evapotranspiration whereas a decrease in precipitation occurs over the wet eastern part of the basin. Over the Indian peninsula where irrigation is high during winter and spring, a delay of 6?days is found for the mean monsoon onset date when irrigation is activated, leading to a significant decrease in precipitation during May to July. Moreover, the higher decrease occurs in June when the water requirements by crops are maximum, exacerbating water scarcity in this region. A significant cooling of the land surfaces occurs during the period of high irrigation leading to a decrease of the land-sea heat contrast in June, which delays the monsoon onset.     

Impact of Indian summer monsoon on the South Asian High and its influence on summer rainfall over China

By using the monthly ERA-40 reanalysis data and observed rainfall data, we investigated the effect of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) on the South Asian High (SAH) at 200 hPa, and the role played by the SAH in summer rainfall variation over China. It is found that in the interannual timescale the east–west shift is a prominent feature of the SAH, with its center either over the Iranian Plateau or over the Tibetan Plateau. When the ISM is stronger (weaker) than normal, the SAH shifts westward (eastward) to the Iranian Plateau (Tibetan Plateau). The east–west position of SAH has close relation to the summer rainfall over China. A westward (eastward) location of SAH corresponds to less (more) rainfall in the Yangtze-Huai River Valley and more (less) rainfall in North China and South China. A possible physical process that the ISM affects the summer rainfall over China via the SAH is proposed. A stronger (weaker) ISM associated with more (less) rainfall over India corresponds to more (less) condensation heat release and anomalous heating (cooling) in the upper troposphere over the northern Indian peninsula. The anomalous heating (cooling) stimulates positive (negative) height anomalies to its northwest and negative (positive) height anomalies to its northeast in the upper troposphere, causing a westward (eastward) shift of the SAH with its center over the Iranian Plateau (Tibetan Plateau). As a result, an anomalous cyclone (anticyclone) is formed over the eastern Tibetan Plateau and eastern China in the upper troposphere. The anomalous vertical motions in association with the circulation anomalies are responsible for the rainfall anomalies over China. Our present study reveals that the SAH may play an important role in the effect of ISM on the East Asian summer monsoon.     

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     

Weakening of Indian summer monsoon rainfall in warming environment

Though over a century long period (1871–2010) the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) series is stable, it does depict the decreasing tendency during the last three decades of the 20th century. Around mid-1970s, there was a major climate shift over the globe. The average all-India surface air temperature also shows consistent rise after 1975. This unequivocal warming may have some impact on the weakening of ISMR. The reduction in seasonal rainfall is mainly contributed by the deficit rainfall over core monsoon zone which happens to be the major contributor to seasonal rainfall amount. During the period 1976–2004, the deficit (excess) monsoons have become more (less) frequent. The monsoon circulation is observed to be weakened. The mid-tropospheric gradient responsible for the maintenance of monsoon circulation has been observed to be weakened significantly as compared to 1901–1975. The warming over western equatorial Indian Ocean as well as equatorial Pacific is more pronounced after mid-70s and the co-occurrence of positive Indian Ocean Dipole Mode events and El Nino events might have reinforced the large deficit anomalies of Indian summer monsoon rainfall during 1976–2004. All these factors may contribute to the weakening of ISMR.     

Active, weak and break spells in the Indian summer monsoon

Summary Active weak and break phases of the Indian summer monsoon for the period 1958–2002 are studied using ERA-40 data. The criteria for identifying the break are proposed and tested using the 850 hPa level horizontal wind shear. Independent datasets such as All-India Rainfall, NOAA Outgoing Long-wave Radiation and CMAP rainfall datasets are used for the verification of the proposed criteria. On leave from the National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, A-50 Institutional Area, Phase-II, Sector 62, Noida, U.P., India.     

A study on the decreasing trend in tropical easterly jet stream (TEJ) and its impact on Indian summer monsoon rainfall

Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis wind and temperature data (1948–2011) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) rainfall data, a long-term trend in the tropical easterly jet stream and its effect on Indian summer monsoon rainfall has been explained in the present study. A decreasing trend in zonal wind speed at 100 mb (maximum decrease), 150 mb, and 200 mb (minimum) is observed. The upper-level (100, 150, and 200 mb) zonal wind speed has been correlated with the surface air temperature anomaly index (ATAI) in the month of May, which is taken as the difference in temperature anomaly over land (22.5°N–27.5°N, 80°E–90°E) and Ocean (5°S–0°S, 75°E–85°E). Significant high correlation is observed between May ATAI and tropical easterly jet stream (TEJ) which suggests that the decreasing land–sea temperature contrast could be one major reason behind the decreasing trend in TEJ. The analysis of spatial distribution of rainfall over India shows a decreasing trend in rainfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, central Indian region, and western coast of India. Increasing trend in rainfall is observed over south peninsular and northeastern part of India. From the spatial correlation analysis of zonal wind with gridded rainfall, it is observed that the correlation of rainfall is found to be high with the TEJ speed over the regions where the decreasing trend in rainfall is observed. Similarly, from the analysis of spatial correlation between rainfall and May ATAI, positive spatial correlation is observed between May ATAI and summer monsoon rainfall over the regions such as south peninsular India where the rainfall trend is positive, and negative correlation is observed over the places such as Jammu and Kashmir where negative rainfall trend is observed. The decreased land–sea temperature contrast in the pre-monsoon month could be one major reason behind the decreased trend in TEJ as well as the observed spatial variation in the summer monsoon rainfall trend. Thus, the study explained the long-term trend in TEJ and its relation with May month temperature over the Indian Ocean and land region and its effect on the trend and spatial distribution of Indian summer monsoon rainfall.