Monthly Synoptic Patterns Associated with Wet/Dry Conditions in the Eastern Mediterranean

Summary An investigation of the main features of large-scale synoptic patterns over Europe and the adjacent areas for extreme winter periods during 1980–1995 over the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) is performed. The NASA reanalysis data set is used to investigate composite sea level pressure (SLP), geopotential height of the 500 hPa surface (H-500) and precipitation–wet, normal and dry patterns for each month during the period October–March. It is found that the wet and dry cool seasons in the EM are associated with distinct SLP and H-500 anomaly patterns over Europe and the adjacent regions. During the dry spells large-scale positive SLP/H-500 anomaly areas prevail over Eastern Europe. A negative SLP anomaly is normally found during these periods over southwestern and Western Europe. During the wet cool seasons in the EM there are mainly negative SLP/H-500 anomaly areas over Eastern Europe to the north east of the EM. Positive SLP/H-500 anomalies are found over Western Europe. During wet months a trough zone between the Siberian and the Azorean Highs is positioned over the eastern part of the Mediterranean. During dry months the Siberian anticyclone is more intensive and the zone with low surface pressure is displaced to the central part of the northern Mediterranean. Received May 26, 1999 Revised August 26, 1999     

Rainfall distribution patterns and their change over time in a Mediterranean area

Summary In dry farming areas, where rainfall is the only source of water for crops, changes in both quantity and distribution of rainfall during the year could affect the economy of an area. Inter-annual variability makes it difficult to assess rainfall variability, especially in areas with Mediterranean climate. In this paper, interannual rainfall variations in the Alt Penedès region were evaluated using 24-h rainfall records at Vilafranca del Penedès (1889–1999) and at Sant Sadurni d’Anoia (1960–1999). The distribution patterns during the year and their changes over the time were also analysed. Rainfall data were normalised and the values corresponding to the percentiles 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 0.9 were calculated to analyse whether they were very dry, dry, normal, wet and very wet periods. Annual rainfall and the rainfall recorded during the main rainfall periods during the year and its trend were analysed. Annual rainfall did not show a clear tendency, although during the last decade reduced interannual variability occurred. The percentage of dry years did not increase but the percentage of wet and very wet years decreased. During the last decade, an increase of dry spring seasons andwet autumn seasons was observed, even in normal or wetyears. These changes could affect the timing of whencrops receive water and could therefore affect their yields. Received May 31, 2000/Revised February 26, 2001     

Monthly Anticyclonicity in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Region

Summary The geographical distribution of 13-year anticyclone centres frequency, and averages of monthly anticyclonicity and anticyclone immobility times over southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin for the years 1981–1993 are presented. Monthly changes in anticyclonicity and immobility times are analyzed and discussed. Reference is made to the atmospheric climatology of the study region as well as to some synoptic scale features of its climatology. Comparisons are made with an established synoptic climatology of the region and with relevant climatologies contained in the literature. Finally, reference is made to past work relating to the synoptic climatology of the region and to similar studies for different continental and maritime areas. Received May 8, 1996 Revised February 10, 1997     

北极海冰减少及其与相关气象场的联系

利用 195 3— 1998年北极海冰资料及相应的海平面气压场和我国东北 4 2°N以北 2 2个台站气温资料 ,应用统计分析方法 ,研究海冰和气象场的年际和年代际变化以及它们的联系。得到如下结论 :(1)高纬各纬度带和主要海域的海冰范围都呈现明显的衰减现象 ,6 0°N以北纬带趋势项的方差贡献超过总方差一半 ,远远大于周期项的方差贡献 ,此海域更明显显示近年海冰减少的现象。 (2 )巴伦支海和格陵兰海 ,海冰的年代际变化具有明显的 10年以上的周期变化特点 ,也存在明显的减少趋势 ;而拉布拉多海和白令海海冰主要是 10年以上的周期变化。 (3)自 90年代开始 ,海冰均发生陡然减少的现象 ,对全球气候变暖现象 ,海冰的变化是十分敏感的。 (4) 4 0°N以北的各纬度带的海平面气压的总体趋势是下降的 ,北冰洋涛动指数明显显示海平面气压场的减少趋势和 90年代前后的显著性差异。 (5 )与海平面气压的下降相对应 ,我国东北的温度是明显上升的。 (6 )北冰洋涛动能制约巴伦支海、格陵兰海和拉布拉多海域的海冰范围 ,也与我国东北温度有十分密切的联系。当AO指数偏大时 ,即冬季冰岛附近海平面气压偏低时 ,巴伦支海和格陵兰海海冰范围缩小 ,而拉布拉多海海冰范围扩大 ;我国东北冬半年的温度出现明显上升。     

北太平洋海平面气压场变化与海温的关系

利用SVD（singular value decomposition）方法分析了1948年1月—2002年12月北太平洋海平面气压场与海温的关系。结果表明,SVD第1对异类相关分布型反映出,当东北太平洋副热带高压加强（减弱）时,Namias海区海温升高（降低）,而加利福尼亚海流区海温降低（升高）。SVD第2对异类相关分布型表明,当阿留申低压加深、北太平洋副热带地区气压升高时,黑潮暖流区海温升高,而北太平洋高、低纬海温降低;反之亦然。时滞相关表明,北太平洋大气环流异常超前海温1个月的相关最好,海温变化对大气环流异常分布型具有维持作用。NCAR CCSM3模拟结果很好地验证了上述结论,即在海气相互作用过程中,东北太平洋副热带高压和NPO（North Pacific Oscillation）与北太平洋海温存在密切联系。     

2002年南海夏季风爆发期间南海北部海气通量分析与比较

利用国际北极浮冰运动观测资料 (IABP)(1979～1998)以及NCEP/NCAR月平均海平面气压再分析资料(1960～2002), 通过求解海冰运动异常的复斜方差矩阵, 研究了冬季北极海冰运动主模态构成及其与海平面气压变化的关系.冬季海冰运动主模态是由两个海冰运动优势模态的一个线性组合构成, 与这两个运动优势模态有直接关系的海平面气压变化主要发生在北极海盆及其边缘海区.尽管北极涛动(北大西洋涛动)通过影响海平面气压进而影响北极海冰运动, 但是, 北极涛动(北大西洋涛动)并不是决定海冰运动主模态的关键性因素.     

冬季北极海冰运动主模态的构成及其与海平面气压变化的关系

利用国际北极浮冰运动观测资料（IABP）（1979-1998）以及NCEP／NCAR月平均海平面气压再分析资料（1960-2002）,通过求解海冰运动异常的复斜方差矩阵,研究了冬季北极海冰运动主模态构成及其与海平面气压变化的关系。冬季海冰运动主模态是由两个海冰运动优势模态的一个线性组合构成,与这两个运动优势模态有直接关系的海平面气压变化主要发生在北极海盆及其边缘海区。尽管北极涛动（北大西洋涛动）通过影响海平面气压进而影响北极海冰运动,但是,北极涛动（北大西洋涛动）并不是决定海冰运动主模态的关键性因素。     

夏季东亚高空急流月际变化与淮河流域降水异常的关系

利用1979～2008年NCEP/NCAR再分析资料与中国160站降水资料,探讨夏季逐月东亚高空急流异常与淮河流域降水的关系.研究表明,夏季淮河流域降水多寡与东亚高空急流月际变化密切相关.6月淮河流域降水偏多(偏少)的环流特征为东亚高空西风急流位置比气候态偏北(偏南),亚洲中高纬地区呈两脊一槽(两槽一脊)环流型,影响我...     

我国夏季降水与全球海温的耦合关系分析

利用我国160个台站从1951~2000年的月降水观测资料和NCEP/NCAR的全球海表温度(SST)资料,分析了我国夏季(6、7、8月)降水的时空变化特征及其与海温的相关,并应用奇异值分解(SVD)方法研究了我国夏季降水分布异常与海温变化的耦合关系。结果表明,我国夏季降水异常的雨型分布主要有3种,这些雨型的时间变化除了有明显的年际变化外,还存在显著的年代际变化。尤其是华北地区的降水从1965年左右开始减少,特别是大约1976年后有显著的减少。SVD分析揭示的我国夏季降水和全球海温异常的耦合关系表明,这种耦合关系最主要的时空变化特征表现在年代际变化的时间尺度上。我国华北和东北南部的夏季降水从1976年前后明显减少,与之显著关联的海温异常的关键区包括太平洋、印度洋以及热带和南大西洋。特别是热带中、东太平洋,印度洋,以及热带和南大西洋海水,从1976年前后也明显增暖。本研究揭示的华北持续干旱与印度洋和大西洋海温的年代际变化的耦合关系,在以往的研究中还未见到,因而有必要在今后的研究中加以重视。我国夏季降水和海温的耦合关系,还表现在长江中下游地区的降水异常与太平洋和大西洋海温异常的显著相关上。当南海和黑潮区域以及相邻的热带西太平洋海区海温为正异常时,热带和北大西洋海温也为正异常;而热带中、东太平洋海温为负异常时,长江中下游地区往往偏涝;反之,该地区则偏旱。     

中国西南地区5月降水与阿拉伯海季风关系的年代际变化

本文利用1960～2017年中国西南地区115个台站观测降水资料和日本气象厅发布的55年再分析资料集,研究了中国西南地区5月降水变异的主导模态及其与阿拉伯海季风的关系。结果显示,中国西南地区5月降水的第一主导模态主要表现为全区一致的变异特征;该模态与同期5月阿拉伯海季风强度异常关系密切,但两者的关系在20世纪70年代后期发生了显著的年代际变化。在1960～1976年,阿拉伯海季风异常所引起的低层大气环流和水汽输送异常主要集中在阿拉伯海到孟加拉湾一带;阿拉伯海季风异常所引起的大气环流不能到达中国西南地区,因此它对中国西南地区5月降水的影响偏弱。但在1981～2017年,阿拉伯海季风异常可以导致整个北印度洋到南海地区的大气环流异常,进而引起中国西南地区水汽和垂直运动的变化,最终对该地区5月降水产生显著的影响。进一步的研究显示,阿拉伯海季风与中国西南地区5月降水关系的变化可能与季风自身的年代际变率有关。阿拉伯海季风在20世纪70年代末之前变率偏弱,其引起的环流异常也偏弱;相反在20世纪70年代末之后,其变率增强,它引起的大气环流异常也偏强,可以延伸到中国西南地区,进而影响到西南地区的5月降水。因此,季风变率的强弱可能在季风对西南地区5月降水的影响中起着非常重要的作用。     

Rainfall uncertainty in the Mediterranean: dryness distribution

Dryness analysis is a major topic in the study of rainfall regime, mainly in regions with water shortage. The present study suggests a new approach for analyzing dry spells and their annual distribution and introduces a new term: dry days since last rain (DDSLR hereafter). The main goals of this study are to analyze and present the different annual courses of the DDSLR across the Mediterranean region. Daily rainfall totals for the period of 1931–2006 at 41 stations served as the main database. Two annual courses of the DDSLR, the median (50 percentile) and the 90 percentile, are presented for each Julian day in each station. Correlation matrices between stations according to their annual courses were calculated. A cluster analysis was performed on these correlations matrices according to which the stations were grouped. The main conclusions of the present study can be summarized as follows: Four regions were found in the Mediterranean basin according to their annual course of the DDSLR: Region Ia spread over the southern Mediterranean and has the most severe dryness conditions reaching maximum dryness in August and September. Region Ib is located mainly in northeastern Iberian Peninsula, south France, and northwestern Italy. Dryness is less severe than in Region Ia. The maximum dryness conditions are in July and August. Region IIa is located in the northeastern study area, with a bi-modal moderate dryness conditions. Maximum dryness is in August–October and a secondary dry period in January–March. Region IIb is located in the northwestern study area with a bi-modal moderate dryness conditions. Maximum dryness is in January–March and a secondary dry period in October. Both regions Ia and Ib can be combined into a single major region I. This region represents the classical Mediterranean rainfall regime with a very distinguishable dry period during summer. Similarly, regions IIa and IIb can be combined into a single major region II. This region benefits from rainfall all year round and therefore is not considered as having a classical Mediterranean climate. Uncertainty regarding the DDSLR distribution (from year to year) is much crucial in region II, since ecosystems are not adapted to long dry periods and their prolongation may have very severe environmental consequences.     

东亚—西北太平洋海平面气压场的动力特征分析

东亚—西北太平洋地区的海平面气压直接反映了低层大气的环流特征,其动力特征对大气环流形势,气压系统的演变和天气、气候系统的发展等都有显著的影响.因此,深入分析东亚—西北太平洋地区海平面气压场的时空演变特征,对于提高我国的天气和气候预报具有重要意义.为了从非线性动力学的角度进行深入研究,文中使用了一种新方法来定量估算海平面...     

Variations in the Temperature Regime Across the Mediterranean During the Last Century and their Relationship with Circulation Indices

Summary  Circulation types were identified by means of zonal and meridional indices calculated separately over ten different regions of 20°×20° over the Mediterranean and Europe. Seasonal temperature trends in 22 grid boxes of 5°×5° covering the entire Mediterranean, and at six stations Lisbon, Madrid, Florence, Luqa (Malta), Athens and Jerusalem, were calculated. A warming trend in the period 1873–1989 was detected. The warming is more evident in the western Mediterranean with an average rate of about 0.4 [°C/100 yr], than in the eastern Mediterranean with an increase of only 0.2 [°C/100 yr]. A cooling trend in autumn in the eastern Mediterranean with an average rate of −0.5 [°C/100 yr] was detected and attributed to an increase in northerly meridional circulation in that region. Warming trends at Lisbon, Madrid, Florence, Athens and Jerusalem, were more important than the trends in the grid boxes containing these stations. This rapid warming was attributed to urban effects. No such effects were found in Luqa due to its location and the lack of urban effects there. Temperatures at Luqa, Athens and Jerusalem are highly positively correlated. Likewise, temperatures at Lisbon and Madrid. Temperatures at Florence are either correlated with Madrid or with Luqa. Negative or no correlations were found between Lisbon or Madrid with Athens or Jerusalem, except during the winter. This was attributed to the fact that favourable circulation for high temperatures in the eastern stations was opposite to the favourable circulation for high temperatures in the western stations and vice versa. Finally, the above reinforces the concept of a Mediterranean Oscillation between the western and eastern basins. Received November 14, 1997 Revised June 2, 1998     

Rainfall uncertainty in the Mediterranean: Intraseasonal rainfall distribution

The rainfall distribution within the rainy season has crucial implications on a variety of disciplines. According to one approach of analyzing the intraseasonal rainfall distribution, it is essential to examine the date of different accumulated percentage (DAP hereafter), as presented in Paz and Kutiel (Isr J Earth Sci 52:47–63, 2003). The present study identifies various intraseasonal temporal distributions of rainfall, in 41 stations within the Mediterranean basin. Furthermore, classifications of these distributions according to their time, yield, and length are presented. The accumulated percentage was calculated for each Julian day for every available year in all stations. A correlation matrix between every possible pair of years, in each station, was calculated, and a cluster analysis (average linkage method) was performed. Finally, the averages of the entire dataset and the average of every cluster were compared in order to classify the clusters by using three parameters: timing represented by DAP_{(25%, 50%, 75%)} annual rainfall total and the rainy season length (RSL). Between 2 and 5 different types of clusters, with various probabilities, were defined for every station. Out of 132 overall clusters, which were found in 41 stations, the most frequent type (cluster 1) was the median in all three parameters. There were 16 clusters identified as short in their RSL, and 18 were identified as having a long classification. There were 19 dry clusters, and only eight were identified as wet. As for the parameter of timing, 39 clusters were classified as early and 38 as late. One conclusion of this study was that the probability of a dry year is higher than a wet one, and likewise, the probability of a long year is higher than of a short one.     

Spatial and Temporal Changes in Rainfall Frequency Distribution Patterns in Israel

Summary Annual and monthly rainfall totals in Israel were analyzed to reveal any long term changes in their temporal and spatial distribution patterns, since the 1930s. The data consists of 60 rainfall stations, spread all over Israel from the far North to the Negev desert in the South, with long-term records of rainfall covering two normal periods. A gamma distribution function was fitted to the annual rainfall at each station for the two normal periods, and the shape and scale parameters of the distribution, as well as their percentage changes during the last normal period with respect to the first one, were analyzed. The analysis of the annual distribution function parameters reveals some appreciable changes, that are statistically significant, in the spatial rainfall distribution patterns in the southern, northern and central parts of the country. The most striking feature is revealed in the South, where a more than 60 percent increase in the shape parameter occurs, and a similar rate of re-scaling, i.e. a decrease of about 40 percent in the scale parameter. Analysis of the monthly distributions revealed considerable changes in October and November, at the beginning of the rainfall season, and an appreciable change in March, at the end of the rainfall season. Received December 10, 1997 Revised June 24, 1998     

Monthly and daily precipitation trends in the Mediterranean (1950–2000)

Summary The aim of the paper lies in the identification of possible significant linear trends at monthly, seasonal and annual timescales in the Mediterranean during the second half of the 20th century. Monthly and daily records of 63 stations have been used to elaborate several precipitation indices: sum of daily precipitation (SDP) for rainfall >0.1 mm, >10 mm and >95^th percentile, of number of rainy days (RD) >0.1 mm and >10 mm and of mean daily precipitation (MDP) >0.1 mm and >10 mm. For each index the stations have been gathered together by Rotated Principal Component Analyses to determine 8 sub-areas which can be considered as identical for all the timescales at the spatial scale of the research. Trends have been estimated from the scores of each eigenvector retained in all RPCAs. They are mainly non existant or non significant decreasing, even if a few monthly trends appear to be significantly diminishing, primarily during winter months, March in the Atlantic region, October in the Mediterranean Spain, December in the Lions and Genoa Gulfs, January, winter and the year in Greece, winter and the year in Italy and winter in the Near East and increasing in April in the two gulfs. Correlation coefficients between SDP>0.1 mm and other indices have been computed: the significant trends seem mainly related to RD>10 mm, which represents a high percentage of the total rainfall amount. Greece is remarkable: SDP>0.1 mm and >10 mm decrease significantly during January, winter, the rainy season and the entire year whereas SDP>95^th percentile increases significantly, in accordance with the climatic change scenarios for the end of this century as does the decreasing of the total monthly and seasonal rainfall.     

亚洲冬季地表气温与北半球海平面气压场的关系

利用NCEP资料对1949～1999年间的地表气温进行经验正交函数分解(EOF),得到的前两个模态均表明,20世纪70年代中期以后,在两个模态迭加的情况下,亚洲大部分区域冬季气温升高,增暖明显,发生了显著的年代际变化.奇异值分解(SVD)冬季亚洲地表气温和北半球海平面气压场得到的结果说明,北极涛动对亚洲冬季气温的年代际变化有显著影响,其次北太平洋海平面气压与陆地海平面气压的反相分布可能对亚洲冬季气温的年际变化有影响.     

大气环流模式和耦合模式模拟的降水-海温关系之比较

本文讨论了气候系统耦合模式FGOALS_s模拟的局地降水和海温的关系, 并通过与单独大气模式SAMIL的AMIP试验结果进行对比分析, 考察了海气耦合过程对局地降水和海温关系模拟的影响。结果表明, 耦合模式FGOALS_s和单独大气模式SAMIL在模拟局地降水和海温关系上各有优势。在赤道中东太平洋地区, 观测中局地降水和海温的关系是海洋强迫为主, FGOALS_s模拟的海洋对大气的强迫比观测偏弱, 因此, SAMIL相对于FGOALS_s更有优势。在西北太平洋东部地区, 观测中夏秋季节降水和海温的关系是大气强迫为主, 由于考虑了海气相互作用过程, FGOALS_s对降水和海温关系的模拟能力要优于单独的大气模式。此外, 由于大气模式SAMIL的云参数化方案导致的模拟偏差, 在赤道中东太平洋地区 (9～11月), 降水增加时入射的短波辐射通量也是增加的, 并且这种模拟的偏差在耦合后仍然保留了下来, 导致了与观测不符的云[CD*2]辐射反馈过程。因此, 改进大气模式的云参数化方案是未来工作重点之一。此外, 分析发现耦合模式模拟的潜热通量的变化过分依赖海气湿度差。     

Sea Storms in the Adriatic Sea and the Western Mediterranean during the Last Millennium

Data regarding the frequency andoccurrence of sea storms in the Adriatic Sea and theWestern Mediterranean during the last millennium havebeen extracted from historical written sources. TheAdriatic Sea shows two anomalous periods of high stormfrequency: the first half of the 1500s and the secondhalf of the 1700s. In the 1500s the storms were morefrequent in autumn, while in the late 1700s theyoccurred at high frequency in winter. In the WesternMediterranean, storms had a higher frequency in thefirst half of the 1600s, with two lesser periods ofhigh frequency in the 1400s and at the end of the1700s. Although both records show a maximum frequencyof sea storms during the Spörer Minimum(1416–1534) of solar activity, sunspot series yieldno, or poor, correlation during the other periods oflowest activity, i.e., Oort Minimum (1010–1090), WolfMinimum (1282–1342), and Maunder Minimum (1645–1715),suggesting that a teleconnection between sea stormsand sunspots is improbable or masked in this region.No teleconnection was found either between the ElNiño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and surgesflooding Venice or the Western Mediterranean storms orbetween Venice surges and the Northern AtlanticOscillation (NAO).