A comparative study on the dominant factors responsible for the weaker-than-expected El Niño event in 2014

Anomalous warming occurred in the equatorial central-eastern Pacific in early May 2014, attracting much attention to the possible occurrence of an extreme El Niño event that year because of its similarity to the situation in early 1997. However, the subsequent variation in sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) during summer 2014 in the tropical Pacific was evidently different to that in 1997, but somewhat similar to the situation of the 1990 aborted El Niño event. Based on NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) oceanic and atmospheric reanalysis data, the physical processes responsible for the strength of El Niño events are examined by comparing the dominant factors in 2014 in terms of the preceding instability of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system and westerly wind bursts (WWBs) with those in 1997 and 1990, separately. Although the unstable ocean-atmosphere system formed over the tropical Pacific in the preceding winter of 2014, the strength of the preceding instability was relatively weak. Weak oceanic eastward-propagating downwelling Kelvin waves were forced by the weak WWBs over the equatorial western Pacific in March 2014, as in February 1990. The consequent positive upper-oceanic heat content anomalies in the spring of 2014 induced only weak positive SSTAs in the central-eastern Pacific-unfavorable for the subsequent generation of summertime WWB sequences. Moreover, the equatorial western Pacific was not cooled, indicating the absence of positive Bjerknes feedback in early summer 2014. Therefore, the development of El Niño was suspended in summer 2014.     

Simulated Influence of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation on Summer Eurasian Nonuniform Warming since the Mid-1990s

Based on ensemble experiments with three atmospheric general circulation models(AGCMs), this study investigates the role of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO) in shaping the summer nonuniform warming over the Eurasian continent since the mid-1990 s. The results validate that the positive-phase AMO can indeed cause nonuniform warming,with predominant amplified warming over Europe–West Asia and Northeast Asia, but with much weaker warming over Central Asia. The underlying mechanism is then diagnosed from the perspective that the boundary forcing modulates the intrinsic atmospheric variability. The results highlight the role of the Silk Road Pattern(SRP), an intrinsic teleconnection pattern across the subtropical Eurasian continent propagating along the Asian jet. The SRP can not only be identified from the AGCM control experiments with the climatological sea surface temperature(SST), but can also be simulated by the AMO-related SST anomaly(SSTA) forcing. Furthermore, diagnostic linear baroclinic model experiments are conducted, and the results suggest that the SRP can be triggered by the AMO-related tropical diabatic heating. The AMO-triggered SRP-like responses feature anticyclonic circulations over Europe–West Asia and Northeast Asia, but cyclonic circulation over Central Asia. These responses cause increased warm advection towards Europe–West Asia and Northeast Asia, reduced precipitation and cloud cover, and then increased downward shortwave radiation. This increased warm advection and increased downward shortwave radiation together cause amplified warming in Europe–West Asia and Northeast Asia. The situation is opposite for Central Asia.     

Interdecadal Modulation of AMO on the Winter North Pacific Oscillation-Following Winter ENSO Relationship

It is known that the wintertime North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) is an important extratropical forcing for the occurrence of an El Ni?o?Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event in the subsequent winter via the “seasonal footprinting mechanism” (SFM). This study reveals that the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) can notably modulate the relationship between the winter NPO and the following winter ENSO. During the negative AMO phase, the winter NPO has significant impacts on the following winter ENSO via the SFM. In contrast, the influence of the winter NPO on ENSO is not robust at all during the positive AMO phase. Winter NPO-generated westerly wind anomalies over the equatorial western Pacific during the following spring are much stronger during negative than positive AMO phases. It is suggested that the AMO impacts the winter NPO-induced equatorial westerly winds over the western Pacific via modulating the precipitation climatology over the tropical central Pacific and via modulating the connection of the winter NPO with spring sea surface temperature in the tropical North Atlantic.     

Decadal Changes in Interannual Dependence of the Bay of Bengal Summer Monsoon Onset on ENSO Modulated by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Interannual variations of the Bay of Bengal summer monsoon (BOBSM) onset in association with El Ni?o?Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are reexamined using NCEP1, JRA-55 and ERA20C atmospheric and Hadley sea surface temperature (SST) reanalysis datasets over the period 1900?2017. Decadal changes exist in the dependence of the BOBSM onset on ENSO, varying with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). A higher correlation between the BOBSM onset and ENSO arises during the warm PDO epochs, with distinct late (early) onsets following El Ni?o (La Ni?a) events. In contrast, less significant correlations occur during the cold PDO epochs. The mechanism for the PDO modulating the ENSO?BOBSM onset relationship is through the variations in SST anomaly (SSTA) patterns. During the warm PDO epochs, the superimpositions of the PDO-related and ENSO-related SSTAs lead to the SSTA distribution of an El Ni?o (La Ni?a) event exhibiting significant positive (negative) SSTAs over the tropical central?eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean along with negative (positive) SSTAs, especially over the tropical western Pacific (TWP), forming a strong zonal interoceanic SSTA gradient between the TWP and tropical Indian Ocean. Significant anomalous lower tropospheric easterlies (westerlies) together with upper-tropospheric westerlies (easterlies) are thus induced over the BOB, favoring an abnormally late (early) BOBSM onset. During the cold PDO epochs, however, the superimpositions of PDO-related SSTAs with El Ni?o-related (La Ni?a-related) SSTAs lead to insignificant SSTAs over the TWP and a weak zonal SSTA gradient, without distinct circulation anomalies over the BOB favoring early or late BOBSM onsets.     

BCC_CSM1.1气候模式年代际试验对北极涛动季节回报能力的初步评估

本文基于国家气候中心气候系统模式BCC_CSM1.1自1960—2004年每年起报的年代际预测试验结果,初步评估了该模式对北极涛动（AO）的预报技巧。同时,把该模式年代际预测结果与历史试验模拟比较,分析了气候模式初始化对年代际试验预测季节尺度AO及其年际变化的贡献。结果表明,年代际试验和历史试验均能反映出AO模态是北半球中高纬大气变率第一模态的特征,其中年代际预测试验回报的AO模态与观测的空间相关系数高于历史试验。两组试验基本能再现AO指数冬季最强、夏季最弱的特征。与历史试验相比,年代际预测试验回报月和冬季AO指数与观测的相关系数更高,特别是年代际试验与观测的月AO指数相关系数达到了0.1的显著性水平。年代际试验回报月、春季AO指数的变化周期更接近观测结果。因此,年代际试验中初始状态使用海温资料进行初始化,在一定程度上可以提高AO的回报能力。     

2014年海洋和大气环流异常及对中国气候的影响

本文基于实时、历史观测资料和再分析资料,综合分析2014年海洋和大气环流异常特征,并讨论这些异常特征对中国气候的主要影响。分析表明：2013/2014年冬季,极涡偏向西半球,东亚冬季风和西伯利亚高压均偏弱,导致我国冬季气温总体偏高。受冬季风强度季节内变化影响,前冬暖、后冬冷。2014年赤道中东太平洋形成一次厄尔尼诺事件,4月以来热带印度洋全区一致海温模态正位相维持发展,受暖海温外强迫影响,夏、秋季西太平洋副热带高压强度偏强、位置偏南,主汛期我国东部降水呈“北少南多”型异常分布。2014年南海夏季风爆发异常偏晚,强度偏弱。东亚夏季风强度偏弱,有利于我国东部主汛期雨带偏南,江南梅雨区和长江中下游梅雨区梅雨量偏多,北方大部夏季降水偏少。     

冬季北太平洋海温主模态在1990年前后调整及其成因初探?

太平洋年代际振荡(PDO)和北太平洋涡旋振荡(NPGO)是北太平洋(20°~60°N,120°E~120°W)海温(SST)的EOF前两个模态,本文通过比较1990年前后北太平洋冬季SST EOF前两个模态,揭示了PDO和NPGO在1990年前后特征,并从关键区海温变化、北太平洋涛动(NPO)、赤道太平洋中部变暖(CPW)和北极涛动(AO)的影响,揭示了北太平洋主模态在1990年之后调整的成因。我们发现,1990年之前,北太平洋SST场的EOF前两个模态与PDO和NPGO的空间结构类似,但是在1990年之后,SST的EOF第一模态的最大荷载中心向日界线移动,40°N以北的太平洋被正的SST异常控制,表现出与NPGO模态的负位相相似的空间分布特征,而EOF第二模态由偶极子演变成了三极子结构。北太平洋中部(28°~36°N,152°~178°W)和北太平洋北部(44°~49°N,151°~177°W)海温距平在1990年之后呈显著的负相关变化,是导致在1990年之后冬季NPGO成为主模态的内部原因,而NPO在1990年之后的显著增强则是重要的外部原因。分析显示,NPO在1980年开始表现出增强趋势,通过风生流机制,NPO可以增强北太平洋45°N附近的气压梯度和西风异常幅度,从而导致了1990年之后NPGO海温模态的加强。虽然CPW和AO对NPO的南支(夏威夷)和北支(阿拉斯加)的海平面气压异常中心加强有贡献,但是上述两个因子与NPGO之间的关系在1990年之前并不明显。因此,CPW和AO与NPGO之间并不存在稳定的物理联系。     

春季北极涛动对盛夏长江流域地表气温的影响

本文基于1958至2002年的ERA-40 月平均再分析资料,利用年际增量方法分析了春季北极涛动(Arctic Oscillation,简称AO)与我国夏季长江流域地表气温的关系。结果表明,在扣除前期冬季ENSO影响后,5月AO指数与8月长江流域地表气温存在显著正相关。通过回归分析发现,5月AO可通过影响中低纬度的海气相互作用进而影响8月长江流域地表气温。当5月AO处于正位相时,在(10°~15°N)及赤道附近产生异常下沉气流,对应着西太平洋局地Hadley环流减弱,对流层底层出现了异常的反气旋性辐散气流。与之对应,赤道西太平洋地区出现了显著的东风异常。由于该东风异常位于5月气候平均的局地海表面温度(SST)极大值中心位置上,该东风异常可通过平流作用使得高海温不断地向西堆积,最终造成赤道西太平洋SST出现显著正异常。当该SST正异常持续至8月时,它通过Gill响应(Gill,1980)在其西北侧激发出气旋性异常环流,它有利于西太平洋副热带高压在我国长江流域的维持,进而造成长江流域地表气温正异常。反之,则相反。     

季节内振荡对热带印度洋SST日变化的调制——一维混合层模式的诊断结果

热带印度洋SST的日变化幅度受到大气季节内振荡(Madden-Julian Oscillation,MJO)的调制,其在MJO对流最强(弱)位相达到极小(大)值,并且在MJO对流增强位相显著强于其对流减弱位相。本文利用逐时的再分析海表通量强迫一维海洋混合层模式,定量地诊断了MJO事件中SST日变化的差异成因。结果表明,SST日变化在MJO对流最强与最弱位相的显著差异主要是由短波辐射的季节内变化所致(40%),其次是风应力(38%)和潜热通量(14%),其他要素的影响较小。而SST日变化在MJO对流增强与减弱位相所呈现的不对称特征,主要是由纬向风应力的不对称性所致,这是MJO扰动结构与背景环流相互作用的结果。     

大气环流优势模态对北极海冰变化的响应Ⅰ.北极涛动

利用美国冰雪中心海冰密集度数据,分析了1979-2012年北极海冰面积的时间变化特征,发现北极海冰具有显著的年代际变化特征,分别在1997和2007年前后存在两次年代际转型突变点,相应的大气环流优势模态——北极涛动(AO)也存在显著的时空变化。1979-1996年阶段海冰下降趋势较弱并以较强的年际振荡为主,AO模态较强且显示出低频振荡特征;1997-2006年阶段北极海冰快速减退趋势占优,同时伴随着较弱的年际振荡,AO模态减弱且振荡周期缩短;2007-2012年阶段海冰范围较快下降同时具有极强的年际振荡,方差变化是前两个阶段的2~3倍,AO不仅强度加强,空间结构也发生了变化,极涡中心分别向格陵兰岛和白令海峡一侧延伸,这种结构有利于极地冷空气入侵欧洲和北美。利用ECHAM5大气模式进行的数值试验结果也证实了较强振荡的海冰强迫对AO模态的改变具有决定作用。