The relationship between the Spring Asian Atmospheric circulation and the previous winter Northern Hemisphere annular mode

Summary By using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the Northern Hemisphere annular mode index (NAMI), China dust storm frequency data and China’s 160-station monthly precipitation data, the relationship between the previous winter (December–February) Northern Hemisphere annular mode (NAM) and the following spring (March–May) Asian atmospheric circulation is examined statistically in this study. Results demonstrate that the relationship between the spring Asian atmospheric circulation and the previous winter NAM is more significant on decadal time scales than on interannual time scales. There are significant negative correlations between the previous winter NAM and the spring temperature in what is almost a troposphere over Northwest China. There is a significant positive correlation between the winter NAMI and following spring geopotential height field over the Mongolian Plateau and Middle Siberia (MPMS) at the upper level. The positive correlation coefficients center moves to the south with the level from high to low. At lower level the high correlation coefficients center is located over the North China. There is a significant negative correlation between the winter NAMI and the surface horizontal wind intensity in the following spring for Northwest China on decadal timescales. The results suggest that a strong NAM in winter is followed by a negative temperature anomaly and a positive anomaly of the spring 500 hPa geopotential height over the MPMS, while at the same time the spring anomaly of the southeast wind is experienced in the surface layer in Northwest China, implying that the intensity of the northwest wind tends to weaken, and vice versa. This circulation pattern can affect the change of the spring dust storm frequency in Northwest China on decadal time scales.