Analysis of Isentropic Potential Vorticity for a Strong Cold Wave During 2004/2005 Winter

Using the NCAR/NCEP daily reanalysis data from 1 December 2004 to 28 February 2005, the isentropic potential vorticity (IPV) analysis of a strong cold wave from 22 December 2004 to 1 January 2005 was made. It is found that the strong cold air of the cold wave originated from the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere of the high latitude in the Eurasian continent and the Arctic area. Before the outbreak of the cold wave, the strong cold air of high PV propagated down to the south of Lake Baikal, and was cut off by a low PV air of low latitude origin, forming a dipole-type circulation pattern with the low PV center (blocking high) in the northern Eurasian continent and the high PV one (low vortex) in the southern part. Along with decaying of the low PV center, the high PV center (strong cold air) moved towards the southeast along the northern flank of the Tibetan Plateau. When it arrived in East China, the air column of high PV rapidly stretched downward, leading to increase in its cyclonic vorticity, which made the East Asian major trough to deepen rapidly, and finally induced the outbreak of the cold wave. Further analysis indicates that in the southward and downward propagation process of the high PV center, the air flow west and north of the high PV center on isentropic surface subsided along the isentropic surface, resulting in rapid development of Siberian high, finally leading to the southward outbreak of the strong cold wave.