Anomalous Atmospheric Circulation, Heat Sources and Moisture Sinks in Relation to Great Precipitation Anomalies in the Yangtze River Valley

Using the summer (June to August) monthly mean data of the National Centers for Environmental Predictions (NCEP) - National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis from 1980 to 1997, atmospheric heat sources and moisture sinks are calculated. Anomalous circulation and the vertically integrated heat source with the vertical integrated moisture sink and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) flux are examined based upon monthly composites for 16 great wet-spells and 8 great dry-spells over the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The wind anomaly exhibits prominent differences between the great wet-spell and the great dry-spell over the Yangtze River Valley. For the great wet-spell, the anomalous southerly from the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea and the anomalous northerly over North China enhanced low-level convergence toward a narrow latitudinal belt area (the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River). The southerly anomaly is connected with an anticyclonic anomalous circulation system centered at 22 degreesN, 140 degreesE and the northerly anomaly is associated with a cyclonic anomalous circulation system centered at the Japan Sea. In the upper level, the anomalous northwesterly between an anticyclonic anomalous system with the center at 23 degreesN, 105 degreesE and a cyclonic anomalous system with the center at Korea diverged over the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River. On the contrary, for the great dry-spell, the anomalous northerly over South China and the anomalous southerly over North China diverged from the Yangtze River Valley in the low level. The former formed in the western part of a cyclonic anomalous system centered at 23 degreesN, 135 degreesE. The latter was located in the western ridge of an anticyclonic anomalous system in the northwestern Pacific. The upper troposphere showed easterly anomaly that converged over the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A cyclonic anomalous system in South China and an anticyclonic system centered in the Japan Sea enhanced the easterly. Large atmospheric heat source anomalies of opposite signs existed over the western Pacific - the South China Sea, with negative in the great wet-spell and positive in the great dry-spell. The analysis of heat source also revealed positive anomalous heat sources during the great wet-spell and negative anomalous heat sources during the great dry-spell over the Yangtze River valley. The changes of the moisture sink and OLR were correspondingly altered, implying the change of heat source anomaly is due to the latent heat releasing of convective activity. Over the southeastern Tibetan Plateau- the Bay of Bengal, the analysis of heat source shows positive anomalous heat sources during the great wet-spell and negative anomalous heat sources during the great dry-spell because of latent heating change. The change of divergent wind coexisted with the change of heat source. In the great wet-spell, southerly divergent wind anomaly in the low level and northerly divergent wind anomaly in high-level are seen over South China. These divergent wind anomalies are helpful to the low-level convergence anomaly and high-level divergence anomaly over the Yangtze River valley. The low-level northerly divergent wind anomaly and high-level southerly divergent wind anomaly over South China reduced the low-level convergence and high-level divergence over the Yangtze River valley during the great dry-spell.

The Linkage between Midwinter Suppression of the North Pacific Storm Track and Atmospheric Circulation Features in the Northern Hemisphere

The midwinter suppression(MWS) of the North Pacific storm track(NPST) has been an active research topic for decades. Based on the daily-mean NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1948 to 2018, this study investigates the MWS-related atmospheric circulation characteristics in the Northern Hemisphere by regression analysis with respect to a new MWS index, which may shed more light on this difficult issue. The occurrence frequency of the MWS of the upper-tropospheric NPST is more than 0.8 after the mid-1980 s. The MWS is accompanied by significantly positive sea-level pressure anomalies in Eurasia and negative anomalies over the North Pacific, which correspond to a strengthened East Asian winter monsoon. The intensified East Asian trough and atmospheric blocking in the North Pacific as well as the significantly negative low-level air temperature anomalies, lying upstream of the MNPST, are expected to be distinctly associated with the MWS. However, the relationship between the MWS and low-level atmospheric baroclinicity is somewhat puzzling.From the diagnostics of the eddy energy budget, it is identified that the inefficiency of the barotropic energy conversion related to the barotropic governor mechanism does not favor the occurrence of the MWS. In contrast, weakened baroclinic energy conversion, buoyancy conversion, and generation of eddy available potential energy by diabatic heating are conducive to the occurrence of the MWS. In addition, Ural blocking in the upstream region of the MNPST may be another candidate mechanism associated with the MWS.

The 2020/21 Extremely Cold Winter in China Influenced by the Synergistic Effect of La Niña and Warm Arctic

In the first half of winter 2020/21,China has experienced an extremely cold period across both northern and southern regions,with record-breaking low temperatures set in many stations of China.Meanwhile,a moderate La Niña event which exceeded both oceanic and atmospheric thresholds began in August 2020 and in a few months developed into its mature phase,just prior to the 2020/21 winter.In this report,the mid−high-latitude large-scale atmospheric circulation anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere,which were forced by the negative phase of Arctic Oscillation,a strengthened Siberian High,an intensified Ural High and a deepened East Asian Trough,are considered to be the direct reason for the frequent cold surges in winter 2020/21.At the same time,the synergistic effect of the warm Arctic and the cold tropical Pacific(La Niña)provided an indispensable background,at a hemispheric scale,to intensify the atmospheric circulation anomalies in middle-to-high latitudes.In the end,a most recent La Niña prediction is provided and the on-coming evolution of climate is discussed for the remaining part of the 2020/21 winter for the purpose of future decision-making and early warning.

Features of the Extremely Severe Drought in the East of Southwest China and Anomalies of Atmospheric Circulation in Summer 2006

The spatial-temporal features of the extremely severe drought and the anomalous atmospheric circulation in summer 2006 are analyzed based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data,the characteristic circulation indices given by the National Climate Center of China,and the daily precipitation data of 20 stations in the east of Southwest China（ESC） from 1959 to 2006.The results show that the rainless period started from early June and ended in early September 2006 with a total of more than 80 days,and the rainfall was especially scarce from around 25 July to 5 September 2006.Precipitation for each month was less than normal,and analysis of the precipitation indices shows that the summer precipitation in 2006 was the least since 1959.The extremely severe drought in the ESC in summer 2006 was closely related to the persistent anomalies of the atmospheric circulation in the same period,i.e.,anomalies of mid-high latitude atmospheric circulation,western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH）,westerlies,South Asian high,lower-level flow,water vapor transport,vertical motion,and so on.Droughts usually occur when the WPSH lies anomalously northward and westward,or anomalously weak and eastward.The extreme drought in summer 2006 was caused by the former.When the WPSH turned stronger and shifted to the north and west of its normal position,and the South Asian high was also strong and lay eastward,downdrafts prevailed over the ESC and suppressed the water vapor transfer toward this area.At the same time,the disposition of the westerlies and the mid-high latitude circulation disfavored the southward invasion of cold air,which jointly resulted in the extremely severe drought in the ESC in summer 2006.The weak heating over the Tibetan Plateau and vigorous convective activities over the Philippine area were likely responsible for the strong WPSH and its northwestward shift in summer 2006.

Recognition of two dominant modes of EASM and its thermal driving factors based on 25 monsoon indexes

Based on three reanalysis datasets—ERA-Interim,NCAR–NCEP and JRA-55—the classification of25 commonly used indexes of the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM)was investigated.The physical nature of two categories of monsoon index,together with their circulation pattern,climate anomalies,and driving factors,were investigated.Results suggest that the selected 25 monsoon indexes can be classified into two typical categories(CategoryⅠandⅡ),which are dominated by interannual and decadal variabilities of the EASM,respectively.The anomalous circulation patterns and summer rainfall patterns related to the two categories of index also exhibit evident differences.CategoryⅠis closely linked to the low-latitude circulation system and the anomalous circulation pattern is a typical East Asia–Pacific teleconnection pattern.The summer rainfall anomaly exhibits a typical tripole pattern.However,CategoryⅡmainly reflects the impacts of the middle–high latitude circulation system on the summer monsoon and is closely linked to a typical Eurasian teleconnection pattern,which corresponds to a dipole of summer rainfall anomalies.Further analysis suggests that the underlying thermal driving factors of the two categories of monsoon are distinct.The main driving factors of CategoryⅠare the tropical sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTAs),especially ENSO-related SSTAs in the preceding winter and summer SSTAs in the tropical Indian Ocean.The winter signal of Category II summer monsoon anomalous activity mainly originates from the polar region and the middle and high latitudes of the Eurasian continent.CategoryⅡmonsoon activity is also associated with summer SSTAs in the equatorial central Pacific.