Synergistic Contribution of Precipitation Anomalies over Northwestern India and the South China Sea to High Temperature over the Yangtze River Valley

This study explores the characteristics of high temperature anomalies over eastern China and associated influencing factors using observations and model outputs.Results show that more long-duration（over 8 days） high temperature events occur over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Valley（YRV） than over the surrounding regions,and control most of the interannual variation of summer mean temperature in situ.The synergistic effect of summer precipitation over the South China Sea（SCS） region（18°–27°N,115°–124°E） and the northwestern India and Arabian Sea（IAS） region（18°–27°N,60°–80°E） contributes more significantly to the variation of summer YRV temperature,relative to the respective SCS or IAS precipitation anomaly.More precipitation（enhanced condensational heating） over the SCS region strengthens the western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH） and simultaneously weakens the westerly trough over the east coast of Asia,and accordingly results in associated high temperature anomalies over the YRV region through stimulating an East Asia–Pacific（EAP） pattern.More precipitation over the IAS region further adjusts the variations of the WPSH and westerly trough,and eventually reinforces high temperature anomalies over the YRV region.Furthermore,the condensational heating related to more IAS precipitation can adjust upper-tropospheric easterly anomalies over the YRV region by exciting a circumglobal teleconnection,inducing cold horizontal temperature advection and related anomalous descent,which is also conducive to the YRV high temperature anomalies.The reproduction of the above association in the model results indicates that the above results can be explained both statistically and dynamically.

Relationship Between Persistent Heavy Rain Events in the Huaihe River Valley and the Distribution Pattern of Convective Activities in the Tropical Western Pacific Warm Pool

Using daily outgoing long-wave radiation （OLR） data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration （NOAA） and the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis data of geopotential height fields for 1979-2006, the relationship between persistent heavy rain events （PHREs） in the Huaihe River valley （HRV） and the distribution pattern of convective activity in the tropical western Pacific warm pool （WPWP） is investigated. Based on nine cases of PHREs in the HRV, common characteristics of the West Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） show that the northern edge of the WPSH continues to lie in the HRV and is associated with the persistent ＂north weak south strong＂ distribution pattern of convective activities in the WPWP. Composite analysis of OLR leading the circulation indicates that the response of the WPSH to OLR anomaly patterns lags by about 1-2 days. In order to explain the reason for the effects of the distribution pattern of convective activities in the WPWP on the persistent northern edge of the WPSH in the HRV, four typical persistent heavy and light rain events in the Yangtze River valley （YRV） are contrasted with the PHREs in the HRV. The comparison indicates that when the distribution pattern of the convective activities anomaly behaves in a weak （strong） manner across the whole WPWP, persistent heavy （light） rain tends to occur in the YRV. When the distribution pattern of the convective activities anomaly behaves according to the ＂north weak south strong＂ pattern in the WPWP, persistent heavy rain tends to occur in the HRV. The effects of the ＂north weak south strong＂ distribution pattern of convective activities on PHREs in the HRV are not obvious over the seasonal mean timescale, perhaps due to the non-extreme status of convective activities in the WPWP.

Dynamic Effects of the South Asian High on the Ozone Valley over the Tibetan Plateau

In this study,the TOMS/SBUV（Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer/Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Radiometer） data and SAGE（Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment） II data were employed to calculate the monthly total zonal ozone deviations over the Tibetan Plateau and the 150-50-hPa zonal ozone variations.The results show that there is a significant correlation between the two,with a correlation coefficient of 0.977.From 150 to 50 hPa,the ozone valley over the Tibetan Plateau（OVTP） becomes the strongest based on the SAGE II data,and the South Asian high（SAH） is the most active according to the 40-yr reanalysis data of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts（ERA40）,so a correlation between the SAH and the OVTP may exist.The WACCM3（Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model version 3） simulation results show that both SAH and OVTP could still present within 150-50 hPa with reduced strength even when the height of the Tibetan Plateau was cut down to 1500 m.It is also shown that the seasonal variation of SAH would result in a matched seasonal variation of the OVTP,which suggests a meaningful effect of SAH on the OVTP.Meanwhile,it is found that the atmospheric circulation would impose different effects on the OVTP,depending on the SAH＇s evolution stages and movement directions.At 150-50 hPa,as the SAH approaches the plateau,the SAH zonal（meridional） transport would make the OVTP deeper（shallower）,while the vertical transport of ozone produces a deeper（shallower） OVTP at the lower（higher） level;the combined dynamic effects lead to a weakened OVTP.When the SAH stabilizes over the plateau,the zonal（meridional） transport results in a shallower（deeper） OVTP while the vertical transport would create a deeper（shallower） OVTP at the middle（bottom and top） levels;the combined dynamic effects produce a deeper OVTP.As the SAH retreats from the plateau,the OVTP becomes deeper（shallower） under the zonal（meridional） effect or shallower under the vertical effect;the combined dynamic effects contribute to a deeper（shallower） OVTP at the middle（bottom and top） levels.The SAH would have a weak effect on the OVTP over the plateau when positioned over the tropical Pacific.

Evaluation of the Trend Uncertainty in Summer Ozone Valley over the Tibetan Plateau in Three Reanalysis Datasets

Trend uncertainty in the ozone valley over the Tibetan Plateau（OVTP）and the South Asian high（SAH）during1979–2009 in ERA-Interim（interim reanalysis data from the ECMWF）,JRA-55（55-yr reanalysis data from the Japan Meteorological Agency）,and NCEP-CFSR（Climate Forecast System Reanalysis）datasets was evaluated.The results showed that the NCEP-CFSR OVTP became strong in the summers of 1979–2009,whereas it became weak according to ERA-Interim and JRA-55.Satellite data merged with TOMS（Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer）and OMI（Ozone Monitoring Instrument）agreed with the OVTP trend of NCEP-CFSR.The OVTP strengthening in NCEP-CFSR may have been caused by SAH intensification,a rising tropopause,and increasing ozone over non-TP（non-Tibetan Plateau）areas（27°–37°N,〈75°E and〉105°E）.Analogously,the OVTP weakening in ERA-Interim and JRA-55 may have been affected by weakening SAH,descending tropopause,and decreasing non-TP ozone.

Simulation and Analysis about the Effects of Geopotential Height Anomaly in Tropical and Subtropical Region on Droughts or Floods in the Yangtze River Valley and North China

Previous study comes to the conclusion： based on the anomalies of the South Asian high （SAH）, 100-hPa geopotential height, and 100-hPa circulation over tropical and subtropical regions, we can predict precipitation anomaly in the Yangtze River Valley and North China. To test its validity, a series of experiments have been designed and operated, which include controlled experiment, sensitivity experiment （which has added anomalies into 100-hPa geopotential height and wind field）, and four-composite experiments. Experiments based on the composed initial field such as EPR-CF, EPR-CD, EPR-HF, and EPR-HD, can reproduce the floods or droughts in the Yangtze River Valley and North China. It suggests that anomalies of the SAH, 100- hPa geopotential height, and circulation over tropical and subtropical regions may probably imply summer precipitation anomalies in the two regions. Sensitivity experiment results show that anomalies of the SAH, 100-hPa geopotential height, and southwest flow in the previous period is a signal of droughts or floods for the following summer in the Yangtze River Valley and North China. And it is also one of the factors that have impact on summer precipitation anomaly in the two regions. Positive anomaly of 100-hPa geopotential height and the anomalous intensifying of the SAH and southwest flow will induce floods in the Yangtze River Valley and droughts in North China; while negative anomaly of 100-hPa geopotential height and anomalous weakening of the SAH and southwest flow will induce droughts in the Yangtze River Valley and floods in North China.