Relation between sea surface temperature anomaly in the Atlantic and summer precipitation over the Northeast China

Based on global monthly average data set of sea surface temperature (SST) during 1950 - 1992 and global monthly average 500 hPa height during 1930- 1997 offered by NCARINCEP, the feature of SST anomaly in the Atlantic and its relation with summer precipitation over the Northeast China are analyzed. The results show that, the second eigenvector of the SST’s empirical orthogonal expanssion in winter season over the North Atlantic suggests that dist-ibution of SST anomaly has unusual meridional difference; The location of its center is basically identical to center of significant correlation region be- tween summer precipitation over the Northeast China and winter SST in the Atlantic. When winter SST in the North Atlantic is hot in south and cold in north, the blocking situation is stronger in the middle- high latitude. Correspondingly, the blocking high pressure in the northern North Pacific is also getting stronger, the westerlies circulation index in East Asia in next summer would be lower,as a result,more precipitation in the summer would be experienced over Northeast China and vice versa.

Sea surface temperature anomaly in the tropical North Atlantic during El Nino decaying years

Based on reanalysis data from 1979 to 2016,this study focuses on the sea surface temperature(SST)anomaly of the tropical North Atlantic(TNA)in El Nino decaying years.The TNA SST exhibits a clear warm trend during this period.The composite result for 10 El Nino events shows that the TNA SST anomaly reaches its maximum in spring after the peak of an El Nino event and persists until summer.In general,the anomaly is associated with three factors-namely,El Nino,the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO),and a long-term trend,leading to an increase in local SST up to 0.4℃,0.3℃,and 0.35℃,respectively.A comparison between 1983 and 2005 indicates that the TNA SST in spring is affected by El Niño,as well as the local SST in the preceding winter,which may involve a long-term trend signal.In addition,the lead-lag correlation shows that the NAO leads the TNA SST by 2-3 months.By comparing two years with an opposite phase of the NAO in winter(i.e.,1992 and 2010),the authors further demonstrate that the NAO is another important factor in regulating the TNA SST anomaly.A negative phase of the NAO in winter will reinforce the El Nino forcing substantially,and vise versa.In other words,the TNA SST anomaly in the decaying years is more evident if the NAO is negative with El Nino.Therefore,the combined effects of El Nino and the NAO must be considered in order to fully understand the TNA SST variability along with a long-term trend.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MEI-YU PRECIPITATION AND SVD ANALYSIS OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE YANGTZE-HUAIHE RIVERS VALLEYS AND THE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN

Based on the precipitation data of Meiyu at 37 stations in the valleys of Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers from 1954 to 2001, the temporal-spatial characteristics of Meiyu precipitation and their relationships with the sea surface temperature in northern Pacific are investigated using such methods as harmonic analysis, empirical orthogonal ftmction （EOF）, composite analysis and singular value decomposition （SVD）. The results show that the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of Meiyu precipitation are not homogeneous in the Yangtze-Huaihe Rivers basins but with prominent inter-annual and inter-decadal variabilities. The key region between the anomalies of Meiyu precipitation and the monthly sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTA） lies in the west wind drift of North Pacific, which influences the precipitation anomaly of Meiyu precipitation over a key period of time from January to March in the same year. When the SST in the North Pacific west wind drift is warmer （colder） than average during these months, Meiyu precipitation anomalously increases （decreases） in the concurrent year. Results of SVD are consistent with those of composite analysis which pass the significance test of Monte-Carlo at 0.05.

Contribution of the Sea Surface Temperature over the Mediterranean-Black Sea to the Decadal Shift of the Summer North Atlantic Oscillation

Recent observational study has shown that the southern center of the summer North Atlantic Oscillation （SNAO） was located farther eastward after the late 1970s compared to before. In this study, the cause for this phenomenon is explored. The result shows that the eastward shift of the SNAO southern center after the late 1970s is related to the variability of the Mediterranean-Black Sea （MBS） SST. A warm MBS SST can heat and moisten its overlying atmosphere, consequently producing a negative sea level pressure （SLP） departure over the MBS region. Because the MBS SST is negatively correlated with the SNAO, the negative SLP departure can enhance the eastern part of the negative-phase of the SNAO southern center, consequently producing an eastward SNAO southern center shift. Similarly, a cold MBS SST produces an eastward positive-phase SNAO southern center shift. The reason for why the MBS SST has an impact on the SNAO after the late 1970s but why it is not the case beforehand is also discussed. It is found that this instable relationship is likely to be attributed to the change of the variability of the MBS SST on the decadal time-scale. In 1951 1975, the variability of the MBS SST is quite weak, but in 1978 2002, it becomes more active. The active SST can enhance the interaction between the sea and its overlying atmosphere, thus strengthening the connection between the MBS SST and the SNAO after the late 1970s. The above observational analysis results are further confirmed by sensitivity experiments.

Physical Mechanism of the Impacts of the Tropical Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature on the Decadal Change of the Summer North Atlantic Oscillation

In this study,physical mechanism of the impacts of the tropical Atlantic sea surface temperature(SST)on decadal change of the summer North Atlantic Oscillation(SNAO)was explored using an atmospheric general circulation model(AGCM)developed at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics(ICTP).The simulation results indicate that the decadal warming of the SST over the tropical Atlantic after the late 1970s could have significantly enhanced the convection over the region.This enhanced convection would have strengthened the local meridional circulation over the Eastern Atlantic-North Africa-Western Europe region,exciting a meridional teleconnection.This teleconnection might have brought the signal of the tropical Atlantic SST to the Extratropics,consequently activating the variability of the eastern part of the SNAO southern center,which led to an eastward shift of the SNAO southern center around the late 1970s.Such physical processes are highly consistent with the previous observations.

Revisiting the Seasonal Evolution of the Indian Ocean Dipole from the Perspective of Process-Based Decomposition

The seasonal phase-locking feature of the Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD)is well documented.However,the seasonality ten-dency of sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTAs)during the development of the IOD has not been widely investigated.The SSTA tendencies over the two centers of the IOD peak in September-October-November are of different monthly amplitudes.The SSTA tendency over the west pole is small before June-July-August but dramatically increases in July-August-September.Meanwhile,the SSTA tendency over the east pole gradually increases before June-July-August and decreases since then.The growth rate attribution of the SSTAs is achieved by examining the roles of radiative and non-radiative air-sea coupled thermodynamic processes through the climate feedback-response analysis method(CFRAM).The CFRAM results indicate that oceanic dynamic processes largely contribute to the total SSTA tendency for initiating and fueling the IOD SSTAs,similar to previous studies.However,these results cannot ex-plain the monthly amplitudes of SSTA tendency.Four negative feedback processes(cloud radiative feedback,atmospheric dynamic processes,surface sensible,and latent heat flux)together play a damping role opposite to the SSTA tendency.Nevertheless,the sea surface temperature-water vapor feedback shows positive feedback.Specifically,variations in SSTAs can change water vapor con-centrations through evaporation,resulting in anomalous longwave radiation that amplifies the initial SSTAs through positive feedback.The effect of water vapor feedback is well in-phase with the monthly amplitudes of SSTA tendency,suggesting that the water vapor feedback might modulate the seasonally dependent SSTA tendency during the development of the IOD.

Characteristics of Tropical Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies and Their Influences on the Onset of South China Sea Summer Monsoon

The characteristics of sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTAs） in the tropical oceans and their influences on the onset of South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSSM） have been studied.The anomaly of SST in tropical Pacific Ocean exerts persistence impact for one to three months on atmospheric circulations.If the warm pool becomes anomalously warmer during an earlier period from February to April,the SCSSM breaks out earlier,and vice versa.Singular value decomposition （SVD） and composite analysis have shown that,in La Ni（n）a pattern,the convection over Western Pacific will occur earlier and be stronger than normal,which favors the convergence at a lower layer over Western Pacific,as well as the strengthening of upwelling branch of Walker circulation,leading to an earlier burst of westerly in the southern South China Sea.Moreover,the convection in Sumatra appears earlier than normal and favors the westerly evolution in eastern Indian Ocean,resulting in the splitting of the subtropical high belt and an early onset of SCSSM.However,the atmospheric circulation anomaly is reversed in El Ni（n）o pattern.

Seasonal sea surface temperatures of the North Pacific

Mean seasonal surface temperatures of the North Pacific are illustrated in three maps. Twenty nine years of ship-injection temperatures are used for the whole North Pacific (north of 20?N). Map number two shows geographical regions of the month of highest sea surface temperature. There are two broad bands in the central and eastern basin, trending northeast/southwest, such that the September band lies east of the August band along a given latitude line. Map three depicts regions of the lowest monthly mean temperatures. March is the most common month, but in the middle of the ocean is a band of Februarys trending northeast/southwest. These features on maps two and three are interpreted in terms of the newly proposed wide warm surface current and its seasonal variations, mainly in horizontal position, flowing northeastward off California. It has not been found possible to compare maps two and three with the results from any earlier work. Map one shows the mean seasonal range of surface temperature, which has a character similar to maps going all the way back to the late 1800s, but is based on considerably more data.

On the contribution of Rossby waves driven by surface buoyancy fluxes to low-frequency North Atlantic steric sea surface height variations

Previous studies have shown that wind-forced baroclinic Rossby waves can capture a large portion of lowfrequency steric sea surface height(SSH)variations in the North Atlantic.In this paper,the classical wind-driven Rossby wave model derived in a 1.5-layer ocean is extended to include surface buoyancy forcing,and the new model is then used to assess the contribution from buoyancy-forced Rossby waves to low-frequency North Atlantic steric SSH variations.Buoyancy forcing is determined from surface heating as freshwater fluxes are negligible.It is found that buoyancy-forced Rossby waves are important in only a few regions belonging to the subtropicaltomidlatitude and eastern subpolar North Atlantic.In these regions,the new Rossby wave model accounts for 25%-70% of low-frequency steric SSH variations.Furthermore,as part of the analysis it is also shown that a simple static model driven by local surface heat fluxes captures 60%-75% of low-frequency steric SSH variations in the Labrador Sea,which is a region where Rossby waves are found to have no influence on the steric SSH.

Upper ocean responses to category 5 typhoon Megi in the western north Pacific

Category 5 typhoon Megi was the most intense typhoon in 2010 of the world. It lingered in the South China Sea （SCS） for 5 d and caused a significant phytoplankton bloom detected by the satellite image. In this study, the authors investigated the ocean biological and physical responses to typhoon Megi by using chlorophyll-a （chl-a） concentration, sea surface temperature （SST）, sea surface height anomaly （SSHA）, sea surface wind measurements derived from different satellites and in situ data. The chl-a concentration （〉3 mg/m3） increased thirty times in the SCS after the typhoon passage in comparison with the mean level of October averaged from 2002 to 2009. With the relationship of wind stress curl and upwelling, the authors found that the speed of upwelling was over ten times during typhoon than pre-typhoon period. Moreover, the mixed layer deepened about 20 m. These reveal that the enhancement of chl-a concentration was triggered by strong vertical mixing and upwelling. Along the track of typhoon, the maximum sea surface cooling （6-8~C） took place in the SCS where the moving speed of typhoon was only 1.4-2.8 m/s and the mixed layer depth was about 20 m in pre-typhoon period. However, the SST drop at the east of the Philippines is only 1-2~C where the translation speed of typhoon was 5.5-6.9 m/s and the mixed layer depth was about 40 m in pre-typhoon period. So the extent of the SST drop was probably due to the moving speed of typhoon and the depth of the mixed layer. In addition, the region with the largest decline of the sea surface height anomaly can indicate the location where the maximum cooling occurs.

Spring Indian Ocean–Western Pacific SST Contrast and the East Asian Summer Rainfall Anomaly

studying the relationship between SST in the tropical Indian Ocean （TIO）, tropical western Pacific （TWP）, and tropical eastern Pacific （TEP） and East Asian summer rainfall （EASR）, using data provided by NOAA/OAR/ESRL PSD and the National Climate Center of China for the period 1979-2008, an index, SSTDI, was defined to describe the SST difference between the TIO and TWP. In comparison with the winter ENSO, the spring SST contrast between the TIO and TWP was found to be more significantly associated with summer rainfall in East Asia, especially along the EASR band and in Northeast China. This spring SST contrast can persist into summer, resulting in a more significant meridional teleconnection pattern of lower-tropospheric circulation anomalies over the western North Pacific and East Asia. These circulation anomalies are dynamically consistent with the summer rainfall anomaly along the EASR band. When the SSTDI is higher （lower） than normal, the EASR over the Yangtze River valley, Korea, and central and southern Japan is heavier （less） than normal. The present results suggest that this spring SST contrast can be used as a new and better predictor of EASR anomalies.

Impact of Preceding Summer North Atlantic Oscillation on Early Autumn Precipitation over Central China

This study examined the impact of the preceding boreal summer(June–August) North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO) on early autumn(September) rainfall over Central China(RCC). The results show that a significant positive correlation exists between the preceding summer NAO and the early autumn RCC on the interannual timescale. In order to understand the physical mechanism between them, the role of ocean was investigated. It was found that the strong summer NAO can induce a tripole sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) in the North Atlantic; this SSTA pattern can persist until early autumn. The diagnostic analysis showed that the tripole SSTA pattern excites a downstream Atlantic-Eurasian(AEA) teleconnection, which contributes to an increase in RCC. The circulation anomalies related to SSTA caused by the weak NAO are opposite, so the RCC is less than normal. The results imply that the preceding summer NAO may be regarded as a forecast factor for the early autumn RCC.

Increased summer electric power demand in Beijing driven by preceding spring tropical North Atlantic warming

By using electric power data,observational station temperature data in Beijing,CN05.1 temperature data,ERA5 atmospheric reanalysis data,and ERSST.v3 b sea surface temperature(SST) data,it is found that summer(JulyAugust) electric power demand in Beijing is remarkably positively correlated with the previous spring(MarchApril) tropical North Atlantic(TNA) SST anomaly(SSTA).The possible physical mechanism of the TNA SSTA affecting summer electric power in Beijing is also revealed.When a positive SSTA occurs in the TNA during spring,anomalous easterlies prevail over the tropical central Pacific,which can persist to the following summer.Trade winds are thus enhanced over the northern Pacific,which favors a strengthening of upwelling cold water in the tropical central-eastern Pacific.As a result,a negative SSTA appears in the central-eastern Pacific in summer,which means a La Nina event is triggered by the previous TNA SSTA through the Bjerknes feedback.During the La Nina event,an anomalous anticyclonic circulation occupies the northwestern Pacific.The southerly anomalies at the western edge of this anomalous anticyclone strengthen the transportation of warm and humid airflow from the low latitudes to North China,where Beijing is located,causing higher summer temperatures and increased electricity usage for air conditioning,and vice versa.The results of this study might provide a new scientific basis and dues for the seasonal prediction of summer electric power demand in Beijing.

REGIONAL DISCREPANCIES OF THE IMPACT OF TROPICAL INDIAN OCEAN WARMING ON NORTHWEST PACIFIC TROPICAL CYCLONE FREQUENCY IN THE YEARS OF DECAYING EL NIO

This study investigates the influences of tropical Indian Ocean(TIO) warming on tropical cyclone(TC)genesis in different regions of the western North Pacific(WNP) from July to October(JASO) during the decaying El Nio. The results show significant negative TC frequency anomalies localized in the southeastern WNP. Correlation analysis indicates that a warm sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) in the TIO strongly suppresses TC genesis south of 21°N and east of 140°E in JASO. Reduced TC genesis over the southeastern WNP results from a weak monsoon trough and divergence and subsidence anomalies associated with an equatorial baroclinic Kelvin wave. Moreover,suppressed convection in response to a cold local SSTA, induced by the increased northeasterly connected by the wind-evaporation-SST positive feedback mechanism, is found unfavorable for TC genesis. Positive TC genesis anomalies are observed over higher latitudinal regions(at around 21°N, 140°E) and the western WNP because of enhanced convection along the northern flank of the WNP anomalous anticyclone and low-level convergence,respectively. Although local modulation(e.g., local SST) could have greater dominance over TC activity at higher latitudes in certain anomalous years(e.g., 1988), a warm TIO SSTA can still suppress TC genesis in lower latitudinal regions of the WNP. A better understanding of the contributions of TIO warming could help improve seasonal TC predictions over different regions of the WNP in years of decaying El Nio.

Dominant patterns of winter surface air temperature over Central Asia and their connection with atmospheric circulation

The dominant patterns of the winter(December-February)surface air temperature anomalies(SATAs)over Central Asia(CA)are investigated in this study.The first two leading modes revealed by empirical orthogonal function(EOF)analysis represent the patterns by explaining 74%of the total variance.The positive phase of EOF1 is characterized by a monopole pattern,corresponding to cold SATAs over CA,while the positive phase of EOF2 shows a meridional dipole pattern with warm and cold SATAs over northern and southern CA.EOF1 is mainly modulated by the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation(AO)in the troposphere,and the negative AO phase may be caused by the downward propagation of the precursory anomalies of the stratospheric polar vortex.EOF2 is mainly influenced by the Ural blocking pattern and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO).The SATAs associated with EOF2 can be attributed to a dipole-like pattern of geopotential height anomalies over CA.The dipole-like pattern is mainly caused by the Ural blocking pattern,and the NAO can also contribute to the northern part of the dipole.

Prediction and mechanistic analysis of May precipitation in North China based on April Indian Ocean SST and the Northwest Pacific Dipole

North China May precipitation(NCMP)accounts for a relatively small percentage of annual total precipitation in North China,but its climate variability is large and it has an important impact on the regional climate and agricultural production in North China.Based on observed and reanalysis data from 1979 to 2021,a significant relationship between NCMP and both the April Indian Ocean sea surface temperature(IOSST)and Northwest Pacific Dipole(NWPD)was found,indicating that there may be a link between them.This link,and the possible physical mechanisms by which the IOSST and NWPD in April affect NCMP anomalies,are discussed.Results show that positive(negative)IOSST and NWPD anomalies in April can enhance(weaken)the water vapor transport from the Indian Ocean and Northwest Pacific to North China by influencing the related atmospheric circulation,and thus enhance(weaken)the May precipitation in North China.Accordingly,an NCMP prediction model based on April IOSST and NWPD is established.The model can predict the annual NCMP anomalies effectively,indicating it has the potential to be applied in operational climate prediction.

Time-integrated North Atlantic Oscillation as a proxy for climatic change

The time-integrated yearly values of North Atlantic Oscillation (INAO) are found to be well correlated to the sea surface temperature. The results give the feasibility of using INAO as a good proxy for climate change and contribute to a more complete picture of the full range of variability inherent in the climate system. Moreover, the extrapolation in the future of the well identified 65-year harmonic in INAO suggests a gradual decline in global warming starting from 2005.

Influences of the NAO on the North Atlantic CO2 Fluxes in Winter and Summer on the Interannual Scale

The differences in the influences of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the air–sea CO2 fluxes (fCO2) in the North Atlantic (NA) between different seasons and between different regions are rarely fully investigated. We used observation-based data of fCO2, surface-ocean CO2 partial pressure (pCO2sea), wind speed and sea surface temperature (SST) to analyze the relationship between the NAO and fCO2 of the subtropical and subpolar NA in winter and summer on the interannual time scale. Based on power spectrum estimation, there are significant interannual signs with a 2–6 year cycle in the NAO indexes and area-averaged fCO2 anomalies in winter and summer from 1980 to 2015. Regression analysis with the 2–6 year filtered data shows that on the interannual scale the response of the fCO2 anomalies to the NAO has an obvious meridional wave-train-like pattern in winter, but a zonal distribution in summer. This seasonal difference is because in winter the fCO2 anomalies are mainly controlled by the NAO-driven wind speed anomalies, which have a meridional distribution pattern, while in summer they are dominated by the NAO-driven SST anomalies, which show distinct zonal difference in the subtropical NA. In addition, in the same season, there are different factors controlling the variation of pCO2sea in different regions. In summer, SST is important to the interannual variation of pCO2sea in the subtropical NA, while some biogeochemical variables probably control the pCO2sea variation in the subpolar NA.

Atmospheric Anomalies Related to Interdecadal Variability of SST in the North Pacific

Anomalous patterns of the atmospheric circulation and climate are studied corresponding to the two basic interdecadal variation modes of sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Pacific, namely, the 25-35-year mode and the 7-10-year mode. Results clearly indicate that corresponding to the positive and negative phases of the interdecadal modes of SST anomaly (SSTA) in the North Pacific, the anomalous patterns of the atmospheric circulation and climate are approximately out of phase, fully illustrating the important role of the interdecadal modes of SST. Since the two interdecadal modes of SSTA in the North Pacific have similar horizontal structures, their impacts on the atmospheric circulation and climate are also analogous. The impact of the interdecadal modes of the North Pacific SST on the atmospheric circulation is barotropic at middle latitudes and baroclinic in tropical regions.

The Influence of the Indian Ocean Dipole on Atmospheric Circulation and Climate

The SST variation in the equatorial Indian Ocean is studied with special interest in analyzing its dipole oscillation feature. The dipole oscillation appears to be stronger in September-November and weaker in January-April with higher SST in the west region and lower SST in the east region as the positive phase and higher SST in the east region and lower SST in the west region as the negative phase. Generally, the amplitude of the positive phase is larger than the negative phase. The interannual variation (4-5 year period) and the interdecadal variation (25-30 year period) also exist in the dipole. The analyses also showed the significant impact of the Indian Ocean dipole on the Asian monsoon activity, because the lower tropospheric wind fields over the Southern Asia, the Tibetan high in the upper troposphere and the subtropical high over the northwestern Pacific are all related to the Indian Ocean dipole. On the other, the Indian Ocean dipole still has significant impact on atmospheric circulation and climate in North America and the southern Indian Ocean region (including Australia and South Africa).