Evidence for water exchange between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean through the Luzon Strait

An analysis of historical oxygen data provides evidence on the water exchange between theSouth China Sea (SCS) and the Pacific Ocean (PO). In the vicinity of the Luzon Strait (LS) , the dissolved oxygen concentration of sea water is found to be lower on the Pacific side than on the SCS side at depths between 700 and 1500 m (intermediate layer) , while the situation is reversed above 700 m (upper layer) and below 1 500 m (deep layer). The evidence suggests that water exits the SCS in the intermediate layer but enters it from the Pacific in both the upper and the deep layers, supporting the earlier speculation that the Luzon Strait transport has a sandwiched structure in the vertical. Within the SCS basin, the oxygen distribution indicates widespread vertical movement, including the upwelling in the intermediate layer and the downwelling in the deep layer.

Causes of the Extreme Hot Midsummer in Central and South China during 2017:Role of the Western Tropical Pacific Warming

This study investigates why an extreme hot midsummer occurred in Central and South China(CSC) during 2017. It is shown that the western North Pacific subtropical high(WNPSH) was abnormally intensified and westward-extending,resulting in anomalous high pressure and consequent extreme heat over CSC. The abnormal WNPSH was favored by the warming of the western tropical Pacific(WTP), which was unrelated to ENSO and manifested its own individual effect.The WTP warming enhanced the convection in-situ and led to anomalous high pressure over CSC via a local meridional circulation. The influence of the WTP was confirmed by CAM4 model experiments. A comparison between the 2017 midsummer and 2010 midsummer(with a stronger WNPSH but weaker extreme heat) indicated that the influence of the WNPSH on extreme heat can be modulated by the associated precipitation in the northwestern flank.The role of the WTP was verified by regression analyses on the interannual variation of the WTP sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA). On the other hand, the WTP has undergone prominent warming during the past few decades, resulting from decadal to long-term changes and favoring extreme warm conditions. Through a mechanism similar to the interannual variation, the decadal to long-term changes have reinforced the influence of WTP warming on the temperature over CSC,contributing to the more frequent hot midsummers recently. It is estimated that more than 50% of the temperature anomaly over CSC in the 2017 midsummer was due to the WTP warming, and 40% was related to the decadal to long-term changes of the WTP SSTA.

Impact of the Thermal State of the Tropical Western Pacific on Onset Date and Process of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon

Since the early or late onset of the South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSM） has a large impact on summer monsoon rainfall in East Asia, the mechanism and process of early or late onset of the SCSM are an worthy issue to study. In this paper, the results analyzed by using the observed data show that the onset date and process of the SCSM are closely associated with the thermal state of the tropical western Pacific in spring. When the tropical western Pacific is in a warming state in spring, the western Pacific subtropical high shifts eastward, and twin cyclones are early caused over the Bay of Bengal and Sumatra before the SCSM onset. In this case, the cyclonic circulation located over the Bay of Bengal can be early intensified and become into a strong trough. Thus, the westerly flow and convective activity can be intensified over Sumatra, the Indo-China Peninsula and the South China Sea （SCS） in mid-May. This leads to early onset of the SCSM. In contrast, when the tropical western Pacific is in a cooling state, the western Pacific subtropical high anomalously shifts westward, the twin cyclones located over the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean and Sumatra are weakened, and the twin anomaly anticyclones appear over these regions from late April to mid-May. Thus, the westerly flow and convective activity cannot be early intensified over the Indo-China Peninsula and the SCS. Only when the western Pacific subtropical high moves eastward, the weak trough located over the Bay of Bengal can be intensified and become into a strong trough, the strong southwesterly wind and convective activity can be intensified over the Indo-China Peninsula and the SCS in late May. Thus, this leads to late onset of the SCSM. Moreover, in this paper, the influencing mechanism of the thermal state of the tropical western Pacific on the SCSM onset is discussed further from the Walker circulation anomalies in the different thermal states of the tropical western Pacific.

The characteristic differences of tropical cyclones forming over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea

The best track dataset of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific （WNP） and the South China Sea （SCS） from 1977 to 2005 during the satellite era, the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset and the extended reconstructed sea surface temperature dataset are employed in this study. The main climatological characteristics of tropical cyclone formation over the WNP and the SCS are compared. It is found that there is obviously different for the locations of tropical cyclone origins, achieving the lowest central pressure and termination points between over the WNP and over the SCS. The annual number of tropical cyclones forming over the SCS is obviously less than over the WNP, and there is a significant negative correlation with the correlation coefficient being - 0.36 at the 5% significance level between over the WNP and over the SCS. The mean speed of tropical cyclone moving is 6.5 m/s over the WNP and 4.6 m/s over the SCS. The mean lowest central pressure of tropical cyclones is obviously weaker over the SCS than over the WNP. The tropical cyclone days per year, mean total distance and total displacement of tropical cyclone traveled over the WNP are all obviously longer than those over the SCS. Tropical cyclone may intensify to Saffir - Simpson hurricane scale 5 over the WNP, but no tropical cyclone can intensify to Saffir - Simpson hurricane scale 3 over the SCS. The changing ranges of the radii （R15,R16） of the 15.4 m/s winds them and the 25.7 m/s winds over the WNP are obviously wider than those over the SCS, and the median values of the radii over the WNP are also larger than those over the SCS. For the same intensity of tropical cyclones, both radii have larger medians over the WNP than over the SCS. The correlations of annual mean tropical cyclone size parameters between over the WNP and over the SCS are not significant. At the same time, the asymmetric radii of tropical cyclones over the WNP are different from those over the SCS.

Influence of the Asian-Pacific Oscillation on Spring Precipitation over Central Eastern China

The linkage between the Asian-Pacific oscillation （APO） and the precipitation over central eastern China in spring is preliminarily addressed by use of the observed data. Results show that they correlate very well, with the positive （negative） phase of APO tending to increase （decrease） the precipitation over central eastern China. Such a relationship can be explained by the atmospheric circulation changes over Asia and the North Pacific in association with the anomalous APO. A positive phase of APO, characterized by a positive anomaly over Asia and a negative anomaly over the North Pacific in the upper-tropospheric temperature, corresponds to decreased low-level geopotential height （H） and increased high-level H over Asia, and these effects are concurrent with increased low-level H and decreased high-level H over the North Pacific. Meanwhile, an anticyclonic circulation anomaly in the upper troposphere and a cyclonic circulation anomaly in the lower troposphere are introduced in East Asia, and the low-level southerly wind is strengthened over central eastern China. These changes provide advantageous conditions for enhanced precipitation over central eastern China. The situation is reversed in the negative phase of APO, leading to reduced precipitation in this region.

Relationship between the Modes of Winter Tropical Pacific SST Anomalies and the Intraseasonal Variations of the Following Summer Rainfall Anomalies in China

In present study,EOF analysis and extended singular value decomposition (ESVD) analysis are performed to explore the relationship between the winter tropical sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the Pacific and the following summer rainfall anomalies in China.The two leading modes of winter tropical SSTAs in the Pacific are the SSTAs pattern characterized by "positive anomalies in the East and negative anomalies in the West" like the typical eastern Pacific El Nio and negative anomalies in the West and the central Pacific warming pattern characterized by "positive anomalies in the central region but negative anomalies in the East and West".The intraseasonal variations of the rainfall anomalies during the following summer in China that are associated with the eastern Pacific warming mode are characterized by positive anomalies south of the Yangtze River and negative anomalies in the Yangtze-Huai River Valley in June,and negative anomalies in South China and positive anomalies in the Yangtze River Valley and North China in July and August.In contrast,after the central Pacific warming mode,the corresponding intraseasonal variations of China’s summer rainfall are characterized by a nearly consistent pattern during the three summer months,which is positive in the South China coast and North China and negative in the Yangtze River Valley except for the positive anomalies in the Yangtze-Huai River Valley in July.These results may provide a reference for the seasonal prediction of the summer drought and flood distributions in China.

Comparison between the Response of the Northwest Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea to Typhoon Megi(2010)

The upper-ocean responses to Typhoon Megi （2010） are investigated using data from ARGO floats and the satellite TMI. The experiments are conducted using a three-dimensional Princeton Ocean Model （POM） to assess the storm, which affected the Northwest Pacific Ocean （NWP） and the South China Sea （SCS）. Results show that the upwelling and entrainment experiment together account for 93% of the SST anomalies, where typhoon-induced upwelling may cause strong ocean cooling. In addition, the anomalous SST cooling is stronger in the SCS than in the NWP. The most striking feature of the ocean response is the presence of a two-layer inertial wave in the SCS--a feature that is absent in the NWE The near-inertial oscillations can be generated as typhoon wakes, which have maximum flow velocity in the surface mixed layer and may last for a few days, after the typhoon＇s passage. Along the typhoon tracks, the horizontal currents in the upper ocean show a series of alternating negative and positive anomalies emanating from the typhoon.

POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INTERANNUAL ANOMALY OF THE TROPICAL PACIFIC SEA SURFACE HEIGHT AND SUMMER PRECIPITATION IN CHINA

By using NCEP GODAS monthly sea surface height(SSH) and 160-station monthly precipitation data in China,the seasonal and interannual characteristics of SSH are analyzed over the tropical Pacific,and correlations between SSH and summer rainfall are discussed.The results are shown as follows:(1) The tropical Pacific SSH takes on a "V" pattern in the climatic field with an eastward opening,and it is higher in the western part(in the northwestern part) than in the eastern part(in the southwestern part).The high-value areas are more stable in the northwest,and the value range(greater than 0.8 m) is larger in spring and summer than in autumn and winter.The high-value area in the southwestern part is the largest(smallest) and more northerly(southerly) in spring(summer).SSH is higher in spring and autumn than in summer and winter over the equatorial zone.(2) The interannual anomalies of the SSH are the strongest over the tropical western and southwestern Pacific and are stronger in winter and spring than in summer and autumn.The interannual anomalies are also strong over the equatorial middle and eastern Pacific.The distribution ranges are larger and the intensities are stronger in the autumn and winter.There is a close relationship between the SSH interannual anomalies and ENSO events in autumn,winter and spring.(3) When ENSO events take place in winter,according to the simultaneous relationship among the tropic Pacific SSH,850 hPa wind fields and the summer precipitation of China,it can be predicted that the precipitation will be significantly more than normal over the south of the Yangtze River,especially over Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake region,eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,Yangtze-Huai River Valley,eastern part of Inner Mongolia and less than normal over the area of Great Band of Yellow River,North China and South China in successive summers.

Combined Impacts of Warm Central Equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures and Anthropogenic Warming on the 2019 Severe Drought in East China

A severe drought occurred in East China(EC)from August to October 2019 against a background of long-term significant warming and caused widespread impacts on agriculture and society,emphasizing the urgent need to understand the mechanism responsible for this drought and its linkage to global warming.Our results show that the warm central equatorial Pacific(CEP)sea surface temperature(SST)and anthropogenic warming were possibly responsible for this drought event.The warm CEP SST anomaly resulted in an anomalous cyclone over the western North Pacific,where enhanced northerly winds in the northwestern sector led to decreased water vapor transport from the South China Sea and enhanced descending air motion,preventing local convection and favoring a precipitation deficiency over EC.Model simulations in the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble Project confirmed the physical connection between the warm CEP SST anomaly and the drought in EC.The extremely warm CEP SST from August to October 2019,which was largely the result of natural internal variability,played a crucial role in the simultaneous severe drought in EC.The model simulations showed that anthropogenic warming has greatly increased the frequency of extreme droughts in EC.They indicated an approximate twofold increase in extremely low rainfall events,high temperature events,and concurrently dry and hot events analogous to the event in 2019.Therefore,the persistent severe drought over EC in 2019 can be attributed to the combined impacts of warm CEP SST and anthropogenic warming.

Effects of South China Sea/western North Pacific summer monsoon on tropospheric biennial oscillation （TBO）

Several theories have been developed to explain tropical biennial oscillation （TBO）, as an air-sea interactive system to impact Asian and global weather and climate, and some models have been established to produce a TBO. A simple 5-box model, with almost all the key processes associated with TBO, can produce a TBO by including airsea interactions in the monsoon regions. Despite that, the South China Sea/western North Pacific summer monsoon （SCS/WNPSM）, a very important monsoon subsystem, is neglected. In this paper, based on the dynamical framework of 5-box model, the term of SCS/WNPSM has been added and a 6-box model has been developed. Comparing the difference of TBO sensibilities with several key parameters, air-sea coupling coefficient α, SST-thermocline feedback coefficient γand wind-evaporation feedback coefficient λ, between the modified model and original model, TBO is more sensible to the parameters in the new model. The results imply that the eastern Pacific and local wind-evaporation play more important roles in the TBO when including SCS /WNPSM.

Influence of Tropical Western Pacific Warm Pool Thermal State on the Interdecadal Change of the Onset of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon in the Late-1990s

An interdecadal shift in the onset date of the South China Sea summer monsoon(SCSSM) is identified during the late 1990 s by using the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Reanalysis dataset. The mean onset date was brought forward by two pentads during 1999–2013 compared to that during 1979–1998. The large-scale atmospheric and oceanic change associated with this shift exhibits a significant interdecadal variation signal around 1998/1999, indicating that the shift during the late 1990 s is robust. Different from the well-known mid-1990 s shift, this shift carried more important systematical significance. Diagnostic analysis suggests that the earlier outbreak of the SCSSM was due to the interdecadal warming of the warm pool, which brought stronger convection anomalies and led to a weak western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH) during boreal spring(March–May). The earlier retreat of the WPSH was a direct cause of this shift.

The destiny of the North Pacific Intermediate Water in the South China Sea

The previous studies show that the spreading path of the subtropical salinity minimum of the North Pacific Intermediate Water （NPIW） is southwestward pointing to the Luzon Strait. Based on the P -vector method and generalized digital environmental model （GDEM） data, the volume transport of NPIW through Luzon Strait and the upward transport on the NPIW lower and upper boundaries are calculated to examine the destiny of NPIW in the South China Sea （SCS）. On the annual mean, the estimation of NPIW transport into the SCS through the Luzon Strait is 1.72 Sv （1Sv=10 6 m 3 /s）. The upward transport over the SCS is 0.31 Sv on the NPIW upper boundary and 1.31 Sv on the NPIW lower boundary. There is no strait or passage deeper than the surface for the NPIW to extend, except for the Luzon Strait. For the volume balance in the SCS NPIW, the volume transport of 2.72 Sv has to flow out of the SCS NPIW layer through the Luzon Strait.

An Extreme Drought over South China in 2020/21 Concurrent with an Unprecedented Warm Northwest Pacific and La Niña

An extreme drought appeared in South China from October 2020 to March 2021.During that time,sea surface temperatures exhibited an unprecedented warm center over the northwest Pacific(NWP)and a cold center over the tropical eastern Pacific(La Niña).This study demonstrates the combined effects of an exceptionally warm NWP and a moderate La Niña are closely linked to the anomalous drought in South China.The sea surface temperature anomaly in these two regions induced a steeper horizontal geopotential height gradient over South China.As a result,anomalous northeasterly winds prevailed over South China,altering water vapor transport and moisture convergence.A simplified atmospheric general circulation model also verifies the influence of the NWP warm anomaly on South China precipitation.This study points out that the sea surface temperature variation in the NWP was important to the occurrence of extreme drought in South China from October 2020 to March 2021.

Response of Growing Season Gross Primary Production to El Nino in Different Phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation over Eastern China Based on Bayesian Model Averaging

Gross primary production(GPP) plays a crucial part in the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems.A set of validated monthly GPP data from 1957 to 2010 in 0.5°× 0.5° grids of China was weighted from the Multi-scale Terrestrial Model Intercomparison Project using Bayesian model averaging(BMA).The spatial anomalies of detrended BMA GPP during the growing seasons of typical El Nino years indicated that GPP response to El Nino varies with Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO) phases: when the PDO was in the cool phase,it was likely that GPP was greater in northern China(32°–38°N,111°–122°E) and less in the Yangtze River valley(28°–32°N,111°–122°E);in contrast,when PDO was in the warm phase,the GPP anomalies were usually reversed in these two regions.The consistent spatiotemporal pattern and high partial correlation revealed that rainfall dominated this phenomenon.The previously published findings on how El Nino during different phases of PDO affecting rainfall in eastern China make the statistical relationship between GPP and El Nino in this study theoretically credible.This paper not only introduces an effective way to use BMA in grids that have mixed plant function types,but also makes it possible to evaluate the carbon cycle in eastern China based on the prediction of El Nino and PDO.

DECADAL VARIABILITY OF SUBSURFACE OCEAN TEMPERATURE ANOMALY IN TROPICAL PACIFIC AND ITS IMPACT ON CLIMATE OF CHINA

In this study,we investigate the decadal variability of subsurface ocean temperature anomaly(SOTA)in the tropical Pacific and associated anomalous atmospheric circulation over Asia-North Pacific-North America by analyzing 50 years of atmosphere-ocean data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction(NCEP)reanalysis project and Simple Ocean Data Assimilation(SODA).Relationship between the ENSO-Like variability and climate of China is also revealed.The results show that the decadal variability of tropical Pacific SOTA has two dominant ENSO-like modes:the primary mode is an ENSO-Like mature phase pattern,and the second mode is associated with the ENSO-like transition(developing or decaying)phase.These two modes consist of a cycle of ENSO-Like variability,which exhibits a quasi-40a fluctuation,superimposed with an oscillation of a 13a period.The ENSO-Like variability in the tropical Pacific influences the atmosphere system at the mid-and higher-latitudes and subtropical regions,resulting in decadal variability of south wind over North China,the East Asian monsoon and climate of China.During the mature phase of El Ni o-Like variability,the anomalous north wind prevails over the north part of China and the East Asian monsoon weakens,with little rain in North China but much rain in the middle-and lower-reaches of the Yangtze River.With El Ni o-Like decaying(La Ni a-Like developing),anomalous northerly wind also prevails over North China,then the East Asian monsoon weakens with drought occurring in North China.The situation during the La Ni a-Like variability is the opposite.The pattern of anomalous climate of China is primarily dominated by the first ENSO-like variability,while the second mode can modulate the contribution of the first one,depending on whether its phase agrees with that of the first mode.The climate shift in China around 1978 and successive occurrence of drought for more than 20 years in North China are primarily induced by the first two ENSO-like variabilities.The latest La Ni a-Like phase starts from 1998 and will presumably end around 2018.It is expected that more rainfall would be in North China and less rainfall would appear in the middle-and lower-reaches of the Yangtze River valley during this period.

Eddies in the Northwest Subtropical Pacific and Their Possible Effects on the South China Sea

Based on an analysis of drifter data from the World Ocean Circulation Experiment during 1979-1998, the sizes of the eddies in the North subtropical Pacific are determined from the radii of curvature of the drifter paths calculated by using a non-linear curve fitting method. To support the drifter data results, Sea Surface Height from the TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS2 satellite data are analyzed in connection with the drifter paths. It is found that the eddies in the North Pacific (18°-23°N and 125°-150°E) move westward at an average speed of approximately 0.098 ms-1 and their average radius is 176 km,with radii ranging from 98 km to 298 km. During the nineteen-year period, only 4 out of approximately 200 drifters (2%)actually entered the South China Sea from the area adjacent to the Luzon Strait (18°-22°N and 121°-125°E) in the winter. It is also found that eddies from the interior of the North Pacific are unlikely to enter the South China Sea through the Luzon Strait.

Warming over the North Pacific can intensify snow events in Northeast China

The variation of winter snowfall intensity over Northeast China and its relationship with the autumn North Pacific SST are investigated for the period 1960–2012. An upward trend is apparent for the winter snowfall intensity over Northeast China during the last half-century, coinciding with an increasing autumn SST over the North Pacific. Their interannual correlation coefficient reaches up to 0.58 for the past five decades, and 0.42 after their trends are removed. Further analyses indicate that the warming SST during autumn may persist into winter. Correspondingly, large parts of East Asia and the North Pacific are dominated by an anticyclonic anomaly, which can induce an anomalous southeasterly over Northeast China, weaken the northerly wind, then warm the surface, increase the water vapor content and intensify snowfall events. Thus, the autumn North Pacific SST can be considered as a key predictor for winter snowfall events over Northeast China. Results from leaveone-out cross-validation and independent validation both show a significant correlation and a small RMSE between prediction and observation. Therefore, the autumn SST over the North Pacific is suggested as a potential predictor for winter snowfall intensity in Northeast China.

Influence of North Pacific SST on heavy precipitation events in autumn over North China

The characteristics of heavy precipitation occurrence in autumn（the month of September） over North China are investigated using daily observational data.Results indicate that heavy precipitation events experienced a significant decadal increase in 2000/2001.Further investigation reveals a close connection between heavy precipitation occurrence and simultaneous North Pacific SST.The SST anomaly over the North Pacific can result in intensification of the western North Pacific subtropical high and increased water vapor transport from the tropical ocean,which benefits the occurrence of heavy precipitation over North China.However,the key region of North Pacific SST influencing heavy precipitation events over North China was different in the periods 1960-2000 and 2001-2014,being located over the eastern Ocean to China in the first period but more eastward in the second period.This drift in the key region of SST is partly responsible for the decadal increase in heavy precipitation events over North China since 2000/2001.Additionally,the changes in SST variability（a decrease in the eastern Ocean to China and an increase to its east） may have been the main reason for the eastward movement of the key region in the latter period.Certainly,more work is needed in the future to verify the findings of this study.

Associations between the Western North Pacific Monsoon and the South China Sea Monsoon

Based on the interannual variability of convection over the tropical western North Pacific (WNP), a region of 130°—160°E, 10°—20°N, a composite analysis is performed on the fields of surface temperature, outgoing longwave radiation and 850 hPa zonal wind. The composite results show that the weaker (stronger) WNP convection is related to the El Nino (La Nina)—pattern sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the preceding winter and in spring. A comparison with previous results indicates that a similar spatial and temporal distribution of SST anomalies is also associated with the onsets of both the WNP and South China Sea (SCS) monsoons. The composite results also show that the weaker (stronger) convection over the WNP corresponds to the easterly (westerly) anomalies that extend westward from the WNP into the Bay of Bengal. A numerical experiment by an atmospheric general circulation model shows a similar result. In addition, during weaker (stronger) convection summer, the convection over the WNP and lower-level zonal winds over the SCS exhibit a small (large) extent of seasonal evolution.

The Oscillation between Tropical Indian Ocean and North Pacific:Evidence and Possible Impact on Winter Climate in China

This paper provides evidence that the variation of boreal winter sea level pressure (SLP) over the North Pacific is out-of-phase with SLP fluctuation over the tropical Indian Ocean on both the interdecadal and interannual time scales.Subsequently,a SLP between tropical Indian Ocean and North Pacific (TIO-NP) oscillation index is defined to indicate the variation of such out-of-phase fluctuation.Moreover,the simultaneous surface air temperature and precipitation anomalies in China are closely related to TIO-NP oscillations.Below-normal surface air temperature anomalies in the northern and the eastern part of China,and less rainfall in southern China,correspond to positive TIO-NP oscillation phase with negative SLP anomalies in tropical Indian Ocean and positive anomalies in North Pacific.The TIO-NP oscillation affects China's winter climate anomalies,possibly through modulating the northeast East Asia winter monsoon.