Factors responsible for the increasing trend of mei-yu season rainfall during 1979-2020 over the western and eastern mei-yu domain

近几十年来,江淮流域梅雨监测区(MMD)的梅雨期(6-7月)降水呈增加趋势.本文基于1979-2020年台站观测降水资料和ERA5再分析数据,从大气环流变异的角度揭示了这种长期增加趋势的主要影响因素.发现在MMD范围内,梅雨期降水趋势的增幅东部大于西部.水汽收支定量诊断表明,异常的蒸发和水汽平流对MMD西部和东部降水增加趋势的相对贡献是不同的.MMD西部(东部)的降水趋势主要归咎于增强的局地蒸发(增强的垂直水汽平流),后者又取决于MMD对流层中,低层的异常气旋环流.这种位于气候平均的西太平洋副热带高压西北侧的异常气旋有助于MMD东部600 hPa以上的水汽辐散增加,伴随加强的850 hPa水汽辐合,从而导致垂直水汽平流的增强.相反,该异常气旋则有利于增强MMD西部的局地蒸发.

The Summer Snow Cover Anomaly over the Tibetan Plateau and Its Association with Simultaneous Precipitation over the Mei-yu–Baiu region

The summer snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau （TP） and their effects on climate variability are often overlooked,possibly due to the fact that some datasets cannot properly capture summer snow cover over high terrain.The satellite-derived Equal-Area Scalable Earth grid （EASE-grid） dataset shows that snow still exists in summer in the western part and along the southem flank of the TP.Analysis demonstrates that the summer snow cover area proportion （SCAP） over the TP has a significant positive correlation with simultaneous precipitation over the mei-yu-baiu （MB） region on the interannual time scale.The close relationship between the summer SCAP and summer precipitation over the MB region could not be simply considered as a simultaneous response to the Silk Road pattern and the SST anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean and tropical central-eastern Pacific.The SCAP anomaly has an independent effect and may directly modulate the land surface heating and,consequently,vertical motion over the western TP,and concurrently induce anomalous vertical motion over the North Indian Ocean via a meridional vertical circulation.Through a zonal vertical circulation over the tropics and a Kelvin wave-type response,anomalous vertical motion over the North Indian Ocean may result in an anomalous high over the western North Pacific and modulate the convective activity in the western Pacific warm pool,which stimulates the East Asia-Pacific （EAP） pattern and eventually affects summer precipitation over the MB region.

Diagnostic Study on the Structural Characteristics of a Typical Mei-yu Front System and Its Maintenance Mechanism

In this paper, a typical mei-yu front process with heavy rainfall from June 12 to 15 in 1998 is analyzed. The results show that the mei-yu front is a front system which consists of an iso-theta(e) dense area with strong horizontal gradient, a deep-convective cloud tower band, a passageway transporting warm and moist air flow from the summer monsoon surge in the mid and low levels to the south of the mei-yu front, and a migrating synoptic scale trough to the north of the mei-yu front, which transports cold and dry air southward in the mid and upper levels. The maintenance of the mei-yu front is realized by: (1) is a positive feedback between the moist physical process enhancing frontogenesis and the development of the strong convective system in front of the mei-yu front; (2) the sustaining system to the north of the mei-yu front which is a migrating synoptic scale trough transporting cold and dry air to the mei-yu front and positive vorticity to the mesoscale system in front of the mei-yu front.

Impacts of Diurnal Variation of Mountain-plain Solenoid Circulations on Precipitation and Vortices East of the Tibetan Plateau during the Mei-yu Season

Diurnal variations of two mountain-plain solenoid （MPS） circulations associated with ＂first-step＂ terrain [Tibetan Plateau （TP）] and ＂second-step＂ terrain （high mountains between the TP and ＂east plains＂） in China and their influence on the south west vortex （SWV） and the mei-yu front vortex （MYFV） were investigated via a semi-idealized mesoscale numerical model [Weather Research and Forecasting （WRF）] simulation integrated with ten-day average fields （mei-yu period of 1-10 July 2007）. The simulations successfully reproduced two MPS circulations related to first and second-step terrain, diurnal vari- ations from the eastern edge of the TP to the Yangtze River-Huaihe River valleys （YHRV）, and two precipitation maximum centers related to the SWV, MYFV. Analyses of the averaged final seven-day simulation showed the different diurnal peaks of precipitation at different regions： from the aftemoon to early evening at the eastern edge of the TP; in the early evening to the next early morning in the Sichuan Basin （SCB）; and in the late evening to the next early morning over the mei-yu front （MYF）. Analyses of individual two-day cases confirmed that the upward branches of the nightlime MPS circulations enhanced the precipitation over the SWV and the MYFV and revealed that the eastward extension of the SWV and its con vection were conducive to triggering the MYFVs. The eastward propagation of a rainfall streak from the eastern edge of the TP to the eastern coastal region was primarily due to a series of convective activities of several systems from west to east, including the MPS between the TP and SCB, the SWV, the MPS between second-step terrain and tile east plains, and the MYFV.

Linkage Between Mei-yu Precipitation and North Atlantic SST on the Decadal Timescale

This paper investigates the relationship between mei-yu and North Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTA）. Results show that they are significantly associated with each other on the decadal timescale. Both mei-yu precipitation and mei-yu duration are characterized by significant decadal variability. Their decadal components are closely correlated with a triple mode of North Atlantic SSTA in the preceding winter. Regression analysis demonstrates that the wintertime North Atlantic SSTA may impose a delayed impact on East Asia Summer Monsoon （EASM） circulation and mei-yu on the decadal timescale. The persistency of SSTA plays an important role during this course. The triple SSTA mode can persist from winter until late spring. It is suggested that the springtime SSTA may excite a stationary wave-train propagating from west Eurasia to East Asia and exert an impact on mei-yu.

An Analysis of a Meso-β System in a Mei-yu Front Using the Intensive Observation Data During CHeRES 2002

The conventional and intensive observational data of the China Heavy Rain Experiment and Study (CHeRES) are used to specially analyze the heavy rainfall process in the mei-yu front that occurred during 20-21 June 2002, focusing on the meso-β system. A mesoscale convective system (MCS) formed in the warm-moist southwesterly to the south of the shear line over the Dabie Mountains and over the gorge between the Dabie and Jiuhua Mountains. The mei-yu front and shear line provide a favorable synoptic condition for the development of convection. The GPS observation indicates that the precipitable water increased obviously about 2-3 h earlier than the occurrence of rainfall and decreased after that. The abundant moisture transportation by southwesterly wind was favorable to the maintenance of convective instability and the accumulation of convective available potential energy (CAPE). Radar detection reveals that meso-β and -γ systems were very active in the MaCS. Several convection lines developed during the evolution of the MaCS, and these are associated with surface convergence lines. The boundary outflow of the convection line may have triggered another convection line. The convection line moved with the mesoscale surface convergence line, but the convective cells embedded in the convergence line propagated along the line. On the basis of the analyses of the intensive observation data, a multi-scale conceptual model of heavy rainfall in the mei-yu front for this particular case is proposed.

Interdecadal Modulation of the Influence of La Nia Events on Mei-yu Rainfall over the Yangtze River Valley

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the relationship between mei-yu rainfall over East China and La Nifia events in the late 1970s, a period concurrent with the Pacific climate shift, using meiyu rainfall data and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） reanalysis. This relationship was modulated by the climate shift： Before the 1977/1978 climate shift and after the 1992/1993 climate shift, mei-yu rainfall levels were above normal in most La Nifia years, whereas during the period 1979 1991, mei-yu rainfall was usually below normal levels in La Nifia years. Both composite analyses and results from an atmospheric general circulation model show remarkable detail in terms of La Nifia＇s impacts on mei-yu rainfall in the late 1970s due to the change in the mean climatic state over the tropical Pacific. After the late 1970s, the tropical Pacific SSTs were warmer, and the mean state of low-level anticyclone circulation over the western North Pacific （WNP） weakened. Superimposed on La Nifia-related cyclonic anomaly over the WNP, anticyclonic circulation weakened. Prior to the late 1970s, the mean state of low-level anticyclone circulation over the WNP was stronger and was less affected by La Nifia-related anomalous cyclones. Anticyclone circulation may have brought moisture to the Yangtze River valley, leading to above-normal rainfall.

Impact of 4DVAR Assimilation of Rainfall Data on the Simulation of Mesoscale Precipitation Systems in a Mei-yu Heavy Rainfall Event

The multi-scale weather systems associated with a mei-yu front and the corresponding heavy precipitation during a particular heavy rainfall event that occurred on 4 5 July 2003 in east China were successfully simulated through rainfall assimilation using the PSU/NCAR non-hydrostatic, mesoscale, numerical model （MM5） and its four-dimensional, variational, data assimilation （4DVAR） system. For this case, the improvement of the process via the 4DVAR rainfall assimilation into the simulation of mesoscale precipitation systems is investigated. With the rainfall assimilation, the convection is triggered at the right location and time, and the evolution and spatial distribution of the mesoscale convective systems （MCSs） are also more correctly simulated. Through the interactions between MCSs and the weather systems at different scales, including the low-level jet and mei-yu front, the simulation of the entire mei-yu weather system is significantly improved, both during the data assimilation window and the subsequent 12-h period. The results suggest that the rainfall assimilation first provides positive impact at the convective scale and the influences are then propagated upscale to the meso- and sub-synoptic scales. Through a set of sensitive experiments designed to evaluate the impact of different initial variables on the simulation of mei-yu heavy rainfall, it was found that the moisture field and meridional wind had the strongest effect during the convection initialization stage, however, after the convection was fully triggered, all of the variables at the initial condition seemed to have comparable importance.

Mesoscale Predictability of Mei-yu Heavy Rainfall

Recently reported results indicate that small amplitude and small scale initial errors grow rapidly and subsequently contaminate short-term deterministic mesoscale forecasts. This rapid error growth is dependent on not only moist convection but also the flow regime. In this study, the mesoscale predictability and error growth of mei-yu heavy rainfall is investigated by simulating a particular precipitation event along the mei-yu front on 4- 6 July 2003 in eastern China. Due to the multi-scale character of the mei-yu front and scale interactions, the error growth of mei-yu heavy rainfall forecasts is markedly different from that in middle-latitude moist baroclinic systems. The optimal growth of the errors has a relatively wide spectrum, though it gradually migrates with time from small scale to mesoscale. During the whole period of this heavy rainfall event, the error growth has three different stages, which similar to the evolution of 6-hour accumulated precipitation. Multi-step error growth manifests as an increase of the amplitude of errors, the horizontal scale of the errors, or both. The vertical profile of forecast errors in the developing convective instability and the moist physics convective system indicates two peaks, which correspond with inside the mei-yu front, and related to moist The error growth for the mei-yu heavy rainfall is concentrated convective instability and scale interaction.

Analysis of a Group of Weak Small-Scale Vortexes in the Planetary Boundary Layer in the Mei-yu Front

A mei-yu front process in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River on 23 June 1999 was simulated by using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University-NCAR （PSU/NCAR） Mesoscale Model （MM5） with FDDA （Four Dimension Data Assimilation）. The analysis shows that seven weak small mesoscale vortexes of tens of kilometers, correspondent to surface low trough or mesoscale centers, in the planetary boundary layer （PBL） in the mei-yu front were heavily responsible for the heavy rainfall. Sometimes, several weak small-scale vortexes in the PBL could form a vortex group, some of which would weaken locally, and some would develop to be a meso-α-scale low vortex through combination. The initial dynamical triggering mechanism was related to two strong currents： one was the northeast flow in the PBL at the rear of the mei-yu front, the vortexes occurred exactly at the side of the northeast flow; and the other was the strong southwest low-level jet （LLJ） in front of the Mei-yu front, which moved to the upper of the vortexes. Consequently, there were notable horizontal and vertical wind shears to form positive vorticity in the center of the southwest LLJ. The development of mesoscale convergence in the PBL and divergence above, as well as the vertical positive vorticity column, were related to the small wind column above the nose-shaped velocity contours of the northeast flow embedding southwestward in the PBL, which intensified the horizontal wind shear and the positive vorticity column above the vortexes, baroclinicity and instability.

Contrasts of Atmospheric Circulation and Associated Tropical Convection between Huaihe River Valley and Yangtze River Valley Mei-yu Flooding

The significant differences of atmospheric circulation between flooding in the Huaihe and Yangtze River valleys during early mei-yu （i.e., the East Asian rainy season in June） and the related tropical convection were investigated. During the both flooding cases, although the geopotential height anomalies always exhibit equivalent barotropic structures in middle to high latitudes at middle and upper troposphere, the phase of the Rossby wave train is different over Eurasian continent. During flooding in the Huaihe River valley, only one single blocking anticyclone is located over Baikal Lake. In contrast, during flooding in the Yangtze River valley, there are two blocking anticyclones. One is over the Ural Mountains and the other is over Northeast Asia. In the lower troposphere a positive geopotential height anomaly is located at the western ridge of subtropical anticyclone over Western Pacific （SAWP） in both flooding cases, but the location of the height anomaly is much farther north and west during the Huaihe River mei-yu flooding. Fhrthermore, abnormal rainfall in the Huaihe River valley and the regions north of it in China is closely linked with the latent heating anomaly over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula. However, the rainfall in the Yangtze River valley and the regions to its south in China is strongly related to the convection over the western tropical Pacific. Numerical experiments demonstrated that the enhanced latent heating over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula causes water vapor convergence in the region south of Tibetan Plateau and in the Huaihe River valley extending to Japan Sea with enhanced precipitation; and vapor divergence over the Yangtze River valley and the regions to its south with deficient precipitation. While the weakened convection in the tropical West Pacific results in moisture converging over the Yangtze River and the region to its south, along with abundant rainfall.

A Study of Formation and Development of One Kind of Cyclone on the Mei-yu (Baiu) Front

The paper presents one diagnosis of baroclinity and the coupling of jets during the developing process of a cyclone that occurred on the mei-yu (Baiu) front around the end of the second stage of the mei-yu (Baiu) in 1998. Results have shown that: (1) The advantageous changes of upper-level large-scale circulation caused the appearance and maintenance of the coupling between the upper-level jet (ULJ) and lower-level jet (LLJ) over the cyclone's area. The coupling of jets in this case possesses some different characteristics from previous cases. Moreover, the coupling between the ULJ and LLJ caused the intensification of both lower-level convergence and upper-level divergence, which was favorable for the development of this cyclone. (2) From the analysis of the voricity budget, the role of lower-level convergence in the development of the cyclone was emphasized. Divergent wind in the lower troposphere was a direct contributor to the development of the cyclone. (3) During the development of the cyclone, cold air and warm air were active over the cyclone's domain. Although this cyclone occurred at the mei-yu (Baiu) front, its development assumed baroclinity to a certain extent, which was just the main difference between this kind of cyclone and the first kind of low which is usually barotropic (or quasi-barotropic). (4) In recent years, studies on mei-yu front lows have paid more attention to the lower troposphere. In this paper, the analysis of the energy budget further supports this point: the certain effect of baroclinity forcing in the upper troposphere on mei-yu front lows cannot be ignored.

Adjoint-based Sensitivity Analysis of a Mesoscale Low on the Mei-yu Front and Its Implications for Adaptive Observation

An adjoint sensitivity analysis of one mesoscale low on the mei-yu Front is presented in this paper. The sensitivity gradient of simulation error dry energy with respect to initial analysis is calculated. And after verifying the ability of a tangent linear and adjoint model to describe small perturbations in the nonlinear model, the sensitivity gradient analysis is implemented in detail. The sensitivity gradient with respect to different physical fields are not uniform in intensity, simulation error is most sensitive to the vapor mixed ratio. The localization and consistency are obvious characters of horizontal distribution of the sensitivity gradient, which is useful for the practical implementation of adaptive observation. The sensitivity region tilts to the northwest with height increasing; the singular vector calculation proves that this tilting characterizes a quick-growing structure, which denotes that using the leading singular vectors to decide the adaptive observation region is proper. When connected with simulation of a mesoscale low on the mei-yu Front, the sensitivity gradient has the following physical characters： the obvious sensitive region is mesoscale, concentrated in the middle-upper troposphere, and locates around the key system; and the sensitivity gradient of different physical fields correlates dynamically.

Mesoscale Moist Adjoint Sensitivity Study of a Mei-yu Heavy Rainfall Event

The mesoscale moist adjoint sensitivities related to the initiation of mesoscale convective systems （MCSs） are evaluated for a mei-yu heavy rainfall event. The sensitivities were calculated on a realistic background gained from a four-dimensional variational data assimilation of precipitation experiment to make the sensitivity computation possible and reasonable within a strong moist convective event at the mesoscale. The results show that the computed sensitivities at the mesoscale were capable of capturing the factors affecting MCS initiation. The sensitivities to the initial temperature and moisture are enhanced greatly by diabatic processes, especially at lower levels, and these sensitivities are much larger than those stemming from the horizontal winds, which implies that initiation of MCSs is more sensitive to low-level temperature and moisture perturbations rather than the horizontal winds. Moreover, concentration of sensitivities at low levels reflects the characteristics of the mei-yu front. The results provide some hints about how to improve quantitative precipitation forecasts of mei-yu heavy rainfall, such as by conducting mesoscale targetted observations via the adjoint-based method to reduce the low-level errors in the initial temperature and moisture.

Joint effects of three oceans on the 2020 super mei-yu

2020年发生在江淮流域,朝鲜半岛和日本南部(简称梅雨区)的暴力梅造成了巨大的人员伤亡和经济损失.此次暴力梅的主要特征为:入梅早(6月1日),出梅晚(8月1日)以及较强的梅雨期降水.2020年异常早入梅和晚出梅时期的降水占梅雨期总降水的一半以上.因此,为了深入解析2020暴力梅的机制,本文将分析2020异常早入梅和晚出梅的主导遥强迫机制.研究表明,东亚急流提前北跳是造成入梅偏早的主要原因,而西北太平洋副热带高压(西太副高)的作用并不显著.具体来说,5月北大西洋海表温度(SST)异常激发出东传的罗斯贝波,同时西北太平洋的暖SST异常改变该罗斯贝波的传播.进而在两者共同的作用下造成东亚急流的提前北跳,并导致入梅偏早.2020年7月破纪录的北印度洋-南海SST暖异常和拉普特夫-东西伯利亚海的海冰密集度(SIC)的偏少阻止西太副高和东亚急流的北跳.推迟北跳的西太副高和东亚急流有利于梅雨降水增多,最终导致出梅偏晚.同时SIC异常可能是梅雨雨带偏北的原因.此外,预估结果表明,类似于2020出梅偏晚的概率在未来将会增加.最后,本文也探讨了暴力梅的潜在预测因子.

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 100-hPa SOUTH ASIA HIGH AND MEI-YU IN JIANGSU PROVINCE

By analyzing the change of an index for the characteristics of South Asia High and variations of upper-air troughs in 2002–2005,we studied the impact of South Asia high on the beginning and ending of the Mei-yu(i.e.sustained rain corresponding to the ripening season of plum)in Jiangsu province.Statistic verification is conducted on the relationships between the index and the Mei-yu season in 1991–2005 to examine the impacts of the SAH characteristics index on a rain intensity index of Mei-yu and regional distribution of a characteristics index for different annual patterns of Mei-yu.Historical composite is performed of the 100-hPa circulation field for these patterns using the 100-hPa geopotential height of Northern Hemisphere from 2002 to 2005 and 45-year NCEP reanalysis to study the difference in the circulation for different patterns of Mei-yu.Diagnostic and statistic conclusions,which share much in common,have been obtained as follows.(1)The characteristics preceding to and the advancement/retreat of SAH and the movement of westerly troughs are the factors that influence the onset time of the Mei-yu season;after the Mei-yu onset,the progression/withdrawal of SAH and how farther east it extends are determining how long the Mei-yu lasts and when it ends.(2)During the Mei-yu,the general 100-hPa circulation situation and average characteristics of the SAH are well corresponding to the characteristics of the season and annual patterns of Mei-yu.In addition,the averages of the SAH ridgeline and east-extending index for June,July and the Mei-yu season have some implications to the forecast of the index of Mei-yu intensity.These conclusions can be served as powerful means in determining the starting/ending dates, duration and annual pattern of the Mei-yu season.

The Relationship of Land-Ocean Thermal Anomaly Difference with Mei-yu and South China Sea Summer Monsoon

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the period of 1948-2004 and the monthly rainfall data at 160 stations in China from 1951 to 2004, the relationships among the land-ocean temperature anomaly difference in the mid-lower troposphere in spring （April-May）, the mei-yu rainfall in the Yangtze River- Huaihe River basin, and the activities of the South China Sea summer monsoon （SCSSM） are analyzed by using correlation and composite analyses. Results show that a significant positive correlation exists between mei-yu rainfall and air temperature in the middle latitudes above the western Pacific, while a significant negative correlation is located to the southwest of the Baikal Lake. When the land-ocean thermal anomaly difference is stronger in spring, the western Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） will be weaker and retreat eastward in summer （June-July）, and the SCSSM will be stronger and advance further north, resulting in deficient moisture along the mei-yu front and below-normal precipitation in the mid and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and vice versa for the weaker difference case. The effects and relative importance of the land and ocean anomalous heating on monsoon variability is also compared. It is found that the land and ocean thermal anomalies are both closely related to the summer circulation and mei-yu rainfall and SCSSM intensity, whereas the land heating anomaly is more important than ocean heating in changing the land-ocean thermal contrast and hence the summer monsoon intensity.

Variational Data Assimilation Experiments of Mei-Yu Front Rainstorms in China

The numerical forecasts of mei-yu front rainstorms in China has been an important issue. The intensity and pattern of the frontal rainfall are greatly influenced by the initial fields of the numerical model. The 4-dimensional variational data assimilation technology (4DVAR) can effectively assimilate all kinds of observed data, including rainfall data at the observed stations, so that the initial fields and the precipitation forecast can both be greatly improved. The non-hydrostatic meso-scale model (MM5) and its adjoint model are used to study the development of the mei-yu front rainstorm from 1200 UTC 25 June to 0600 UTC 26 June 1999. By numerical simulation experiments and assimilation experiments, the T106 data and the observed 6-hour rainfall data are assimilated. The influences of many factors, such as the choice of the assimilated variables and the weighting coefficient, on the precipitation forecast results are studied. The numerical results show that 4DVAR is valuable and important to mei-yu front rainfall prediction.

Transition from the Southern Mode of the Mei-yu Front Cloud System to Other Leading Modes

Based on normalized six-hourly black body temperature （TBB） data of three geostationary meteorological satellites,the leading modes of the mei-yu cloud system between 1998 and 2008 were extracted by the Empirical Orthogonal Function （EOF） method,and the transition processes from the first typical leading mode to other leading modes were discussed and compared.The analysis shows that,when the southern mode （EOF1） transforms to the northeastern mode （EOF3）,in the mid-troposphere,a low trough develops and moves southeastward over central and eastern China.The circulation pattern is characterized by two highs and one low in the lower troposphere.A belt of low pressure is sandwiched between the weak high over central and western China and the strong western North Pacific subtropical high （WNPSH）.Cold air moves southward along the northerly flow behind the low,and meets the warm and moist air between the WNPSH and the forepart of the low trough,which leads to continuous convection.At the same time,the central extent of the WNPSH increases while its ridge extends westward.In addition,transitions from the southern mode to the dual centers mode and the tropical-low-influenced mode were found to be atypical,and so no common points could be concluded.Furthermore,the choice of threshold value can affect the number of samples discussed.

The Structure of a Typical Mei-Yu Front Identified by the Equivalent Temperature

In China's Mainland, the summer monsoon rainy band is referred to as the mei-yu precipitation front, which extends northward from South China to the Yangtze River, Huaihe River, and Yellow River, depending on the season. This paper describes the structure of the mei-yu front associated with a persistent heavy rainfall event that occurred in the summer of 2007. The mei-yu front occurs when the subtropical oceanic warm, moist air mass and the extra tropical continental dry, cold air mass converge on the lee side of the Tibetan Plateau. The authors defined the equivalent temperature using two terms of dry-air temperature and the specific humidity and calculated its horizontal gradient to indicate the mei-yu front. The vertical structure of the mei-yu front and the moist thermal winds surrounding it were examined based on the equivalent temperature.