Variations of the Summer Somali and Australia Cross-Equatorial Flows and the Implications for the Asian Summer Monsoon

The temporal variations during 1948-2010 and vertical structures of the summer Somali and Australia cross-equatorial flows （CEFs） and the implications for the Asian summer monsoon were explored in this study. The strongest southerly and northerly CEFs exist at 925 hPa and 150 hPa level, respectively. The low-level Somali （LLS） CEFs were significantly connected with the rainfall in most regions of India （especially the monsoon regions）, except in a small area in southwest India. In comparison to the climatology, the low- level Australia （LLA） CEFs exhibited stronger variations at interannual time scale and are more closely connected to the East Asian summer monsoon circulation than to the LLS CEFs. The East Asian summer monsoon circulation anomalies related to stronger LLA CEFs were associ- ated with less water vapor content and less rainfall in the region between the middle Yellow River and Yangtze River and with more water vapor and more rainfall in southern China. The sea-surface tempera- ture anomalies east of Australia related to summer LLA CEFs emerge in spring and persist into summer, with implications for the seasonal prediction of summer rainfall in East Asia. The connection between the LLA CEFs and East Asian summer monsoon rainfall may be partly due to its linkage with E1 Nino-Southern Oscillation. In addition, both the LLA and LLS CEFs .exhibited interdecadal shifts in the late 1970s and the late 1990s, consistent with the phase shifts of Pacific Decadal Oscillation （PDO）.

Water Vapor Transport and Cross-Equatorial Flow over the Asian-Australia Monsoon Region Simulated by CMIP5 Climate Models

The summer mean water vapor transport （WVT） and cross-equatorial flow （CEF） over the Asian- Australian monsoon region simulated by 22 coupled atmospheric-oceanic general circulation models （AOGCMs） from the World Climate Research Programme＇s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 （CMIP5） were evaluated. Based on climatology of the twentieth-century simulations, most of models have a reason- ably realistic representation of summer monsoon WVT characterized by southeast water vapor conveyor belt over the South Indian Ocean and southwest belt from the Arabian Sea to the East Asian. The correlation coefficients between NCEP reanalysis and simulations of BCC-CSMI-1, BNU-ESM, CanESM2, FGOALS-s2, MIROC4h and MPI-ESM-LR are up to 0.8. The simulated CEF depicted by the meridional wind along the equator includes the Somali jet and eastern CEF in low atmosphere and the reverse circulation in upper atmosphere, which were generally consistent with NCEP reanalysis. Multi-model ensemble means （MME） can reproduce more reasonable climatological features in spatial distribution both of WVT and CEF. Ten models with more reasonable WVT simulations were selected for future projection studies, including BCC- CSMI-1, BNU-ESM, CanESM2, CCSM4, FGOALS-s2, FIO-ESM, GFDL-ESM2G, MRIOCS, MPI-ESM-LR and NorESM-1M. Analysis based on the future projection experiments in RCP （Representative Concentra- tion Pathway） 2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6 and RCP8.5 show that the global warming forced by different RCP scenarios will results in enhanced WVT over the Indian area and the west Pacific and weaken WVT in the low latitudes of tropical Indian Ocean.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SSTA IMPACTS UPON THE INTERDECADAL VARIATION OF THE CROSS-EQUATORIAL FLOWS IN EASTERN HEMISPHERE

Impacts of regional sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies on the interdecadal variation of the cross-equatorial flows(CEFs)in Eastern Hemisphere are studied using numerical simulations with a global atmospheric circulation model(NCAR CAM3)driven with 1950-2000 monthly SSTs in different marine areas(the globe,extratropics,tropics,tropical Indian Ocean-Pacific,and tropical Pacific)and ERA-40reanalysis data.Results show that all simulations,except the one driven with extratropical SSTs,can simulate the interdecadal strengthening of CEFs around Somali,120oE,and 150oE that occurred in the midand late-1970s.Among those simulated CEFs,the interdecadal variability in Somali and its interdecadal relationship with the East Asian summer monsoon are in better agreement with the observations,suggesting that changes in the SSTs of tropical oceans,especially the tropical Pacific,play a crucial role in the interdecadal variability of CEFs in Somali.The interdecadal change of CEFs in Somali is highly associated with the interdecadal variation of tropical Pacific SST.As the interdecadal warmer(colder)SST happens in the tropical Pacific,a"sandwich"pattern of SST anomalies,i.e."+,-,+"("-,+,-"),will occur in the eastern tropical Pacific from north to south with a pair of anomalous anticyclone(cyclone)at the lower troposphere;the pair links to another pair of anomalous cyclone(anticyclone)in the tropical Indian Ocean through an atmospheric bridge,and thus strengthens(weakens)the CEFs in Somali.

Vertical Structure of Interannual Variability in Cross-Equatorial Flows over the Maritime Continent and Indian Ocean in Boreal Summer

This study investigates the vertical structure of variability in the cross-equatorial flows(CEFs)over the Maritime Continent and Indian Ocean in boreal summer,based on three reanalysis datasets:ERA-Interim,JRA-55 and NCEP-2.The results show a high consistency in the interannual variability among the reanalysis datasets,especially between ERAInterim and JRA-55,while great uncertainty exists in the decadal or long-term changes of CEFs.Further analyses on the interannual variability in CEFs indicate that there is a significant negative relationship between the upper-and lower-level CEFs over the Maritime Continent—that is,the northerlies at the upper level and southerlies at the lower level are both enhanced or weakened.This seesaw pattern is also significantly related to the CEFs over the Indian Ocean at the upper level and lower level(i.e.,the Somali jet).This close relationship between the upper-and lower-level CEFs and between the Maritime Continent and Indian Ocean is manifested as the leading mode of equatorial meridional winds in the vertical-zonal section over the Maritime Continent and Indian Ocean.Finally,it is found that ENSO is closely related to the vertical leading mode,and to all the CEFs at the upper and lower levels over the Maritime Continent and Indian Ocean.

INFLUENCE OF THE INTERANNUAL VARIATION OF CROSSEQUATORIAL FLOW ON TROPICAL CYCLOGENESIS OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC

The influence of the interannual variation of cross-equatorial flow(CEF) on tropical cyclogenesis over the western North Pacific(WNP) is examined in this paper by using the tropical cyclone(TC) best track data from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the JRA-25 reanalysis dataset. The results showed that the number of TCs forming to the east of 140°E over the southeastern part of the western North Pacific(WNP) is in highly positive correlation with the variation of the CEF near 125° E and 150° E, i.e., the number of tropical cyclogeneses increases when the cross-equatorial flows are strong. Composite analyses showed that during the years of strong CEF, the variations of OLR, vertical wind shear between 200-850 h Pa, 850 h Pa relative vorticity and 200 h Pa divergence are favorable for tropical cyclogenesis to the east of 140°E over the tropical WNP, and vice versa. Moreover, it is also discussed from the view of barotropic energy conversion that during the years of strong CEF, an eastward-extended monsoon trough leads to the rapid growth of eddy kinetic energy over the eastern part of WNP, which is favorable for tropical cyclogenesis;but during the years of weak CEF, the monsoon trough is located westward in the western part of the WNP, consistent with the growth area of eddy kinetic energy. As a result, there are fewer TC geneses over the eastern part of WNP.Besides, the abrupt strengthening of a close-by CEF 2-4 days before tropical cyclogenesis may be the one of its triggers.

索马里越赤道气流与淮河流域夏季降水关系的年代际增强

基于1961～2016年淮河流域172个测站逐日降水资料,分析了淮河夏季降水的多时间尺度变率,发现其具有显著的准两年周期,1990年代以来亦呈现出明显的年代际变化。EOF分析结果显示,淮河夏季降水的异常主要表现为全流域一致偏多或偏少型(第一模态),其方差贡献高达37%。相比于长江中下游地区,淮河夏季降水与东亚500h Pa位势高度场上的EAP遥相关型关系很弱,但和对流层低层西南水汽输送有更好的对应关系,表现为从索马里半岛至淮河流域的多个正负交替的相关波列。这一波列表明当索马里越赤道气流加强时,通过热带印度洋西风的纽带作用加强了进入淮河流域的西南暖湿气流,并在淮河上空低层形成水汽辐合,造成淮河多雨,反之当索马里越赤道气流强度弱时,淮河夏季降水偏少。索马里越赤道气流和中国台站降水的空间相关同样显示出最显著的相关区位于淮河流域。进一步的分析发现,研究时段内二者关系并非稳定维持,而是表现出显著的年代际变化,近二十年来索马里越赤道气流对淮河流域夏季降水的影响明显增强,且在季节预测上的指示意义也在增强。这一增强的可能原因是索马里越赤道气流与流域南侧的经向水汽输送和西侧的纬向水汽输送的关系均发生了年代际反转,并且这两条水汽输送带对流域夏季降水的影响发生了年代际增强。

ONSET AND RETREAT DATES OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE MONSOON INTENSITY IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE WARMING

Global gridded daily mean data from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis(1948-2012) are used to obtain the onset date,retreat date and duration time series of the South China Sea summer monsoon(SCSSM) for the past 65 years.The summer monsoon onset(retreat) date is defined as the time when the mean zonal wind at 850 hPa shifts steadily from easterly(westerly) to westerly(easterly) and the pseudo-equivalent potential temperature at the same level remains steady at greater than 335 K(less than 335 K) in the South China Sea area[110-120°E(10-20°N)].The clockwise vortex of the equatorial Indian Ocean region,together with the cross-equatorial flow and the subtropical high,plays a decisive role in the burst of the SCSSM.The onset date of the SCSSM is closely related to its intensity.With late(early) onset of the summer monsoon,its intensity is relatively strong(weak),and the zonal wind undergoes an early(late) abrupt change in the upper troposphere.Climate warming significantly affects the onset and retreat dates of the SCSSM and its intensity.With climate warming,the number of early-onset(-retreat) years of the SCSSM is clearly greater(less),and the SCSSM is clearly weakened.

Modulation of Low-Latitude West Wind on Abnormal Track and Intensity of Tropical Cyclone Nargis (2008) in the Bay of Bengal

Tropical cyclone （TC） Nargis （2008） made landfall in Myanmar on 02 May 2008, bringing a storm surge, major flooding, and resulting in a significant death toll. TC Nargis （2008） displayed abnormal features, including rare eastward motion in its late stage, rapid intensification before landing. Using reanalysis data and a numerical model, we investigated how a low-latitude westerly wind modulated TC Nargis’ （2008） track and provided favorable atmospheric conditions for its rapid intensification. More importantly, we found a possible counterbalance effect of flows from the two hemispheres on the TC track in the Bay of Bengal. Our analysis indicates that a strong westerly wind burst across the Bay of Bengal, resulting in TC Nargis’ （2008） eastward movement after its recurvature. This sudden enhancement of westerly wind was mainly due to the rapidly intensified mid-level cross-equatorial flow. Our results show that a high-pressure system in the Southern Hemisphere induced this strong, mid-level, cross-equatorial flow. During the rapid intensification period of TC Nargis （2008）, this strong and broad westerly wind also transported a large amount of water vapor to TC Nargis （2008）. Sufficient water vapor gave rise to continuously high and increased mid-level relative humidity, which was favorable to TC Nargis’ （2008） intensification. Condensation of water vapor increased the energy supply, which eventuated the intensification of TC Nargis （2008） to a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Precursory influence of the Antarctic Oscillation on the onset of Asian summer monsoon

The Asian summer monsoon(ASM) begins firstly over the Indo-China Peninsula in early May and over the South China Sea(SCS) in mid-May.The different monsoon onset dates can exert distinct effects on the summer rainfall in Asia.Statistical results indicate that the Antarctic Oscillation(AAO) in the boreal winter has a significant precursory influence on the ASM onset dates.In stronger AAO years,both the Mascarene high and the Australia high in March are stronger owing to the "see-saw" structure of atmospheric circulation over the subtropics and higher latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere,and the tropical intertropical convergence zone(ITCZ) is deeper.Thus,the pressure gradient between the subtropical and tropical regions increases in spring.As a result,the Somalia cross-equatorial flow(SCEF) occurs earlier,strengthens,and enhances the westerlies over the tropical Indian Ocean.The enhanced westerlies impel an eastward withdrawal of the western Pacific subtropical high and intensify the convergence and rising motion at the lower troposphere,accelerating the burst of ASM.Differently,weaker AAO weakens the pressure gradient between the tropical and subtropical regions and delays the establishment of SCEF,resulting in a delayed onset of ASM.This study extends the leading time of seasonal forecast of ASM onset from the previous spring to winter and provides useful information about precursory signals in climate prediction operation.