The Inter-Annual Variability of Rainfall Onset and Its Implication on Crop Planting in Selected East Africa Countries

The inter-annual variability of rainfall onset and crop replanting in East Africa (EA) was assessed using daily estimated rainfall data from climate hazard group infrared precipitation (CHIRPS Ver2.0) and monthly Sea Surface Temperature (SST) indices [Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El-Ni?o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) at NINO3.4 region] from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The data covered a period of 40 years from1981 to 2020. The methods of cumulative of daily mean rainfall, percentage of onset date departure (PODD), Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test, student t-test, and correlation were applied in the analysis. The results showed that early onset with dry spell (WDS) consideration frequently occurs in Uganda between the first and second dekads of September, while late rainfall onset WDS occurs in the first and second dekads of December over central and Northern Kenya as well as in the Northeastern highlands, parts of the northern coast and unimodal regions in Tanzania. Rainfall onset with no dry spell (WnDS) portrayed an average of 10 days before the occurrence of true onset WDS, with maximum onset departure days (ODD) above 30 days across the Rift Valley area in Kenya and the Northeastern highlands in Tanzania. The high chance of minimum ODD is seen over entire Uganda and the area around Lake Victoria. However, few regions, such as Nakuru (Kenya) Gulu and Kibale (Uganda), and Gitega (Burundi), revealed a slight positive linear trend while others showed negative trend. Significant positive patterns for correlation between onset WDS and SST indices (IOD and NINO 3.4) were discovered in Northern and Northeastern Kenya, as well as areas along the Indian Ocean (over Tanzania’s Northern Coast). Inter-annual relationship between onset dates WDS and IOD (NINO3.4) indices exhibits a high correlation coefficient r = 0.23 (r = 0.48) in Uganda and r = 0.44 (r = 0.36) in Kenya. On the other hand, a negative correlation was revealed over Burundi and Tanzania (over a unimodal region). A high percentage of PODD was observed, ranging from 40% to 70% over the Rift Valley in Kenya and at the Northeastern highlands in Tanzania. However, a strong PODD above 70% was observed over Tanga and the Northern Pwani Region in Tanzania. These findings will help farmers to understand the appropriate time for crop planting, as well as help other socio-economic activities that strongly depend on rainfall.

The inter-annual variability of the Yellow Sea Warm Current surface axis and its influencing factors

Based on the Pathfinder sea surface temperature(PFSST),the surface axis and its pattern of the Yellow Sea Warm Current(YSWC) are discussed.A structure of double-warm-tongue is found in February and it varies in different years.Two indexes are calculated to represent the westward shift(WSI) and northward extension(NEI) of the warm water in the Yellow Sea(YS).Wavelet analysis illustrates that the WSI and NEI have prominent periods of 3-6 years and 3-4 years,respectively.The Empirical Orthogonal Function(EOF) decomposition is applied to the winter wind stress curl and the Kuroshio Current(KC) transport,which are believed to play important roles in forcing the variability of the YSWC surface axis.Statistics shows that the WSI is significantly related with the second EOF mode of the wind stress curl in February,which may force the YSWC surface axis moving westward and maintaining the double warm tongues because of its opposite curl in the YSWC domain.The first EOF mode of wind stress curl in January is propitious for inducing the warm tongue in the YS to advance more northward.Hence,the wind stress curls both in January and in February could force variations of the YSWC surface axis;however,the effect of the January wind stress curl is relatively weaker than that of the February.The relationship between the NEI and the KC transport is remarkable,and it seems that the stronger KC supplies more power to push the YSWC northward against the southward wind.

SEASONAL AND INTER-ANNUAL VARIABILITY OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WARM POOL AND ITS RELATION TO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA MONSOON ONSET

The South China Sea warm pool interacts vigorously with the summer monsoon which is active in the region. However, there has not been a definition concerning the former warm pool which is as specific as that for the latter. The seasonal and inter-annual variability of the South China Sea warm pool and its relations to the South China Sea monsoon onset were analyzed using Levitus and NCEP/NCAR OISST data. The results show that, the seasonal variability of the South China Sea warm pool is obvious, which is weak in winter, develops rapidly in spring, becomes strong and extensive in summer and early autumn, and quickly decays from mid-autumn. The South China Sea warm pool is 55 m in thickness in the strongest period and its axis is oriented from southwest to northeast with the main section locating along the western offshore steep slope of northern Kalimantan-Palawan Island. For the warm pools in the South China Sea, west Pacific and Indian Ocean, the oscillation, which is within the same large scale air-sea coupling system, is periodic around 5 years. There are additional oscillations of about 2.5 years and simultaneous inter-annual variations for the latter two warm pools. The intensity of the South China Sea warm pool varies by a lag of about 5 months as compared to the west Pacific one. The result also indicates that the inter-annual variation of the intensity index is closely related with the onset time of the South China Sea monsoon. When the former is persistently warmer (colder) in preceding winter and spring, the monsoon in the South China Sea usually sets in on a later (earlier) date in early summer. The relation is associated with the activity of the high pressure over the sea in early summer. An oceanic background is given for the prediction of the South China Sea summer monsoon, though the mechanism through which the warm pool and eventually the monsoon are affected remains unclear.

Crops Responses to Inter-Annual Climate Variability in Agroclimatic Zone of Sub-Saharan Africa

Climate variability has become a decisive factor for the crop yields in Sub-Saharan African countries. Inter-annual variability in rainfall has been the key climatic element that determines the success of agriculture in this region.From an analysis of recent rainfall conditions in West Africa,FAO(2001) concluded that a long-term change in rainfall has occurred in the semi-arid and sub-humid zones of West Africa.Thus,this study aims at assessing the vulnerability of crop yields to inter-annual variability in rainfall in sub-Saharan African countries taking Nigeria as a case study.A time series of the averaged value of the 12-Month Weighted Anomaly Standardized Precipita-

Variability of Summer Monsoon Rainfall in India on Inter-Annual and Decadal Time Scales

Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall(ISMR)exhibits a prominent inter-annual variability known as troposphere biennial oscillation.A season of deficient June to September monsoon rainfall in India is followed by warm sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean and cold SST anomalies over the western Pacific Ocean.These anomalies persist until the following monsoon,which yields normal or excessive rainfall.Monsoon rainfall in India has shown decadal variability in the form of 30 year epochs of alternately occurring frequent and infrequent drought monsoons since1841,when rainfall measurements began in India.Decadal oscillations of monsoon rainfall and the well known decadal oscillations in SSTs of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans have the same period of approximately 60 years and nearly the same temporal phase.In both of these variabilities,anomalies in monsoon heat source,such as deep convection,and middle latitude westerlies of the upper troposphere over south Asia have prominent roles.

Impacts of Coastal SST Variability on the East Asian Summer Monsoon

The impacts of the seasonal and interannual SST variability in the East Asia coastal regions （EACRSST） on the East Asian summer monsoon （EASM） have been examined using a regional climate model （PδRCM9） in this paper. The simulation results show that the correlation between the EACRSST and the EASM is strengthened after the mid-1970s and also the variability of the EACRSST forcing becomes much more important to the EASM interannual variability after the mid-1970s. The impacts of the EACRSST on the summer precipitation over each sub-region in the EASM region become weak gradually from south to north, and the temporal evolution features of the summer precipitation differences over North and Northeast China agree well with those of the index of EASM （IEASM） differences. The mechanism analyses show that different EACRSST forcings result in the differences of sensible and latent heat flux exchanges at the air-sea interface, which alter the heating rate of the atmosphere. The heating rate differences induce low level air temperature differences over East Asia, resulting in the differences of the land-sea thermal contrast （LSTC） which lead to 850 hPa geopotential height changes. When the 850 hPa geopotential height increases over the East Asian continent and decreases over the coast of East China and the adjacent oceans during the weakening period of weakens consequently. On the contrary, the EASM enhances during the strengthening period of the LSTC.

Cloud Feedback on SST Variability in the Western Equatorial Pacific in GOALS/LASG Model

The cloud feedback on the SST variability in the western equatorial Pacific in GOALS/LASG model is studied in this paper. Two versions of the model, one with the diagnostic cloud and another with the prescribed cloud, are used. Both versions are integrated for 45 years. It is found that in the prescribed cloud run, the SST variability in the western equatorial Pacific is mainly of interdecadal time scale and the interannual variability is very weak. In the diagnostic cloud run, however, the interdecadal SST variability is depressed much and the interannual SST variability becomes much significant.The mechanism for the feedback is then explored. The variability of sea surface temperature (SST) in the western equatorial Pacific is found to be controlled mainly by the zonal wind anomaly, through the process of upwelling/downwelling in both versions. Then it is found that in the diagnostic cloud case, the negative feedback of the solar short wave (SW) flux acts significantly to balance the effect of upwelling/downwelling in addition to the latent flux. In addition, the variability of the SW flux is shown to be closely related to the variability of the middle and high cloud covers. Therefore, the negative feedback of the SW surface flux may have significant contribution to the cloud feedback on the SST variability.

Interdecadal change of winter SST variability in the Kuroshio Extension region and its linkage with Aleutian atmospheric low pressure system

By utilizing multiple datasets from various sources available for the last 100 years, the existence for the interdecadal change of the winter sea surface temperature（SST） variability in the Kuroshio Extension（KE） region is investigated. And its linkage with the Aleutian Low（AL） activity changes is also discussed. The results find that the KE SST variability exhibits the significant ~6 a and ~10 a oscillations with obvious interdecadal change. The ~6 a oscillation is mainly detected during 1930–1950, which is largely impacted by the anomalous surface heat flux forcing and Ekman heat transport associated with the AL intensity variation. The ~10 a oscillation is most evident after the 1980s, which is predominantly triggered by the AL north-south shift through the bridge of oceanic Rossby waves.

CMIP5 analysis of the interannual variability of the Pacific SST and its association with the Asian-Pacific oscillation

基于27个CMIP5模式的模拟数据,评估了模式对太平洋海表温度年际变率及其与亚洲-太平洋涛动关系的模拟能力,并预估了其在RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下的未来变化。评估结果表明,大多数模式和多模式集合能很好的再现观测中北太平洋和热带东太平洋海表温度的强年际变率,其与亚洲-太平洋涛动的同位相和反位相变化关系也能成功模拟出。多模式集合预估显示,与1950-99年相比,2050-99年期间北太平洋和热带东太平洋海表温度的年际变率在RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下将减弱。大多数模式的预估结果与此相一致。此外,多模式集合预估还表明,当今亚洲-太平洋涛动与北太平洋和热带东太平洋海表温度的年际关系在RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下仍存在,不过单模式的预估结果具有明显差异。

秋季北大西洋马蹄型海温异常与初冬我国气温年际变化的联系

本文基于Hadley中心的海表温度资料、全国160站气温资料以及National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCEP/NCAR)的再分析资料,运用经验正交函数(empirical orthogonal function,EOF)分解和相关分析等多种统计方法,研究了1951~2020年秋季(9~11月)北大西洋海温年际异常的主要特征及其对初冬(12月)我国气温异常的影响。结果表明:秋季北大西洋海温异常EOF的第一模态是纽芬兰岛东南部海温为负(正)距平,北大西洋副极地和副热带及其东部海温为正(负)距平的马蹄型海温模态,方差贡献率为20.5%。研究表明,秋季北大西洋马蹄型海温异常与我国大部分地区初冬气温异常有显著的正相关关系,即秋季北大西洋马蹄型海温模态呈正位相时,我国大部分地区初冬气温偏高,反之,我国大部分地区初冬气温偏低。进一步分析表明,秋季北大西洋马蹄型海温异常能够持续到初冬。当秋季北大西洋马蹄型海温呈正(负)位相时,初冬北大西洋副极地和副热带海温异常通过加热(冷却)异常能够引起局地对流层上层的辐散(辐合)运动,并且激发出南、北两支Rossby波列。其中,北支波列由北大西洋副极地向东北方向传播至巴伦支海附近,然后沿西伯利亚向东南方向传播至我国上空;南支波列由北大西洋副热带向东传播至我国上空。在南、北支波列的影响下,我国上空对流层上层出现异常辐合(辐散),与之伴随的异常下沉(上升)运动使得我国上空云量减少(增加),到达地表的短波辐射增加(减少),同时地表向低层大气传输的长波辐射增加(减少),在非绝热加热的作用下,我国大部分地区气温偏高(偏低)。利用NCAR Community Atmosphere Model version 5.3(CAM5.3)模式模拟了北大西洋马蹄型海温异常对初冬大气环流、辐射强迫和气温的影响,模拟结果与观测资料统计分析结果基本一致,进一步表明该海温模态能够激发出遥相关波列,影响东亚大气环流异常,通过非绝热加热的作用影响我国气温异常的年际变化。

热带太平洋SST的多尺度时空特征分析

根据NOAA-CIRES气候诊断中心提供的1950—2000年月平均ReynoldsSST资料,利用Morlet小波变换的方法,对热带太平洋SST的时空特征进行分析。结果表明:热带太平洋SST存在年变化、年际变化、中心周期为12a的年代际变化,这3种尺度的变化具有不同的时空分布特征及传播特征。

风应力对SST气候场和年际变率作用的诊断及数值研究

相关方法分析 Nino3区 SSTA和风应力的关系 ,发现前期风应力距平场与Nino3区 SSTA有很好的相关关系 ,这种相关性超前 8个月时就有所显现。影响 Ni-no3区 SSTA的主要风应力区域的位置随风应力超前的时间缩短均向中太平洋扩展。数值试验方法研究不同区域的风应力对热带太平洋 SST作用的结果表明 ,强相关区域的风应力对形成和维持热带太平洋 SST的气候场的作用不明显 ,而对 SST的年际变率有重要贡献 ;相反 ,强相关区域以外的风应力对形成和维持热带太平洋SST的气候场起重要作用 ,但是对

ENSO及印度洋海盆模态关联的南海SST异常年代际变化及海洋平流输送的贡献

采用国际海-气综合数据集（The International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set, ICOADS）船舶观测资料及简单海洋同化分析数据（Simple Ocean Data Assimilation, SODA）, 研究了厄尔尼诺（El Nino-Southern Oscillation, ENSO）和印度洋海盆模态（Indian Ocean Basin, IOB）对南海海表温度（sea surface temperature, SST）影响的年代际变化, 并着重讨论了不同时期海洋平流输送对SST 异常的影响.结果表明, ENSO 事件对南海SST 的影响呈现显著的年代际变化特征;在1870-2007 年期间, 扣除资料较少的时期, 有4 个显著不同的时段, 分别是1892-1915 年、1930-1940 年、1960-1983年、1984-2007 年.在1950 年之前的两个时段, 南海在ENSO 期间出现一次显著的增暖, 而在1950 年之后的两个时段中, 南海出现了两次显著的增暖.除第一个时段外, 其余三个时段ENSO 发展期冬季大气潜热及短波辐射异常是导致南海增暖的主要原因, 海洋平流作用较弱; 而在最近的两个时段中, 海洋平流对ENSO 消亡年夏季南海增暖有重要影响.不同时段海洋平流对南海增暖贡献的差异说明ENSO 及IOB 对南海区域气候的影响具有明显的年代际变化特征.

Synergistic Interdecadal Evolution of Precipitation over Eastern China and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation during 1951-2015

By using the multi-taper method(MTM)of singular value decomposition(SVD),this study investigates the interdecadal evolution(10-to 30-year cycle)of precipitation over eastern China from 1951 to 2015 and its relationship with the North Pacific sea surface temperature(SST).Two significant interdecadal signals,one with an 11-year cycle and the other with a 23-year cycle,are identified in both the precipitation and SST fields.Results show that the North Pacific SST forcing modulates the precipitation distribution over China through the effects of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO)-related anomalous Aleutian low on the western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH)and Mongolia high(MH).During the development stage of the PDO cold phase associated with the 11-year cycle,a weakened WPSH and MH increased the precipitation over the Yangtze River Basin,whereas an intensified WPSH and MH caused the enhanced rain band to move northward to North China during the decay stage.During the development stage of the PDO cold phase associated with the 23-year cycle,a weakened WPSH and MH increased the precipitation over North China,whereas an intensified WPSH and the weakened MH increased the precipitation over South China during the decay stage.The 11-year and 23-year variabilities contribute differently to the precipitation variations in the different regions of China,as seen in the 1998flooding case.The 11-year cycle mainly accounts for precipitation increases over the Yangtze River Basin,while the 23-year cycle is responsible for the precipitation increase over Northeast China.These results have important implications for understanding how the PDO modulates the precipitation distribution over China,helping to improve interdecadal climate prediction.

东山岛外海表层水温的亚潮频波动初步研究

本研究通过对东山岛外海浮标观测的表层水温(SST)数据进行分析,发现2016、2017年夏季东山岛外海表层水温均存在周期为5~8 d的亚潮频波动信号,最大振幅分别为3.1℃和2.1℃。结合卫星遥感SST数据以及风场数据,采用小波分析、交叉小波分析等方法对该现象进行研究分析,结果表明:2016年夏季表层水温中出现的亚潮频波动信号源自短波辐射,表层水温变化滞后短波辐射1天左右;2017年夏季的亚潮频波动源自沿岸风应力,表层水温变化滞后沿岸风应力2天左右。2016年和2017年表层水温出现的亚潮频波动均与台风有关,但信号的来源出现差异是因为2017年台风过境引起了较强的沿岸风松弛现象,在沿岸风中出现了亚潮频波动信号,沿岸风影响上升流变化,进而引起表层水温的变化;2016年由于台风过境引起的沿岸风松弛现象较弱,沿岸风中并未出现亚潮频波动信号,而表层水温中的亚潮频波动信号源自短波辐射,这可能与台风引起局地天气系统的变化有关。

Westward extension of summer atmospheric circulation over the North Pacific after the 1990s

本文研究了20世纪90年代前后夏季北太平洋大气环流(NPcirculation)向西扩展,并探讨了其可能的原因.结果表明,在1961-1983年期间NP中心主要位于东北太平洋,而在1994-2016年期间NP中心发生西移,至北太平洋中部进一步分析指出,90年代以后NP活动中心的西移和春季中纬度北太平洋海温(SST_NP)与NP关系的加强有关.春季SST_NP异常通过引起后期夏季北太平洋中部地表热通量(即感热通量和潜热通量)和垂直运动异常,有利于NP活动中心向西移动,此外,20世纪90年代以后,北太平洋中部海平面气压的年际变率增加,这可能是NP向西扩展的另一原因。

2021年盛夏中国东部极端降水月际演变成因及可预测性

2021年7—8月中国东部雨带演变特征与气候平均季风北推进程存在显著差异。其中,7月降水正异常中心位于江淮-华北地区,8月则南移至华中地区。2021年中国东部降水异常偏多且存在月际差异主要与7(8)月西北太平洋副热带高压(西太副高)偏北偏东(偏南偏西)、东亚副热带西风急流偏北(偏南)以及南亚高压持续东伸相关联。进一步研究表明,热带对流的活跃位置和北大西洋的增暖加强是影响其降水中心南移的主要原因。2021年7月热带大气低频振荡(MJO)在海洋性大陆地区活跃对应其热带海洋性大陆对流异常偏强,激发北传的类太平洋-日本(PJ)型遥相关波列,使得西太副高偏北偏东,有利于西北太平洋水汽在江淮-华北地区辐合,导致其降水偏多。8月,新发展MJO在热带印度洋上空对流异常持续偏强,加强局地经向环流,使得中国35°N以南至西北太平洋地区出现异常下沉运动,有利于西太副高南移西伸。此外,2021年8月北大西洋海温(SST)异常偏暖激发对流层高层向东南传播的Rossby波,有利于南亚高压加强和东亚副热带西风急流加强南移。因此,8月降水中心南移至华中地区。CFSv2预测系统(6月起报)结果能预测7月江淮-华北大部分地区降水偏多,但预测的8月华中南部地区降水偏少与实况相反。这可能是由于模式能够较好再现7月海洋性大陆热带对流活动影响江淮-华北地区降水的过程,但不能预测2021年8月热带印度洋对流活动和北大西洋海温异常偏暖对华中地区降水的影响。

南印度洋SST与南亚季风环流年代际变化的研究

利用美国NCEP全球大气再分析资料和JONES全球海表面温度异常 (SSTA)资料 ,分析了南印度洋SSTA和南亚季风环流年代际变化的特征。研究发现 ,无论是南印度洋副热带海水辐合区的SST还是赤道以北非洲西海岸附近上升运动海区的SST的长期变化趋势 ,除了准 3 5年的变化以外 ,还存在着明显的年代际的变化。对于全球最显著南亚季风环流的分析表明 ,南亚季风环流也存在明显的年代际时间尺度的变化。与南太平洋SST的年代际变化相比 ,南印度洋SST的变化周期要相对短一些。通过分析南半球冷空气年代际活动的特征发现 ,冷空气与南印度洋SST年代际时间尺度的变化具有密切的联系。

与ENSO有关的北印度洋SST年际变化

通过ICOADS(The International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set)船测资料,验证了El Ni o引发的北印度洋(North Indian Ocean,NIO)海表温度(SST)的2次增暖过程。前人研究发现,第1次增暖发生在El Ni o盛期,源于El Ni o导致的大气环流变化产生了正的短波辐射及潜热通量异常;第2次增暖发生在El Ni o消亡的夏季,是由于反对称风场异常导致蒸发失热减少所造成。研究进一步发现,短波辐射和潜热通量在这两次增暖中都有着重要作用,但二者的作用在时间上并不一致。两次增暖过程都是短波辐射首先产生影响,其后才是风场导致的潜热通量的变化。两次增暖在东西两个海盆也存在差异,第1次增暖主要集中在阿拉伯海区域,第二次增暖在东西两个海盆都较明显。另外,通过El Ni o和La Ni a对比发现,ENSO对北印度洋SST的影响具有不对称性。El Ni o期间北印度洋产生2到3次增暖,而La Ni a只有第二年夏季的降温比较明显,强度也比较弱。

The Interannual Variability of East Asian Winter Monsoon and Its Relation to the Summer Monsoon

Based on the NCEP/ NCAR reanalysis data the interannual variability of the East Asian winter mon-soon (EAWM) is studied with a newly defined EAWM intensity index. The marked features for a strong (weak) winter monsoon include strong (weak) northerly winds along coastal East Asia, cold (warm) East Asian continent and surrounding sea and warm (cold) ocean from the subtropical central Pacific to the trop-ical western Pacific, high (low) pressure in East Asian continent and low (high) pressure in the adjacent ocean and deep (weak) East Asian trough at 500 hPa. These interannual variations are shown to be closely connected to the SST anomaly in the tropical Pacific, both in the western and eastern Pacific. The results suggest that the strength of the EAWM is mainly influenced by the processes associated with the SST anom-aly over the tropical Pacific. The EAWM generally becomes weak when there is a positive SST anomaly in the tropical eastern Pacific (El Ni?o), and it becomes strong when there is a negative SST anomaly (La Ni?a). Moreover, the SST anomaly in the South China Sea is found to be closely related to the EAWM and may persist to the following summer. Both the circulation at 850 hPa and the rainfall in China confirm the connection between the EAWM and the following East Asian summer monsoon. The possible reason for the recent 1998 summer flood in China is briefly discussed too. Key words East Asian winter monsoon - Interannual variability - SST - Summer monsoon This study was supported by “ National Key Programme for Developing Basic Sciences” G1998040900 part 1, and by key project (KZ 952-S1-404) of Chinese Academy of Sciences.