On the Two Successive Supercold Waves Straddling the End of 2020 and the Beginning of 2021

Two supercold waves straddling 2020 and 2021 successively hit China and caused record-breaking extremely low temperatures.In this study,the distinct features of these two supercold waves are analyzed on the medium-range time scale.The blocking pattern from the Kara Sea to Lake Baikal characterized the first cold wave,while the large-scale tilted ridge and trough over the Asian continent featured the second cold wave.Prior to the cold waves,both the northwest and hyperpolar paths of cold air contributed to a zonally extensive cold air accumulation in the key region of Siberia.This might be the primary reason why strong and extensive supercold waves occur even under the Arctic amplification background.The two cold waves straddling 2020 and 2021 exhibited distinct features:(1)the blocking circulation occurred to the north or the east of the Ural Mountains and was not confined only to the Ural Mountains as it was for the earlier cold waves;(2)the collocation of the Asian blocking pattern and the polar vortex deflection towards East Asia preferred the hyperpolar path of cold air accumulation and the subsequent southward outburst;and(3)both high-and low-frequency processes worked in concert,leading to the very intense cold waves.The cold air advance along the northwest path,which coincides with the southeastward intrusion of the Siberian High(SH)front edge,is associated with the high-frequency process,while the cold air movement along the hyperpolar path,which is close to the eastern edge of the SH,is controlled by the low-frequency process.

Extensive Cold-Precipitation-Freezing Events in Southern China and Their Circulation Characteristics

Concurrence of low temperature,precipitation and freezing weather in an extensive area would cause devastating impacts on local economy and society.We call such a combination of concurrent disastrous weather“extensive coldprecipitation-freezing”events(ECPFEs).In this study,the ECPFEs in southern China(15°−35°N,102°−123°E)are objectively defined by using daily surface observational data for the period 1951−2013.An ECPFE in southern China is defined if the low temperature area,precipitation area and freezing area concurrently exceed their respective thresholds for at least three consecutive days.The identified ECPFEs are shown to be reasonable and reliable,compared with those in previous studies.The circulation anomalies in ECPFEs are characterized by a large-scale tilted ridge and trough pairing over mid-and high-latitude Eurasia,and the intensified subtropical westerlies along the southern foot of the Tibetan Plateau and the anomalous anticyclonic circulation over the subtropical western Pacific.Comparative analysis reveals that the stable cold air from the north and the warm and moist air from the south converge,facilitating a favorable environment for the concurrence of extensive low-temperature,precipitation and freezing weather.