Seasonal Prediction of the Record-Breaking Northward Shift of the Western Pacific Subtropical High in July 2021

The unprecedented Zhengzhou heavy rainfall in July 2021 occurred under the background of a northward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH).Although the occurrence of this extreme event could not be captured by seasonal predictions,a skillful prediction of the WPSH variation might have warned us of the increased probability of extreme weather events in Central and Northern China.However,the mechanism for the WPSH variation in July 2021 and its seasonal predictability are still unknown.Here,the observed northward shift of the WPSH in July 2021 is shown to correspond to a meridional dipole pattern of the 850-hPa geopotential height to the east of China,the amplitude of which became the strongest since 1979.The meridional dipole pattern is two nodes of the Pacific–Japan pattern.To investigate the predictability of the WPSH variation,a 21-member ensemble of seasonal predictions initiated from the end of June 2021 was conducted.The predictable and unpredictable components of the meridional dipole pattern were identified from the ensemble simulations.Its predictable component is driven by positive precipitation anomalies over the tropical western Pacific.The positive precipitation anomalies are caused by positive horizonal advection of the mean moist enthalpy by southwesterly anomalies to the northwestern flank of anticyclonic anomalies excited by the existing La Niña,which is skillfully predicted by the model.The leading mode of the unpredictable component is associated with the atmospheric internal intraseasonal oscillations,which are not initialized in the simulations.The relative contributions of the predictable and unpredictable components to the observed northward shift of the WPSH at 850 hPa are 28.0%and 72.0%,respectively.

The Influence of SST Warm-water Region and ITCZ in the North-West Pacific Ocean on the Northeast Cold Vortex and the Subtropical High

By using the monthly mean grid data of NCAR/NCEP reanalysis at 500 hPa geopotential height from 1958 to 1997,the relationship between the Northeast cold vortex and the western Pacific subtropical high was analyzed.The influence of the sea surface temperature(SST) and outgoing longwave radiation(OLR) on the Northeast cold vortex and subtropical high was studied.As was shown in the results,in summer,there was a positive correlation between the Northeast cold vortex and the subtropical high,and an anti-phase relationship existed between the threshold characteristic line of GMS-SST=28 ℃ and the height index of the Northeast cold vortex and the subtropical high.With the gradual northward moving of the threshold characteristic line,the subtropical high was weakening,and the Northeast cold vortex was increasing and strengthening.

Relationships between Western Pacific Subtropical High and Seasonal Precipitation in Eastern China

The monthly observed average precipitation data of 160 meteorological stations in China from 1960 to 2007,had been reorganized by the China Meteorological Administration.By employing that precipitation data,NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the index of intensity of western Pacific subtropical high,the seasonal variations of subtropical high and precipitation in eastern China during the past decades are discussed.The relationships between them also are discussed by correlation and composite analyses.The results show that the intensity of subtropical high,which has significantly strengthened in the recent 50 years,especially in spring,autumn and winter,has notable impact on the simultaneous rainfall in the eastern region of China for all seasons,especially in winter.

Longitudinal Displacement of the Subtropical High in the Western Pacific in Summer and its Influence

Using the relative vorticity averaged over a certain area, a new index for measuring the longitudinal position of the subtropical high (SH) in the western Pacific is proposed to avoid the increasing trend of heights in the previous indices based on geopotential height. The years of extreme westward and eastward extension of SH using the new index are in good agreement with those defined by height index. There exists a distinct difference in large-scale circulation between the eastward and westward extension of SH under the new definition, which includes not only the circulation in the middle latitudes but also the flow in the lower latitudes. It seems that when the SH extends far to the east (west), the summer monsoon in the South China Sea is stronger (weaker) and established earlier (later). In addition, there exists a good relationship between the longitudinal position of SH and the summer rainfall in China. A remarkable negative correlation area appears in the Changjiang River valley, indicating that when the SH extends westward (eastward), the precipitation in that region increases (decreases). A positive correlation region is found in South China, showing the decrease of rainfall when the SH extends westward. On the other hand, the rainfall is heavier when the SH retreats eastward. However, the anomalous longitudinal position of SH is not significantly related to the precipitation in North China. The calculation of correlation coefficients between the index of longitudinal position of SH and surface temperature in China shows that a large area of positive values, higher than 0.6 in the center, covers the whole of North China, even extending eastward to the Korean Peninsula and Japan Islands when using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data to do the correlation calculation. This means that when the longitudinal position of the SH withdraws eastward in summer, the temperature over North China is higher. On the other hand, when it moves westward, the temperature there is lower. This could explain the phenomenon of the seriously high temperatures over North China during recent summers, because the longitudinal position of SH in recent summers was located far away from the Asian continent. Another region with large negative correlation coefficients is found in South China.

Subtropical High Anomalies over the Western Pacific and Its Relations to the Asian Monsoon and SST Anomaly

Using the data of 500 hPa geopotential height from 1951 to 1995, SST roughly in the same period and OLR data from 1974 to 1994, the relation between the anomalies of subtropical high (STH for short) and the tropical circulations including the Asian monsoon as well as the convective activity are studied. In order to study the physical process of the air-sea interaction related to STH anomaly, the correlation of STH with SST at various sea areas, lagged and simultaneous, has been calculated. Comparing the difference of OLR, wind fields, vertical circulations and SST anomalies in the strong and weak STH, we investigate the characteristics of global circulations and the SST distributions related to the anomalous STH at the western Pacific both in winter and summer. Much attention has been paid to the study of the air-sea interaction and the relationship between the East Asian monsoon and the STH in the western Pacific. A special vertical circulation, related to the STH anomalies is found, which connects the monsoon current to the west and the vertical flow influenced by the SST anomaly in the tropical eastern Pacific.

Impact of Surface Sensible Heating over the Tibetan Plateau on the Western Pacific Subtropical High: A Land–Air–Sea Interaction Perspective

The impact of surface sensible heating over the Tibetan Plateau （SHTP） on the western Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） with and without air-sea interaction was investigated in this study. Data analysis indicated that SHTP acts as a relatively independent factor in modulating the WPSH anomaly compared with ENSO events. Stronger spring SHTP is usually fol- lowed by an enhanced and westward extension of the WPSH in summer, and vice versa. Numerical experiments using both an AGCM and a CGCM confirmed that SHTP influences the large-scale circulation anomaly over the Pacific, which features a barotropic anticyclonic response over the northwestern Pacific and a cyclonic response to the south. Owing to different background circulation in spring and summer, such a response facilitates a subdued WPSH in spring but an en- hanced WPSH in summer. Moreover, the CGCM results showed that the equatorial low-level westerly at the south edge of the cyclonic anomaly brings about a warm SST anomaly （SSTA） in the equatorial central Pacific via surface warm advection. Subsequently, an atmospheric Rossby wave is stimulated to the northwest of the warm SSTA, which in turn enhances the at- mospheric dipole anomalies over the western Pacific. Therefore, the air-sea feedbacks involved tend to reinforce the effect of SHTP on the WPSH anomaly, and the role of SHTP on general circulation needs to be considered in a land-air-sea interaction framework.

The Characteristics of Longitudinal Movement of the Subtropical High in the Western Pacific in the Pre-rainy Season in South China

Using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the China rainfall data of the China Meteorological Administration, and the sea surface temperature (SST) data of NOAA from 1951-2000, the features of the anomalous longitudinal position of the subtropical high in the western Pacific (SHWP) in the pre-rainy season in South China and associated circulation and precipitation are studied. Furthermore, the relationship between SHWP and SST and the eastern Asian winter monsoon is also investigated. Associated with the anomalous longitudinal position of SHWP in the pre-rainy season in South China, the flow patterns in both the middle and lower latitudes are different. The circulation anomalies greatly influence the precipitation in the pre-rainy season in South China. When the SHWP is in a west position (WP), the South China quasi-stationary front is stronger with more abundant precipitation there. However, when the SHWP is in an east position (EP), a weaker front appears with a shortage of precipitation there. There exists a good relationship between the longitudinal position of SHWP and SST in the tropical region. A negative correlation can be found both in the central and eastern tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean. This means that the higher (lower) SST there corresponds to a west (east) position of SHWP. This close relationship can be found even in the preceding autumn and winter. A positive correlation appears in the western and northern Pacific and large correlation coefficient values also occur in the preceding autumn and winter. A stronger eastern Asian winter monsoon will give rise to cooler SSTs in the Kuroshio and the South China Sea regions and it corresponds to negative SST anomaly (SSTA) in the central and eastern Pacific and positive SSTA in the western Pacific in winter and the following spring. The whole tropical SSTA pattern, that is, positive (negative) SSTA in the central and eastern Pacific and negative (positive) SSTA in the western Pacific, is favorable to the WP (EP) of SHWP.

Anomalous Western Pacific Subtropical High during Late Summer in Weak La Nia Years: Contrast between 1981 and 2013

Both 1981 and 2013 were weak La Nifia years with a similar sea surface temperature （SST） anomaly in the tropical Pacific, yet the westem Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） during August exhibited an opposite anomaly in the two years. A comparison indicates that, in the absence of a strong SST anomaly in the tropics, the cold advection from Eurasian high latitudes and the convection of the western Pacific warm pool play important roles in influencing the strength and position of the WPSH in August. In August 1981, the spatial pattern of 500 hPa geopotential height was characterized by a meridional circulation with a strong ridge in the Ural Mountains and a deep trough in Siberia, which provided favorable conditions for cold air invading into the lower latitudes. Accordingly, the geopotential height to the north of the WPSH was reduced by the cold advection anomaly from high latitudes, resulting in an eastward retreat of the WPSH. Moreover, an anomalous cyclonic circulation in the subtropical western Pacific, excited by enhanced warm pool convection, also contributed to the eastward retreat of the WPSH. By contrast, the influence from high latitudes was relatively weak in August 2013 due to a zonal circulation pattern over Eurasia, and the anomalous anticyclonic circulation induced by suppressed warm pool convection also facilitated the westward extension of the WPSH. Therefore, the combined effects of the high latitude and tropical circulations may contribute a persistent anomaly of the WPSH in late summer, despite the tropical SST anomaly being weak.

The Interdecadal Variation of the Western Pacific Subtropical High as Measured by 500 hPa Eddy Geopotential Height

The interdecadal variation of the summer western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH)during1948–2009 is investigated in this study.Compared with most previous works,which focused on the 500 h Pa geopotential height,the interdecadal variation of the horizontal winds,relative vorticity,and eddy geopotential height over the western Pacific are all analyzed.The weakened anticyclone and decreased negative relative vorticity at middle-low levels over the western Pacific suggest that the WPSH weakened during 1979–2009 relative to1948–78.After subtracting the zonal belt mean height between 0°and 40°N,the 500 hP a eddy geopotential height with significant negative anomalies over the western Pacific can correctly depict this weakened interdecadal variation of the WPSH.The illusory westward extension signal reflected by the 500 h Pa geopotential height may derive from the significant increment of the geopotential height at middle and lower latitudes in the late 1970s under global warming.

Interdecadal change in Western Pacific Subtropical High and climatic effects

Western North Pacific Subtropical High is a very important atmospheric circulation system influencing the summer climate over eastern China. Its interdecadal change is analyzed in this study. There is a significant decadal shift in about 1979/1980. Since 1980, the Western North Pacific Subtropical High has enlarged, intensified, and shifted southwestward. This change gives rise to an anti-cyclonic circulation anomaly over the region from the South China Sea to western Pacific and thus causes wet anomalies over the Yangtze River valley. During the summers of 1980-1999, the precipitation is 63.9 mm above normal, while during 1958-1979 it is 27.3 mm below normal. The difference is significant at the 99% confidence level as a t-test shown. The southwestward expanding of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High also leads to a significant warming in southern China, during 1980-1999 the summer mean temperature is 0.37篊 warmer than that of the period 1958-1979. The strong warming is primarily due to the clearer skies associated with the stronger downward air motion as the Western North Pacific Subtropical High expanding to the west and controlling southern China. It is also found that the relative percentage of tropical cyclones in the regions south of 20篘 is decreasing since the 1980s, but in the regions north of 20篘 that is increasing at the same time. The Western North Pacific Subtropical High responds significantly to sea surface temperature of the tropical eastern Pacific with a lag of one-two seasons and simultaneously to sea surface temperature of the tropical Indian Ocean. The changes in the sea surface temperatures are mainly responsible for the interdecadal variability of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High.

Numerical and Dynamical Analyses of Heat Source Forcingand Restricting Subtropical High Activity

By using the numerical and dynamical methods, the influence and restriction of the heat source forcing on the subtropical geopotential fields and flow fields are studied and discussed in a model atmosphere. The main results show that the zonal symmetrical solar radiation heating chief-ly induces the geopotential field changing gradually and leads the subtropical high moving slowly, but when the zonal asymmetric thermal difference between ocean and continent achieves its critical value, which usually causes the geopotential field a catastrophe, and consequently induces the subtropical high shake-up or jump. The abnormal activity of the subtropical high is possibly caused by the abnormality of the thermal factor. Key words Subtropical high - Thermal forcing Supported by National Natural Science Foundation (No. 49975012) and National ’ 973’ Key Program (No. G1998040907).

A Teleconnection Pattern Related with the Development of the Okhotsk High and the Northward Progress of the Subtropical High in East Asian Summer

This study examines the relationship between the subtropical high in the West Pacific and the Okhotsk high in summer, and explains why the subtropical high cannot progress northward when the Okhotsk high is active. The findings are as follows. (1) A teleconnection pattern, namely, the significant correlation dipole between the index of the Okhotsk high and 500 hPa geopotential height (Z500), over East Asia, tends to occur in summer. (2) The teleconnection is closely related to the wave train propagation from the Okhotsk Sea via Japan to the subtropical regions when the Okhotsk high is developing. (3) The wave train propagation associated with the development of the Okhotsk high can generate a large cyclonic anomaly over the sea east of Japan, even in late summer. The cyclonic anomaly plays an important role in weakening the northern part of the subtropical high. The anomalous southern position of the main body of the subtropical high in the summer of 1998 is partly due to this effect.

Anomalous Western Pacific Subtropical High during El Nino Developing Summer in Comparison with Decaying Summer

The anomalous behavior of the western Pacific subtropical high （WPSH） in E1 Nifio developing summer is studied based on the composite results of eight major E1 Nifio events during 1979-2013. It is shown that the WPSH tends to retreat eastwards with weak intensity during the developing summer. The anomaly exhibits an intraseasonal variation with a weaker anomaly in June and July and a stronger anomaly in August, indicating that different underlying physical mechanisms may be responsible for the anomalous WPSH during early and late summer periods. In June and July, owing to the cold advection anomaly characterized as a weak northerly anomaly from high latitudes, geopotential height in East Asia is reduced and the WPSH tends to retreat eastwards slightly. By contrast, enhanced convection over the warm pool in August makes the atmosphere more sensitive to E1 Nifio forcing. Consequently, a cyclonic anomaly in the western Pacific is induced, which is consistent with the seasonal march of atmospheric circulation from July to August. Accordingly, geopotential height in the western Pacific is reduced significantly, and the WPSH tends to retreat eastwards remarkably in August. Different from the developing summer, geopotential height in the decaying summer over East Asia and the western Pacific tends to enhance and extend northwards from June to August consistently, reaching the maximum anomaly in August. Therefore, the seasonal march plays an important role in the WPSH anomaly for both the developing and decaying summer.

Intercomparison of the Summertime Subtropical High from the ERA-40 and over East Eurasia and the western North Pacific

An intercomparison of summertime （JJA）subtropical geopotential heights from the ERA-40 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis is specifically conducted over East Eurasia and the western North Pacific. The NCEP/NCAR is obviously lower than the ERA-40 in the mid-to-lower troposphere in most regions of East Eurasia before the mid-1970s, but becomes higher than the ERA-40 after the mid-1970s and thus demonstrates stronger increased trends during the period of 1958-2001. Both reanalyses are lower than the observations in most regions of China. The NCEP/NCAR especially shows tremendously systematic lower values before the mid-1960s and displays abrupt changes before the 1970s. Several indices of the western North Pacific subtropical high （WNPSH）, calculated from both reanalyzed summer geopotential heights, also reveal that the variation trend of the NCEP/NCAR is stronger than that of the ERA-40 in the mid-to-lower troposphere from 1958 to 2001. Through singular value decomposition （SVD） analysis, the summer geopotential heights at 500 hPa from the ERA-40 are better than the NCEP/NCAR counterparts at interacting with the precipitation over the East Asian monsoon region. The results indicate that the NCEP/NCAR in the mid-and-lower troposphere may overestimate interdecadal changes and should be used cautiously to study the relationship between the WNPSH and precipitation ove ther East Asia Monsoon region before the mid-1970s.

Vertical Circulation Structure, Interannual Variation Features and Variation Mechanism of Western Pacific Subtropical High

The paper investigates the vertical circulation structure of the western Pacific subtropical high (STH) and its interannual variation features in relation tO East Asian subtropical summer monsoon and external thermal forcing by using the high-resolution and good-quality observations from the 1998 South China Sea Summer Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX), the NCEP 40-year reanalysis data and relevant SST and the STH parameters. It is found that the vertical circulation structures differ greatly in features between quasi-Stationary and transient components of the western Pacific STH. When rainstorms happen in the rainband of East Asian subtropical monsoon on the STH north side, the downdrafts are distinct around the ridge at a related meridian. The sinking at high (low) levels comes from the north (south) side of the STH, thereby revealing that the high is a tie between tropical and extratropical systems. The analyses of this paper suggest that the latent heat release associated with subtropical monsoon precipitation, the offshore SST and East Asian land-sea thermal contrast have a significant effect on the STH interannual anomaly. Our numerical experiment shows that the offshore SSTA-caused sensible heating may excite an anomalous anticyclonic circulation on the west side, which affects the intensity (area) and meridional position of the western Pacific STH.

An Investigation of the Formation of the Heat Wave in Southern China in Summer 2013 and the Relevant Abnormal Subtropical High Activities

In the summer of 2013, an unprecedented heat wave was experienced over a vast area of southern China. The great areal extent, duration, and strength of this high temperature are very rare. For the 2013 hot spell, the major and direct influence mostly came from the anomaly of the western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH). The abnormally strong and stable WPSH was associated with specific surrounding circulations. The eastward extension of a stronger Qinghai-Xizang high favored the westward extension of the WPSH. The weaker cold air activity from the polar region led to the northward shift of the WPSH and helped it to remain stable. In the tropics, the western segment of the ITCZ was abnormally strong in the period, and supported the maintenance of the WPSH from the south. In addition, the interdecadal variation of the WPSH provided a decadal background for the anomaly variation of the WPSH that summer.

Response of the Intensity of Subtropical High in the Northern Hemisphere to Solar Activity

Using the intensity data of each northern subtropical high measured by monthly 500 hPa height charts for the recent 38 years (1954-1991), we calculate their correlations with the monthly sunspot number and monthly solar radio flux at 10.7 cm wave length, respectively. Through strict test, we further confirm a series of high correlations. Next, using a method called the non-integer (year) wave, the significant response of each subtropical high's intensity to solar activity at its main period of 10.9-year length is found. Special attention is paid to that of the eastern Pacific high, the possible mechanism of such sensible response is also analysed.

How does the Indian Ocean subtropical dipole trigger the tropical Indian Ocean dipole via the Mascarene high?

The variation in the Indian Ocean is investigated using Hadley center sea surface temperature（SST） data during the period 1958–2010.All the first empirical orthogonal function（EOF） modes of the SST anomalies（SSTA） in different domains represent the basin-wide warming and are closely related to the Pacific El Ni o– Southern Oscillation（ENSO） phenomenon.Further examination suggests that the impact of ENSO on the tropical Indian Ocean is stronger than that on the southern Indian Ocean.The second EOF modes in different domains show different features.It shows a clear east-west SSTA dipole pattern in the tropical Indian Ocean（Indian Ocean dipole,IOD）,and a southwest-northeast SSTA dipole in the southern Indian Ocean（Indian Ocean subtropical dipole,IOSD）.It is further revealed that the IOSD is also the main structure of the second EOF mode on the whole basin-scale,in which the IOD pattern does not appear.A correlation analysis indicates that an IOSD event observed during the austral summer is highly correlated to the IOD event peaking about 9 months later.One of the possible physical mechanisms underlying this highly significant statistical relationship is proposed.The IOSD and the IOD can occur in sequence with the help of the Mascarene high.The SSTA in the southwestern Indian Ocean persists for several seasons after the mature phase of the IOSD event,likely due to the positive wind–evaporation–SST feedback mechanism.The Mascarene high will be weakened or intensified by this SSTA,which can affect the atmosphere in the tropical region by teleconnection.The pressure gradient between the Mascarene high and the monsoon trough in the tropical Indian Ocean increases（decreases）.Hence,an anticyclone（cyclone） circulation appears over the Arabian Sea-India continent.The easterly or westerly anomalies appear in the equatorial Indian Ocean,inducing the onset stage of the IOD.This study shows that the SSTA associated with the IOSD can lead to the onset of IOD with the aid of atmosphere circulation and also explains why some IOD events in the tropical tend to be followed by IOSD in the southern Indian Ocean.

VARIABILITY IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL HIGH AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SEA TEMPERATURE VARIATION CONSIDERING THE BACKGROUND OF CLIMATE WARMING OVER THE PAST 60 YEARS

By adopting characteristic index data for the Western Pacific Subtropical High(WPSH) from the National Climate Center of China, U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis data, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) sea surface temperature(SST) data, we studied the WPSH variability considering the background of climate warming by using a Gaussian filter, moving averages, correlation analysis, and synthetic analysis. Our results show that with climate warming over the past 60 years, significant changes in the WPSH include its enlarged area, strengthened intensity,westward extended ridge point and southward expanded southern boundary, as well as enhanced interannual fluctuations in all these indices. The western ridge point of the WPSH consistently varies with temperature changes in the Northern Hemisphere, but the location of the ridgeline varies independently. The intensity and area of the WPSH were both significantly increased in the late 1980 s. Specifically, the western ridge point started to significantly extend westward in the early 1990 s, and the associated interannual variability had a significant increase in the late 1990 s; in addition, the ridgeline was swaying along the north-south-north direction, and the corresponding variability was also greatly enhanced in the late 1990 s. With climate warming, the SST increase becomes more weakly correlated with the WPSH intensity enhancement but more strongly correlated with the westward extension of the ridge point in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific Ocean in winter, corresponding to an expanding WPSH in space. In the northern Pacific in winter, the SST decrease has a weaker correlation with the southerly location of the ridgeline but also a stronger correlation with the westward extension of the ridge point. In the tropical western Pacific in winter, the correlations of the SST decrease with the WPSH intensity enhancement, and the westward extension of the ridge point is strengthened. These observations can be explained by strengthened Hadley circulations, the dominant effects of the southward shift, and additional effects of the weakened ascending branch of the Walker circulation during warm climatological periods,which consequently lead to strengthened intensities, increased areas, and southward expansions of the WPSH in summer.

Two Northward Jumps of the Summertime Western Pacific Subtropical High and Their Associations with the Tropical SST Anomalies

Based on the pentad mean ridgeline index of the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), the authors identified the two northward jumps of the WPSH from 1979 to 2008 and revealed their associations with the tropical SST anomalies. The authors show that the northward jumps, especially the second jump, exhibited remarkable interannual variability. In addition, the authors find that the two northward jumps were mutually independent and were influenced by the SST anomalies in the different regions of the tropical Pacific. The first jump was positively correlated with the SST anomalies in the tropical central Pacific from the preceding winter to June. In contrast, the second jump was positively related to ENSO in the preceding winter, but this correlation tended to weaken with the decay of ENSO and disappeared in July. Instead, a positive correlation was found in the Indian Ocean. We therefore suggest that ENSO plays an indirect role in the second jump through the capacitor effect of the Indian Ocean.