Persistent Heavy Rainfall over South China During May-August：Subseasonal Anomalies of Circulation and Sea Surface Temperature

This study investigates the relationship between subseasonal variations of the circulation and sea surface temperature（SST） over the South China–East Asian coastal region（EACR） in association with the persistent heavy rainfall（PHR） events over South China during May–August through statistical analysis. Based on the intensity threshold and duration criterion of the daily rainfall, a total of 63 May–June（MJ） and 59July–August（JA） PHR events are selected over South China from 1979 to 2011. The lower-level circulation anomalies on subseasonal timescale exhibit an anomalous cyclone over South China and an anomalous anticyclone shaped like a tongue over the South China Sea（SCS） during the PHR events for MJ group.The anomalous cyclone over South China in MJ originates from low-value systems in the mid-high latitudes before the rainfall. The anomalous anticyclone over the SCS is due to the westward extension of the western Pacific subtropical high（WPSH） and the southeastward propagation of the anomalous anticyclone from South China before the rainfall. For JA group, the lower-level anomalous circulation pattern is similar to that for MJ over the South China–EACR, but with di？erent features of propagation. The subseasonal anomalous anticyclone is also related to the westward stretch of the WPSH, while the anomalous cyclone is traced back to the weak anomalous cyclone over the Philippine Sea several days before the rainfall events.Positive SST anomaly（SSTA） is observed over the SCS and the Philippine Sea during the MJ PHR events on the subseasonal timescale. It is closely linked with the variation of local anomalous anticyclone. In contrast, negative SSTA occupies the South China coastal region for the JA PHR events, and it is driven by the anomalous cyclone which propagates northwestward from the Philippine Sea. The subseasonal positive（negative） SSTAs are generated via the local processes of above（below）-normal incident solar radiation and below（above）-normal latent heat fluxes. The possible role of the subseasonal SSTA in the local convective instability is also analyzed in this study.     

Different Summer Rainfall Anomaly Patterns in Northeast China Associated with Two Kinds of El Niño Events

The relationship between summer rainfall anomalies in northeast China and two types of El Ni?o events is investigated by using observation data and an AGCM. It is shown that, for different types of El Ni?o events, there is different rainfall anomaly pattern in the following summer. In the following year of a typical El Ni?o event, there are remarkable positive rainfall anomalies in the central-western region of northeast China, whereas the pattern of more rainfall in the south end and less rainfall in the north end of northeast China easily appears in an El Ni?o Modoki event. The reason for the distinct differences is that, associated with the different sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) along the equatorial Pacific, the large-scale circulation anomalies along east coast of East Asia shift northward in the following summer of El Ni?o Modoki events. Influenced by the anomalous anticyclone in Philippine Sea, southwesterly anomalies over eastern China strengthens summer monsoon and bring more water vapor to Northeast China. Meanwhile, convergence and updraft is strengthened by the anomalous cyclone right in Northeast China in typical El Ni?o events. These moisture and atmospheric circulation conditions are favorable for enhanced precipitation. However, because of the northward shift, the anomalous anticyclone which is in Philippine Sea in typical El Ni?o cases shifts to the south of Japan in Modoki years, and the anomalous cyclone which is in the Northeast China in typical El Ni?o cases shifts to the north of Northeast China, leading to the “dipole pattern” of rainfall anomalies. According to the results of numerical experiments, we further conform that the tropical SSTA in different types of El Ni?o event can give rise to observed rainfall anomaly patterns in Northeast China.     

Numerical Experiment on Impact of Anomalous SST Warming in Kuroshio Extension in Previous Winter on East Asian Summer Monsoon

The impact of anomalous sea surface temperature (SST) warming in the Kuroshio Extension in the previous winter on the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) was investigated by performing simulation tests using NCAR CAM3.The results show that anomalous SST warming in the Kuroshio Extension in winter causes the enhancement and northward movement of the EASM.The monsoon indexes for East Asian summer monsoon and land-sea thermal difference,which characterize the intensity of the EASM,show an obvious increase during the onset period of the EASM.Moreover,the land-sea thermal difference is more sensitive to warmer SST.Low-level southwesterly monsoon is clearly strengthened meanwhile westerly flows north (south) of the subtropical westerly jet axis are strengthened (weakened) in northern China,South China Sea,and the Western Pacific Ocean to the east of the Philippines.While there is an obvious decrease in precipitation over the Japanese archipelago and adjacent oceans and over the area from the south of the Yangtze River in eastern China to the Qinling Mountains in southern China,precipitation increases notably in northern China,the South China Sea,the East China Sea,the Yellow Sea,and the Western Pacific to the east of the Philippines.North China is the key area where the response of the EASM to the SST anomalous warming in the Kuroshio Extension is prominent.The surface air temperature shows a warming trend.The warming in the entire troposphere between 30oN and 50oN increases the land-sea thermal contrast,which plays an important role in the enhancement of the EASM.Atmospheric circulation and precipitation anomalies in China and its adjacent regions have a close relationship with the enhancement of the Western Pacific subtropical high and its northward extension.     

Effects of intraseasonal oscillation on the anomalous East Asian summer monsoon during 1999

The 1999 East Asian summer monsoon was very unusual for its weak northward advance and remarkably anomalous climate conditions. The monsoonal southwesterly airflow and related rain belt in East Asia were blocked south of the Yangtze River Valley. The monsoonal airflow and major moisture transport conduct shifted eastward and turned northward to Japan from the tropical western Pacific rather than to East China from the South China Sea （SCS） as in normal years. Severe and prolonged drought occurred over extensive areas of North China and heavy precipitation in South China and Japan. The investigation on the possible intrinsic mechanisms related to such an anomalous monsoon year has shown that the unique behavior of intraseasonal oscillation may play an essential role during this process. During this year, the northward propagation of 30-60-day anomalous low-level cyclone/anticyclone collapsed in the region around 20°N and did not extend beyond the latitudes of the Yangtze River basin due to the barrier of strong cold air intrusion from the mid-latitudes. The southwesterly moisture flux on the northwestern flank of the anticyclonic moisture transport system in the western North Pacific, which was regulated by the northward shift of 30-60-day cyclonic/anticyclonic moisture transport, also did not reach the region north of 30°N as well. Under this circumstance, the weak northward advance of the monsoon westerlies and associated northward moisture transport could not arrive in North China and led to the severe droughts there in 1999. The SCS and South China were mostly affected by the airflow in the southern and northern flanks of the same 30-60-day cyclones or anticyclones, respectively, and thus controlled by the nearly reverse zonal wind and moisture convergent/divergent conditions. The rainfall in the SCS and South China showed out-of-phase oscillation through the transient local Hadley circulation, with the rainfall maximum occurring in the SCS （South China） when the 30-60-day anticyclone （cyclone） r     

EFFECTS OF PACIFIC SSTA ON SUMMER PRECIPITATION OVER EASTERN CHINA, PART II: NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS

Based on an observational analysis, seven numerical experiments are designed to study the impacts of Pacific SSTA on summer precipitation over eastern China and relevant physical mechanism by NCAR CCM3. The numerical simulation results show that preceding winter SSTA in the Kuroshio region leads to summer precipitation anomaly over the Yangtze River valleys by modifying atmospheric general circulation over eastern Asia and middle-high latitude. West Pacific subtropical high is notably affected by preceding spring SSTA over the middle and east of Equator Pacific; SSTA of the central region of middle latitude in the corresponding period causes the summer rainfall anomaly over eastern China so as to trigger the atmospheric Eurasia-Pacific teleconnection pattern.     

NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF PERSISTENT WARMER SEASURFACE TEMPERATURE IN TROPICAL INDIAN OCEAN ONATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION IN THE EARLY SUMMERIN EAST ASIA IN 1991

By employing the CCM1（R15L12）long-range spectral model, study is undertaken of the effects of sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) for tropical Indian ocean on circulation transformation in the early summer in East Asia in 1991. The results indicate that warmer SSTA contributes to the increasing of the temperature over the Plateau in early summer, resulting in the intensification of tropical easterly jet on 100 hPa and northward shift of Northern Hemisphere subtropical westerly jet in May. It is obviously favorable for the subtropical high enhancement over western Pacific Ocean in May and subtropical westerly jet maintaining at 35～40 °N in June, making the Mei-Yu come earlier and stay over the Changjiang basin in 1991. Furthermore, warmer SSTA is also advantageous to averaged temperature rise in East Asia land region and Nanhai monsoon development. These roles are helpful in accelerating the seasonal transition for East Asia in early summer.     

INFLUENCE OF SPRING EQUATORIAL EASTERN PACIFIC SSTA ON THE SEASONAL CHANGE FROM SPRING TO SUMMER OF EASTERN ASIAN CIRCULATION

Based on the analysis of NCEP height, wind and OLR data, the influence of spring equatorial eastern Pacific SSTA on the seasonal change from spring to summer of eastern Asian circulation has been investigated. Results show that related to the warm (cold) spring SSTA in the equatorial eastern Pacific, the anomalous anticyclone (cyclone) circulation emerges around the South China Sea and the Philippines, the strong (weak) west Pacific subtropical high locates to the west (east) of its normal position, which induces to the late (early) onset of the South China Sea monsoon. The numerical simulations have also shown that the remarkable influence of spring SSTA in the equatorial eastern Pacific on the spring seasonal change of eastern Asian circulation will last till summer.     

Teleconnection between Sea Ice in the Barents Sea in June and the Silk Road,Pacific–Japan and East Asian Rainfall Patterns in August

In contrast to previous studies that have tended to focus on the influence of the total Arctic sea-ice cover on the East Asian summer tripole rainfall pattern, the present study identifies the Barents Sea as the key region where the June sea-ice variability exerts the most significant impacts on the East Asian August tripole rainfall pattern, and explores the teleconnection mechanisms involved. The results reveal that a reduction in June sea ice excites anomalous upward air motion due to strong near-surface thermal forcing, which further triggers a meridional overturning wave-like pattern extending to midlatitudes.Anomalous downward motion therefore forms over the Caspian Sea, which in turn induces zonally oriented overturning circulation along the subtropical jet stream, exhibiting the east–west Rossby wave train known as the Silk Road pattern. It is suggested that the Bonin high, a subtropical anticyclone predominant near South Korea, shows a significant anomaly due to the eastward extension of the Silk Road pattern to East Asia. As a possible descending branch of the Hadley cell, the Bonin high anomaly ultimately triggers a meridional overturning, establishing the Pacific–Japan pattern. This in turn induces an anomalous anticyclone and cyclone pair over East Asia, and a tripole vertical convection anomaly meridionally oriented over East Asia. Consequently, a tripole rainfall anomaly pattern is observed over East Asia. Results from numerical experiments using version 5 of the Community Atmosphere Model support the interpretation of this chain of events.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SPRING KUROSHIO SSTA AND SUMMER RAINFALL IN CHINA

Based on the data of SST and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the relationship is analyzed of spring SSTA in the Kuroshio region with summer precipitation in China, summer 500 hPa field and water vapor transport, using the methods of Morlet wave, correlation and composite analysis. The results show that annual and interdecadal change of spring SST in the Kuroshio region is distinct. Spring SST displays a significantly increasing trend and there exist different periodic oscillations in the Kuroshio region, with the 23-year periodic oscillation being the most obvious. Troughs and ridges in the mid- and higher- latitudes turn deeper in high Kuroshio SSTA years. At the same time, the western Pacific subtropical high strengthens and stretches westwards. As a result, the warm / wet air from the west of the subtropical high locates in the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China and summer rainfall in the above regions increases accordingly. Composite anomalous water vapor flux fields indicate that the vapor transport from the South China Sea and western Pacific and the vapor from the north converge over the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China, which results in the increase of the summer rainfall in the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China. On the contrary, the summer rainfall in the mid- and lower- reaches of the Yangtze River and south China decreases correspondingly in low Kuroshio SSTA years.     

IMPACTS OF TWO TROPICAL CYCLONES EXPERIENCING EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION DURING NORTHWARD PROGRESSION ON THE RAINFALL OF LIAODONG PENINSULA

Both of Typhoon Winnie (9711) and Matsa (0509) underwent an extratropical transition (ET) process when they moved northward after landfall and affected Liaodong Peninsula. However, Matsa produced half as much rainfall as Winnie, although it struck Liaodong Peninsula directly while Winnie passed through the Bohai Sea. The relations between the ET processes and the precipitation over Liaodong Peninsula are examined. The result shows that the precipitation difference between Winnie and Matsa was closely related to the interactions between the westerly systems and typhoons during their ET processes. Winnie was captured by the upper westerly trough and then coupled with it when moving to the mid-latitudes, and the positive anomaly of moist potential vorticity (MPV) was transported downward from the upper troposphere over the remnant circulation of the tropical cyclone (TC). It was favorable to the interaction between tropical warm and wet air and westerly cold air, causing convective cloud clusters to form and develop. The rain belt composed of several meso-β cloud clusters over the Liaodong Peninsula, resulting in heavy rainfall. On the other hand, Matsa did not couple with any upper trough during its ET process and the positive anomaly of MPV in the upper troposphere and its downward transfer were weak. Only one meso-β cloud cluster occurred in Matsa’s rain belt during its ET process that tended to lessen rainfall over Liaodong Peninsula.     

INFLUENCE OF 200 hPa DIVERGENCE CIRCULATION ON THE TRACKS OF TROPICAL CYCLONES

The characteristics of 200 hPa divergent wind and velocity potential have been analysed for four kinds of tropical cyclone tracks having impact on the SOuth China Sea.It is found that the difference of monsoon circulation in 200 hPa divergence wind field may affect the medium-range movement characteristics of tropical cyclone tracks.Corresponding to the west Pacific subtropical high,the orientation of 200 hPa secondary convergence line and its extension to the west may indicate the variability of track types.The direction of tropical cyclone movement is 2 longitudes west of and parallel to the 200 hPa secondary divergence line.     

ON THE PROCESS OF SUMMER MONSOON ONSET OVER EAST ASIA

Using daily observational rainfall data covered 194 stations of China from 1961 to 1995 andNCEP model analyzed pentad precipitation data of global grid point from 1979 to 1997,thedistribution of onset date of rainy season over Asian area from spring to summer is studied in thispaper.The analyzed results show that there exist two stages of rainy season onset over East Asianregion from spring to summer rainy season onset accompanying subtropical monsoon and tropicalmonsoon respectively.The former rain belt is mainly formed by the convergence of cold air and therecurred southwesterly flow from western part of subtropical high and westerly flow from the so-called western trough of subtropical region occurring during winter to spring over South Asia.Thelatter is formed in the process of subtropical monsoon rain belt over inshore regions of South ChinaSea originally coming from south of Changjiang (Yangtze) River Basin advancing with northwardshift of subtropical high after the onset of tropical monsoon over South China Sea.The pre-floodrainy season over South China region then came into mature period and the second peak of rainfallappeared.Meiyu,the rainy season over Changjiang-Huaihe River Basin and North China thenformed consequently.The process of summer tropical monsoon onset over South China Sea in 1998is also discussed in this paper.It indicated that the monsoon during summer tropical monsoononset over South China Sea is the result of the westerly flow over middle part of South China Sea,which is from the new generated cyclone formed in north subtropical high entering into SouthChina Sea,converged with the tropical southwesterly flow recurred by the intensified cross-equatorial flow.     

ZONAL AND MERIDIONAL CIRCULATIONS IN THE EQUA-TORIALZONE AS DEDUCED FROM THE DIVERGENCE FIELD OF THE SURFACE WIND

The zonal and meridional circulations and their variability arc examined on the basis of the surface wind data for 1950-1979. The climatological mean zonal wind and its divergence arc examined in reference to the Walker Circulation. The role played by the meridional circulation in contributing to convergence of the surface wind field within the equatorial zone is emphasized. Regression coefficients are used to infer seasonal mean anomalies of divergence of the surface wind in years when the sea level pressure is 1 hPa above normal at Darwin, a condition representative of El Nino events. It is shown that anomalies in the divergence associated with the meridional wind component are primarily responsible for the heavy precipitation in the Central Pacific, while the anomalous divergence associated with the zonal wind component may cause the drought in the Western Pacific near Indonesia. A similar pattern of divergence anomalies is evident during three consecutive seasons beginning in northern summer and end     

Analysis on Anomalous Precipitation in Southern China During Winter Monsoons

The winters of 1997/1998 and 1998/1999,corresponding to El Ni(?)o and La Ni(?)a episodes,respectively, were two typical rain-abundant and-scarce seasons for the southern China.In order to understand the cause of the anomalous precipitation during the two winters,a comparative analysis technique has been employed to investigate the differences in general circulation and moisture transportation between the two seasons. The results show that the abundant rainfall during the winter of 1997/1998 was associated with the ENSO warm episode event,eastward shifted weak westerly trough/ridge,weakened East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM),strengthened subtropical high,and presented two anti-cyclonic circulations over Hokkaido and the Philippine Sea,respectively,as well as one cyclonic circulation over the Yangtze River Basin in the anomalous wind fields of the lower troposphere.During the rain-scarce winter,however,the patterns of equatorial sea surface temperature anomalies and the circulation systems both in upper and lower levels were nearly the opposite of those during the rain-abundant winter.It has also been discovered that the water vapor over southern China during the winters came mainly from the southwesterly flow ahead of troughs in the southern branch of westerlies and the turning flow over the South China Sea-Indo-China Peninsula area;and the moisture transportation channels varied significantly with regard to height.The intensified flow in the southern branch of westerlies and the anti-cyclonic circulation anomaly over the Philippine Sea during the winter of 1997/1998 were favorable for moisture transportation to mainland China,however the two moisture transportation streams were dramatically weakened during the winter of 1998/1999 due to weak westerly flow and the dominance of a cold high system in the lower level over the southeast coast of China.Such a significant inter-annual change of moisture transportation is a key factor resulting in the obvious difference in precipitation between the two winters.     

Western Pacific Jet Stream Anomalies at 200 hPa in Winter Associated with Oceanic Surface Heating and Transient Eddy Activity

The relationships between the 200-hPa westerly jet stream anomalies over the East Asian coastal water- western Pacific(WPJS),and the oceanic surface heating and synoptic-scale transient eddy(STE)activity anomalies over the North Pacific in wintertime are examined by using ERA-40 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data.The analysis demonstrates that the surface heating and the STE anomalies have different patterns, corresponding to the three WPJS anomalous modes,respectively.In the first WPJS anomalous mode,the WPJS main part shows no robust anomaly.The anomalous westerly wind,occurring over the mid-latitude central-eastern Pacific past the date line is associated with the anomalous heating presenting both in the tropical central-eastern Pacific past the date line and the center of the North Pacific basin.Meanwhile,the STE anomaly appears around the region of the anomalous zonal wind.The fluctuation in jet strength shown in the second WPJS mode is strongly related to the heating anomaly in the Kuroshio Current region and the STE anomaly in the jet exit region.The third mode demonstrates a northward/southward shift of the WPJS,which has a statistical connection with a south-north dipolar pattern of the heating anomaly in the western North Pacific separated at 35°N.Meanwhile,the STE spatial displacement is in conjunction with jet shifts in the same direction.The heating anomaly has a close connection with the atmospheric circulation, and thus changes the mid-latitude baroclinicity,leading to the STE anomaly,which then reinforces the WPJS anomaly via internal atmospheric dynamics.     

Interdecadal Change in the Interannual Variation of the Western Edge of theWestern North Pacific Subtropical High During Early Summer and the Influenceof Tropical Sea Surface Temperature

This study reveals that the interannual variability of the western edge of the western North Pacific (WNP) subtropical high (WNPSH) in early summer experienced an interdecadal decrease around 1990. Correspondingly, the zonal movement of the WNPSH and the zonal extension of the high-pressure anomaly over the WNP (WNPHA) in abnormal years possess smaller ranges after 1990. The different influences of the tropical SSTAs are important for this interdecadal change, which exhibit slow El Ni?o decaying pattern before 1990 while rapid transformation from El Ni?o to La Ni?a after 1990. The early summer tropical SSTAs and the relevant atmospheric circulation anomalies present obvious interdecadal differences. Before 1990, the warm SSTAs over the northern Indian Ocean and southern South China Sea favor the WNPHA through eastward-propagating Kelvin wave and meridional-vertical circulation, respectively. Meanwhile, the warm SSTA over the tropical central Pacific induces anomalous ascent to its northwest through the Gill response, which could strengthen the anomalous descent over the WNP through meridional-vertical circulation and further favor the eastward extension of the WNPHA to central Pacific. After 1990, the warm SSTAs over the Maritime Continent and northern Indian Ocean cause the WNPHA through meridional-vertical and zonal-vertical circulation, respectively. Overall, the anomalous warm SSTs and ascent and the resultant anomalous descent over the WNP are located more westward and southward after 1990 than before 1990. Consequently, the WNPHA features narrower zonal range and less eastward extension after 1990, corresponding to the interdecadal decease in the interannual variability of the western edge of the WNPSH. On the other hand, the dominant oscillation period of ENSO experienced an interdecadal reduction around 1990, contributing to the change of the El Ni?o SSTA associated with the anomalous WNPSH from slow decaying type to rapid transformation type.     

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 30 TO 60 DAY OSCILLATION OF ATMOSPHERIC HEAT SOURCE AND THE DROUGHT AND FLOOD EVENTS IN JUNE IN THE SOUTH OF CHINA

Based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the observed precipitation data in the south of China from 1958 to 2000,the impact of 30 to 60 day oscillation of atmospheric heat sources on the drought and flood events in June in the south of China is discussed.During the flood(drought) events,there exists an anomalous low-frequency anticyclone(cyclone) at the low level of the troposphere over the South China Sea and the northwestern Pacific,accompanied with anomalous low-frequency heat sinks(heat sources),while there exists an anomalous low-frequency cyclone(anticyclone) with anomalous heat sources(sinks) over the area from the south of China to the south of Japan.On average,the phase evolution of the low-frequency in drought events is 7 to 11 days ahead of that in flood events in May to June in the south of China.In flood events,low-frequency heat sources and cyclones are propagated northward from the southern South China Sea,northwestward from the warm pool of the western Pacific and westward from the northwestern Pacific around 140°E,which have very important impact on the abundant rainfall in June in the south of China.However,in drought events,the northward propagations of the low-frequency heat sources and cyclones from the South China Sea and its vicinity are rather late compared with those in flood events,and there is no obvious westward propagation of the heat sources from the northwestern Pacific.The timing of the low-frequency heat source propagation has remarkable impact on the June rainfall in the south of China.     

EFFECTS OF PACIFIC SSTA ON SUMMER PRECIPITATION OVER EASTERN CHINA, PART I: OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS

With the methods of REOF (Rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function), the summer precipitation from 43 stations over eastern China for the 1901 – 2000 period was examined. The results show that South China and Southwest China, the middle and lower reaches of Changjiang River, North China and the southwestern of Northeast China are the three main areas of summer rainfall anomaly. Furthermore, correlation analysis is used in three time series of three mostly summer rainfall modes and four seasonal Pacific SSTA (Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly), and the results suggest that the Pacific SSTA which notably causes the summer rainfall anomaly over eastern China are the SSTA of the preceding winter over Kuroshio region of Northwest Pacific, SSTA of the preceding spring in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific, and SSTA of the current summer in the central region of middle latitude. The relationship between summer precipitation over eastern China and SSTA of Pacific key regions was further verified by SVD (Singular Value Decomposition) analysis. The composite analysis was used to analyze the features of atmospheric general circulation in the years of positive and negative precipitation anomaly. Its results were used to serve as the base of numerical simulation analysis.     

NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE DYNAMIC AND THERMODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF THE QINGHAI-XIZANG PLATEAU ON THE SEASONAL TRANSITION IN THE EARLY SUMMER IN EAST ASIA

By employing a five-layer seasonal numerical weather prediction model and utilizing the National MeteorologicalCenter (NMC) objective analysis data on May 10,1991 as the initial field,three numerical experiments——diabatic withorography,adiabatic with orography and adiabatic without orography——have been carried out to investigate the dy-namic and thermodynamic effects of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (hereafter the Plateau) on the seasonal transition inthe early summer in East Asia.The results show that the typical seasonal transition features such as the northward shiftof the subtropical westerly jet stream,the adjustment of the long-wave in middle and high latitudes and the changes ofthe circulation in the lower troposphere can be well simulated,if the dynamic and thermodynamic effects of the Plateauare both considered in the model as in the experiment adiabatic with orography.In other two experiments,it is failed tosimulate out the seasonal transition features.The results also show that the thermodynamic effect of the Plateau acts on the atmosphere as a gradually enhancedheating source in the early summer,which makes the air temperature in 500 hPa over the Plateau increase by nearly 10℃in a month and accelerates the northward shift of the subtropical westerly jet stream about seven latitudes more north-ward in twenty days and helps the shifted jet maintain at the northern periphery of the Plateau.It is also helpful to theformation and maintenance of the Lake Balchas trough and the northward and westward extension of the Pacificsubtropical high.On the other hand,the dynamic effect of the Plateau weakens the northward shift of the subtropicalwesterly jet stream and barricades the westward extension of the Pacific subtropical high.If only the dynamic effect ofthe Plateau is considered in the model without consideration of the thermodynamic effect of the Plateau,not only theshifted jet withdraws southward but also the simulated Lake Balchas trough is 10 longitudes more eastward than that inthe diabatic experiment,and the simulated Pacific subtropical high is more eastward and northward.However,the dy-namic effect of the Plateau strengthens the vertical movements in the west and east of the Plateau and makes thelow-level jet maintain in the southeast of the Plateau.The path of the cold air and the tunnel of the water vapor in thelower troposphere during the seasonal transition period in the early summer in East Asia are determined by the couplingof the dynamic and thermodynamic effects of the Plateau.     

Weakening of Interannual Variability in the Summer East Asian Upper-tropospheric Westerly Jet since the Mid-1990s

In this study,we found that the intensity of interannual variability in the summer upper-tropospheric zonal wind has significantly weakened over Northeast Asia and the subtropical western North Pacific(WNP) since the mid-1990s,concurrent with the previously documented decrease of the westerly jet over North China and Northwest China.Corresponding to this weakening of zonal wind variability,the meridional displacement of the East Asian westerly jet(EAJ) manifested as the leading mode of zonal wind variability over the WNP and East Asia(WNP-EA) before the mid-1990s but not afterward.The energetics of the anomalous pattern associated with the meridional displacement of the EAJ suggests that barotropic energy conversion,from basic flow to anomalous patterns,has led to the weakening of the variability in the EAJ meridional displacement and to a change in the leading dominant mode since the mid-1990s.The barotropic energy conversion efficiently maintained the anomalies associated with the variability in the EAJ meridional displacement during 1979-1993 but acted to dampen the anomalies during 1994-2008.A further investigation of the energetics suggests that the difference in the patterns of the circulation anomaly associated with either the first leading mode or the meridional displacement of the EAJ,i.e.,a southwest-northeast tilted pattern during 1979-1993 and a zonally oriented pattern during 1994-2008,has contributed greatly to the change in barotropic energy conversion.