The Relationship between the El Nin o/La Nin a Cycle and the Transition Chains of Four Atmospheric OscillationsPart I: The Four Oscillations简

The first leading modes of the interannual variations in low-level circulation over the North and South Pacific are the Northern Oscillation （NO） and Southern Oscillation （SO）,which are oscillations in sea level pressure anomalies （SLPAs）between the eastern and western Pacific Ocean.The second leading modes are the North Pacific Oscillation （NPO） and the Antarctic Oscillation （AAO）,which reflect oscillations between the subtropics and the high and middle latitudes.The transition chains of these four oscillations were investigated using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP-NCAR） reanalysis data.The general pattern of the transition chain between the NO and NPO was from the negative phase of the NO （NO-） to the positive phase of the NPO （NPO＋）,then from NO＋ to NPO-to NO-.The whole transition chain took about 4-6 years.The general pattern and period of the transition between the SO and AAO were similar to those between the NO and NPO.In addition,the transition chains between the NO and NPO,and the SO and AAO,were almost simultaneous.The transition chains of the four oscillations were found to be closely connected,with the eastward propagations of SLPAs occurring along both sides of the Equator.     

Influence of Intraseasonal Oscillation on the Asymmetric Decays of El Ni?o and La Ni?a

Warm and cold phases of El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exhibit a significant asymmetry in their decay speed. To explore the physical mechanism responsible for this asymmetric decay speed, the asymmetric features of anomalous sea surface temperature (SST) and atmospheric circulation over the tropical Western Pacific (WP) in El Nino and La Nina mature-to-decay phases are analyzed. It is found that the interannual standard deviations of outgoing longwave radiation and 850 hPa zonal wind anomalies over the equatorial WP during El Nino (La Nina) mature-to-decay phases are much stronger (weaker) than the intraseasonal standard deviations. It seems that the weakened (enhanced) intraseasonal oscillation during El Nino (La Nina) tends to favor a stronger (weaker) interannual variation of the atmospheric wind, resulting in asymmetric equatorial WP zonal wind anomalies in El Nino and La Nina decay phases. Numerical experiments demonstrate that such asymmetric zonal wind stress anomalies during El Nino and La Nina decay phases can lead to an asymmetric decay speed of SST anomalies in the central-eastern equatorial Pacific through stimulating di erent equatorial Kelvin waves. The largest negative anomaly over the Nino3 region caused by the zonal wind stress anomalies during El Nino can be threefold greater than the positive Nino3 SSTA anomalies during La Nina, indicating that the stronger zonal wind stress anomalies over the equatorial WP play an important role in the faster decay speed during El Nino.     

Decadal Anomalies of Winter Precipitation over Southern China in Association with El Nio and La Nia

Using multiple datasets, this paper analyzes the characteristics of winter precipitation over southern China and its association with warm and cold phases of E1 Nifio-Southern Oscillation during 1948 2011. The study proves that E1 Nifio is an important external forcing factor resulting in above-normal winter precipitation in southern China. The study also reveals that the impact ofLa Nifia on the winter precipitation in southern China has a decadal variability. During the winter of La Nifia before 1980, the East Asian winter monsoon is stronger than normal with a deeper trough over East Asia, and the western Pacific subtropical high weakens with its high ridge retreating more eastward. Therefore, anomalous northerly winds dominate over southern China, leading to a cold and dry winter. During La Nifia winter after 1980, however, the East Asian trough is weaker than normal, unfavorable for the southward invasion of the winter monsoon. The India-Burma trough is intensified, and the anomalous low-level cyclone excited by La Nifia is located to the west of the Philippines. Therefore, anomalous easterly winds prevail over southern China, which increases moisture flux from the tropical oceans to southern China. Meanwhile, La Nifia after 1980 may lead to an enhanced and more northward subtropical westerly jet over East Asia in winter. Since southern China is rightly located on the right side of the jet entrance region, anomalous ascending motion dominates there through the secondary vertical circulation, favoring more winter precipitation in southern China. Therefore, a cold and wet winter, sometimes with snowy and icy weathers, would occur in southern China during La Nifia winter after 1980. Further analyses indicate that the change in the spatial distribution of sea surface temperature anomaly during the La Nifia mature phase, as well as the decadal variation of the Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, would be the important reasons for the decadal variability of the La Nifia impact on the atmospheric circulation in East Asia and winter precipitation over southern China after 1980.     

Connections Between Different Types of El Nio and Southern/Northern Oscillation

It has long been acknowledged that there are two types of El Nio events, i.e., the eastern Pacific El Nio (EE) and the central Pacific El Nio (CE), according to the initial position of the anomalous warm water and its propagation direction. In this paper, the oceanic and atmospheric evolutions and the possible mechanisms of the two types of El Nio events were examined. It is found that all the El Nio events, CE or EE, could be attributed to the joint impacts of the eastward advection of warm water from the western Pacific warm pool (WPWP) and the local warming in the equatorial eastern Pacific. Before the occurrence of CE events, WPWP had long been in a state of being anomalous warm, so the strength of eastward advection of warm water was much stronger than that of EE, which played a major role in the formation of CE. While for the EE events, most contribution came from the local warming of the equatorial eastern Pacific. It is further identified that the immediate cause leading to the difference of the two types of El Nio events was the asynchronous variations of the Southern Oscillation (SO) and the Northern Oscillation (NO) as defined by Chen in 1984. When the transition from the positive phase of the NO (NO+) to NO- was prior to that from SO+ to SO-, there would be eastward propagation of westerly anomalies from the tropical western Pacific induced by NO and hence the growth of warm sea surface temperature anomalies in WPWP and its eastward propagation. This was followed by lagged SO-induced weakening of southeast trade winds and local warming in the equatorial eastern Pacific. These were conducive to the occurrence of the CE. On the contrary, the transition from SO+ to SO- leading the transition of NO would favor the occurrence of EE type events.     

Joint Propagating Patterns of SST and SLP Anomalies in the North Pacific on Bidecadal and Pentadecadal Timescales

Wavelet analyses are applied to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index and North Pacific index for the period 1900-2000, which identifies two dominant interdecadal components, the bidecadal (15-25-yr) and pentadecadal (50-70-yr) modes. Joint propagating patterns of sea surface temperature (SST) and sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies in the North Pacific for the two modes are revealed by using the techniques of multi-channel singular spectrum analysis (MSSA) and linear regression analysis with the global sea surface temperature (GISST) data and the northern hemispheric SLP data for the common period 1903-1998. Significant differences in spatio-temporal structures are found between the two modes.For the bidecadal mode, SST anomalies originating from the Gulf of Alaska appear to slowly spread southwestward, inducing a reversal of early SST anomalies in the central North Pacific. Due to further westward spreading, the SST variation of the central North Pacific leads that of the Kuroshio-Oyashio Extension (KOE) region by approximately 4 to 5 years. Concomitantly, SLP anomalies spread over most parts of the North Pacific during the mature phase and then change into an NPO(North Pacific Oscillation)-like pattern during the transition phase. For the pentadecadal mode, SST anomalies develop in the southeast tropical Pacific and propagate along the North American coast to the mid-latitudes; meanwhile,SST anomalies with the same polarity in the western tropical Pacific expand northward to Kuroshio and its extension region; both merge into the central North Pacific reversing the sign of early SST anomalies there.Accompanying SLP anomalies are characterized by an NPO-like pattern during the mature phase while they are dominant over the North Pacific during the transitional phase. The bidecadal and pentadecadal modes have different propagating Patterns, suggesting that the two interdecadal modes may arise from different physical mechanisms.     

The Southern Oscillation / Northern Oscillation Cycle Associated with Sea Surface Temperature in the Equatorial Pacific

This paper analyzed the time evolution of the global 1000 hPa height anomalies related to the sea surface temperature (SST) in the eastern equatorial Pacific by using ECMWF data in the period 1979-1988, in which two Pacific warm events, 1982/83 and 1986/787, are included. It is found that there are distinct evidences of eastward propagation of alternate positive / negative height anomalies not only in the tropical South Pacific but also in the tropical North Pacific. The former is associated with the Southern Oscillation (SO) and the latter is associated with the so-called Northern Oscillation (NO).It is noteworthy that the alternate positive / negative anomaly centers associated with SO and NO can be traced back to the middle and higher latitudes of the South Indian Ocean and the East Asian continent respectively, which may be significant for the understanding of the causes and mechanism of SO and NO and for the monitoring of ENSO.Furthermore, these evolution processes have a strong symmetry about the     

Roles of Multi-Scale Disturbances over the Tropical North Pacific in the Turnabout of 1997-98 El Ni■o

The space-time features of major vorticity disturbances over the western North Pacific during the 1997-98 E1 Ni(?)o ranked as one of the strongest events on record was investigated in this study.We distinguished the different roles that these disturbances had on different timescales in causing the reversal or turnabout of the E1 Ni(?)o event.Remarkable differences in the various disturbances of synoptic,intraseasonal,and interannual timescales were found in the time evolution,propagation,and in their contributions to the changes in near- equatorial zonal flow,which was crucial to the demise of the warm sea surface temperature anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific.It is hypothesized that the westward-traveling synoptic and intraseasonal oscillations in the western North Pacific might be considered as a self-provided negative feedback from the E1 Ni(?)o and played an additional role in its reversal in comparison with other interannual internal and external forcings. In this case,the off-equatorial synoptic and intraseaonal fluctuations served as a stochastic forcing for the tropical ocean and gave rise to the aperiodicity or irregularity of the E1 Ni(?)o-Southern Oscillation.     

Roles of Multi-Scale Disturbances over the Tropical North Pacific in the Turnabout of 1997-98 El Nino

The space-time features of major vorticity disturbances over the western North Pacific during the 1997-98 El Nino ranked as one of the strongest events on record was investigated in this study. We distinguished the different roles that these disturbances had on different timescales in causing the reversal or turnabout of the El Nino event. Remarkable differences in the various disturbances of synoptic, intraseasonal, and interannual timescales were found in the time evolution, propagation, and in their contributions to the changes in nearequatorial zonal flow, which was crucial to the demise of the warm sea surface temperature anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific. It is hypothesized that the westward-traveling synoptic and intraseasonal oscillations in the western North Pacific might be considered as a self-provided negative feedback from the El Nino and played an additional role in its reversal in comparison with other interannual internal and external forcings. In this case, the off-equatorial synoptic and intraseaonal fluctuations served as a stochastic forcing for the tropical ocean and gave rise to the aperiodicity or irregularity of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation.     

SPATIAL VARIATION OF WINTER SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN NORTH PACIFIC AND ITS RELATION TO ATMOSPHERIC OSCILLATION MODES

The spatial variation of sea surface temperature anomalies(SSTA) in the North Pacific Ocean during winter is investigated using the EOF decomposition method.The first two main modes of SSTA are associated with Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO) mode and North Pacific Gyre Oscillation(NPGO) mode,respectively.Moreover,the first mode(PDO) is switched to the second mode(NPGO),a dominant mode after mid-1980.The mechanism of the modes’ transition is analyzed.As the two oceanic modes are forced by the Aleutian Low(AL) and North Pacific Oscillation(NPO) modes,the AR-1 model is further used to examine the possible effect and mechanism of AL and NPO in generating the PDO and NPGO.The results show that compared to the NPO,the AL plays a more important role in generating the NPGO mode since the 1970s.Likewise,both the AL and NPO affect the PDO mode since the 1980s.     

On the Mechanism of the Locking of the El Nino Event Onset Phase to Boreal Spring

The mechanism of the locking of the E1 Nino event onset phase to boreal spring （from April to June） in an intermediate coupled ocean-atmosphere model is investigated. The results show that the seasonal variation of the zonal wind anomaly over the equatorial Pacific associated with the seasonal variation of the ITCZ is the mechanism of the locking in the model. From January to March of the E1 Nino year, the western wind anomaly over the western equatorial Pacific can excite the downwelling Kelvin wave that propagates eastward to the eastern and middle Pacific by April to June. From April to December of the year before the E1 Nifio year, the eastern wind anomaly over the equatorial Pacific forces the downwelling Rossby waves that modulate the ENSO cycle. The modulation and the reflection at the western boundary modulate the time of the transition from the cool to the warm phase to September of the year before the E1 Nifio year and cause the strongest downwelling Kelvin wave from the reflected Rossby waves at the western boundary to arrive in the middle and eastern equatorial Pacific by April to June of the E1 Nino year. The superposition of these two kinds of downwelling Kelvin waves causes the El Nino event to tend to occur from April to June.     

Distinct Evolution of the SST Anomalies in the Far Eastern Pacific between the 1997/98 and 2015/16 Extreme El Niños

The 2015/16 El Ni?o displayed a distinct feature in the SST anomalies over the far eastern Pacific(FEP)compared to the 1997/98 extreme case.In contrast to the strong warm SST anomalies in the FEP in the 1997/98 event,the FEP warm SST anomalies in the 2015/16 El Ni?o were modest and accompanied by strong southeasterly wind anomalies in the southeastern Pacific.Exploring possible underlying causes of this distinct difference in the FEP may improve understanding of the diversity of extreme El Ni?os.Here,we employ observational analyses and numerical model experiments to tackle this issue.Mixed-layer heat budget analysis suggests that compared to the 1997/98 event,the modest FEP SST warming in the 2015/16 event was closely related to strong vertical upwelling,strong westward current,and enhanced surface evaporation,which were caused by the strong southeasterly wind anomalies in the southeastern Pacific.The strong southeasterly wind anomalies were initially triggered by the combined effects of warm SST anomalies in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific(CEP)and cold SST anomalies in the southeastern subtropical Pacific in the antecedent winter,and then sustained by the warm SST anomalies over the northeastern subtropical Pacific and CEP.In contrast,southeasterly wind anomalies in the 1997/98 El Ni?o were partly restrained by strong anomalously negative sea level pressure and northwesterlies in the northeast flank of the related anomalous cyclone in the subtropical South Pacific.In addition,the strong southeasterly wind and modest SST anomalies in the 2015/16 El Ni?o may also have been partly related to decadal climate variability.     

Roles of Wind Stress and Subsurface Cold Water in the Second-Year Cooling of the 2017/18 La Ni?a Event

After the strong 2015/16 El Ni?o event, cold conditions prevailed in the tropical Pacific with the second-year cooling of the 2017/18 La Ni?a event. Many coupled models failed to predict the cold SST anomalies(SSTAs) in 2017. By using the ERA5 and GODAS(Global Ocean Data Assimilation System) products, atmospheric and oceanic factors were examined that could have been responsible for the second-year cooling, including surface wind and the subsurface thermal state. A time sequence is described to demonstrate how the cold SSTAs were produced in the central-eastern equatorial Pacific in late 2017. Since July 2017, easterly anomalies strengthened in the central Pacific; in the meantime, wind stress divergence anomalies emerged in the far eastern region, which strengthened during the following months and propagated westward, contributing to the development of the second-year cooling in 2017. At the subsurface, weak negative temperature anomalies were accompanied by upwelling in the eastern equatorial Pacific, which provided the cold water source for the sea surface. Thereafter, both the cold anomalies and upwelling were enhanced and extended westward in the centraleastern equatorial Pacific. These changes were associated with the seasonally weakened EUC(the Equatorial Undercurrent) and strengthened SEC(the South Equatorial Current), which favored more cold waters being accumulated in the central-equatorial Pacific. Then, the subsurface cold waters stretched upward with the convergence of the horizontal currents and eventually outcropped to the surface. The subsurface-induced SSTAs acted to induce local coupled air–sea interactions, which generated atmospheric–oceanic anomalies developing and evolving into the second-year cooling in the fall of 2017.     

全球变暖背景下西北太平洋冬季热带气旋的活动

Using tropical cyclone （TC） observations over a 58-yr period （1949-2006） from the China Meteorological Administration, the 40-year ECMWF Reanalysis （ERA-40）, NCEP-NCAR reanalysis, and the Hadley Centre sea ice and sea surface temperature （HadISST） datasets, the authors have examined the behaviors of tropical cyclones （TCs） in the western north Pacific （WNP） in boreal winter （November-December-January-February）. The results demonstrate that the occurrences of wintertime TCs, including super typhoons, have decreased over the 58 years. More TCs are found to move westward than northeastward, and the annual total number of parabolic-track-type TCs is found to be decreasing. It is shown that negative sea surface temperature anomalies （SSTAs） related to La Nifia events in the equatorial central Pacific facilitate more TC genesis in the WNP region. Large-scale anomalous cyclonic circulations in the tropical WNP in the lower troposphere are observed to be favorable for cyclogenesis in this area. On the contrary, the positive SSTAs and anomalous anticyclonic circulations that related to E1 Nifio events responsible for fewer TC genesis. Under the background of global warming, the western Pacific subtropical high tends to intensify and to expand more westward in the WNP, and the SSTAs display an increasing trend in the equatorial eastern-central Pacific. These climate trends of both atmospheric circulation and SSTAs affect wintertime TCs, inducing fewer TC occurrences and causing more TCs to move westward.     

Relationship between Sea Level Pressures of the Winter Tropical Western Pacific and the Subsequent Asian Summer Monsoon

Using monthly mean National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis data for the period 1958-1996, based on a new circulation index in the tropical western Pacific region, this paper investigates extreme winter circulation conditions in thenorthwestern Pacific and their evolution. The results show that the extreme winter circulation anomalyin the northwestern Pacific exhibits a strong association with those appearing in the high latitudes of theNorthern Hemisphere including the northern Asian continent, part of the Barents Sea, and the northeasternPacific. As the season progresses, an anticyclonic (cyclonic) circulation anomaly appearing in the north-western Pacific gradually moves northeastwards and extends westwards. Its axis in the west-east directionis also stretched. Therefore, easterly (westerly) anomalies in the southern part of the anticyclonic (cyclonic)circulation anomaly continuously expand westwards to the peninsula of India. Therefore, the South Asiansummer monsoon would be weaker (stronger). Simultaneously, another interesting phenomenon is theevolution of SLP anomalies. As the season progresses (from winter to the following summer), SLP anoma-lies originating from the tropical western Pacific gradually move towards, and finally occupy the Asiancontinent, and further influence the thermal depression over the Asian continent in the following summer.     

Parallel Comparison of the 1982/83,1997/98 and 2015/16 Super El Nios and Their Effects on the Extratropical Stratosphere

This study uses multiple sea surface temperature(SST) datasets to perform a parallel comparison of three super El Ni os and their effects on the stratosphere. The results show that, different from ordinary El Ni os, warm SST anomalies appear earliest in the western tropical Pacific and precede the super El Ni o peak by more than 18 months. In the previous winter,relative to the mature phase of El Ni o, as a precursor, North Pacific Oscillation-like circulation anomalies are observed. A Pacific–North America(PNA) teleconnection appears in the extratropical troposphere during the mature phase, in spite of the subtle differences between the intensities, as well as the zonal position, of the PNA lobes. Related to the negative rainfall response over the tropical Indian Ocean, the PNA teleconnection in the winter of 1997/98 is the strongest among the three super El Ni os. The northern winter stratosphere shows large anomalies in the polar cap temperature and the circumpolar westerly, if the interferences from other factors are linearly filtered from the circulation data. Associated with the positive PNA response in a super El Ni o winter, positive polar cap temperature anomalies and circumpolar easterly anomalies,though different in timing, are also observed in the mature winters of the three super El Ni os. The stratospheric polar vortex in the next winter relative to the 1982/83 and 1997/98 events is also anomalously weaker and warmer, and the stratospheric circulation conditions remain to be seen in the coming winter following the mature phase of the 2015/16 event.     

Processes Leading to Second-Year Cooling of the 2010–12 La Ni?a Event,Diagnosed Using GODAS

Isopycnal analyses were performed on the Global Ocean Data Assimilation System(GODAS) to determine the oceanic processes leading to so-called second-year cooling of the La Nina event. In 2010–12, a horseshoe-like pattern was seen,connecting negative temperature anomalies off and on the Equator, with a dominant influence from the South Pacific. During the 2010 La Nina event, warm waters piled up at subsurface depths in the western tropical Pacific. Beginning in early 2011,these warm subsurface anomalies propagated along the Equator toward the eastern basin, acting to reverse the sign of sea surface temperature(SST) anomalies(SSTAs) there and initiate a warm SSTA. However, throughout early 2011, pronounced negative anomalies persisted off the Equator in the subsurface depths of the South Pacific. As isopycnal surfaces outcropped in the central equatorial Pacific, negative anomalies from the subsurface spread upward along with mean circulation pathways, naturally initializing a cold SSTA. In the summer, a cold SSTA reappeared in the central basin, which subsequently strengthened due to the off-equatorial effects mostly in the South Pacific. These SSTAs acted to initiate local coupled air–sea interactions, generating atmospheric–oceanic anomalies that developed and evolved with the second-year cooling in the fall of 2011. However, the cooling tendency in mid-2012 did not develop into another La Nina event, since the cold anomalies in the South Pacific were not strong enough. An analysis of the 2007–09 La Nina event revealed similar processes to the2010–12 La Nina event.     

The Asymmetric Effects of El Ni?o and La Ni?a on the East Asian Winter Monsoon and Their Simulation by CMIP5 Atmospheric Models

El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO) events significantly affect the year-by-year variations of the East Asian winter monsoon(EAWM). However, the effect of La Ni?a events on the EAWM is not a mirror image of that of El Ni?o events. Although the EAWM becomes generally weaker during El Ni?o events and stronger during La Ni?a winters, the enhanced precipitation over the southeastern China and warmer surface air temperature along the East Asian coastline during El Ni?o years are more significant. These asymmetric effects are caused by the asymmetric longitudinal positions of the western North Pacific(WNP) anticyclone during El Ni?o events and the WNP cyclone during La Ni?a events; specifically, the center of the WNP cyclone during La Ni?a events is westward-shifted relative to its El Ni?o counterpart. This central-position shift results from the longitudinal shift of remote El Ni?o and La Ni?a anomalous heating, and asymmetry in the amplitude of local sea surface temperature anomalies over the WNP.However, such asymmetric effects of ENSO on the EAWM are barely reproduced by the atmospheric models of Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP5), although the spatial patterns of anomalous circulations are reasonably reproduced. The major limitation of the CMIP5 models is an overestimation of the anomalous WNP anticyclone/cyclone, which leads to stronger EAWM rainfall responses. The overestimated latent heat flux anomalies near the South China Sea and the northern WNP might be a key factor behind the overestimated anomalous circulations.     

The Variability of the Interannual Oscillations of the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

A new method of analysis namely, Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) is applied to the Indian Summer Monsoon (June-September) Rainfall (ISMR) series. The method is efficient in extracting the statistically significant oscillations with periods 2.8 and 2.3 year from the white noise of the ISMR series. The study shows that 2.8 / 2.3 year cycle captures the variability of the ISMR related to Southern Oscillation / Quasi Biennial Oscillation. The temporal structure of these oscillations show that these are in phase in extreme (excess and drought) monsoon conditions as well as in El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years. Both these oscillations show minimum variability during the period 1920-1940 and there is an increasing trend in the variability of these oscillations in the recent decades. The study enables to obtain pure signal consisting of reconstructed time series using these two Oscillations, from the original white noise series.     

Transition of Zonal Asymmetry of the Arctic Oscillation and the Antarctic Oscillation at the End of 1970s

In this study,the interdecadal changes in the zonal symmetry of both Arctic Oscillation(AO) and Antarctic Oscillation(AAO) were analyzed.To describe the zonal asymmetry,a local index of AO and AAO was defined using the normalized sea level pressure(SLP) differences between 40° and 65°(latitudes) in both hemispheres.The zonal covariability of local AO and AAO can well represent the zonal symmetry of AO and AAO.Results show that the zonal asymmetry of both AO and AAO significantly changed in the late 1970s.AO was less asymmetric in the zonal direction in the boreal winter season during the latter period,while in the boreal summer it became more asymmetric after 1979.The zonal symmetry of AAO in both austral summer and winter has also significantly decreased since the late 1970s.These changes may imply interdecadal transition in the atmospheric circulation at middle and high latitudes,which is of vital importance to understanding climate variability and predictability across the globe,including the African-Asian-Australian monsoon regions.     

Upper-Ocean Dynamical Features and Prediction of the Super El Ni?o in 2015/16:A Comparison with the Cases in 1982/83 and 1997/98

The 2015/16 super El Ni?o event has been widely recognized as comparable to the 1982/83 and 1997/98 El Ni?o events.This study examines the main features of upper-ocean dynamics in this new super event,contrasts them to those in the two historical super events,and quantitatively compares the major oceanic dynamical feedbacks based on a mixed-layer heat budget analysis of the tropical Pacific.During the early stage,this new event is characterized by an eastward propagation of SST anomalies and a weak warm-pool El Ni?o;whereas during its mature phase,it is characterized by a weak westward propagation and a westward-shifted SST anomaly center,mainly due to the strong easterly wind and cold upwelling anomalies in the far eastern Pacific,as well as the westward anomalies of equatorial zonal current and subsurface ocean temperature.The heat budget analysis shows that the thermocline feedback is the most crucial process inducing the SST anomaly growth and phase transition of all the super events,and particularly for this new event,the zonal advective feedback also exerts an important impact on the formation of the strong warming and westward-shifted pattern of SST anomalies.During this event,several westerly wind burst events occur,and oceanic Kelvin waves propagate eastwards before being maintained over eastern Pacific in the mature stage.Meanwhile,there is no evidence for westward propagation of the off-equatorial oceanic Rossby waves though the discharging process of equatorial heat during the development and mature stages.The second generation El Ni?o prediction system of the Beijing Climate Center produced reasonable event real-time operational prediction during 2014–16,wherein the statistical prediction model that considers the preceding oceanic precursors plays an important role in the multi-method ensemble prediction of this super.