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Role of seasonal transitions and the westerlies in the interannual variability of the East Asian summer monsoon precipitation

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL072739· OSTI ID:1465349
 [1];  [2];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Geography and Berkeley Atmospheric Sciences Center; University of California, Berkeley
  2. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Dept. of Geography and Berkeley Atmospheric Sciences Center
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A recent hypothesis holds that changes to the East Asian summer rainfall are characterized by changes in the timing and duration of its intraseasonal stages, controlled by the meridional position of the westerlies relative to the Tibetan Plateau. This hypothesis is examined in the context of the leading mode of East Asian summer (July–August) rainfall. One phase of this “tripole” mode—characterized by less rainfall over central eastern China and increased rainfall over northeastern and southeastern China—is tied to an earlier termination of Meiyu that results in a significantly shorter Meiyu and longer Midsummer stage. This phase also exhibits an earlier northward transition of the westerlies to the north of the Plateau, essentially mirroring the changes to precipitation seasonality. The reverse does not hold true for the opposite phase. Lastly, our results show direct observational evidence for the meridional position of the westerlies to control East Asian summer monsoon seasonality.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). The Regents
Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; SC0014078
OSTI ID:
1465349
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1374446
OSTI ID: 1581161
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 44; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Role of autumn Arctic Sea ice in the subsequent summer precipitation variability over East Asia journal August 2019
Enhanced connections between summer precipitation over the Three-River-Source region of China and the global climate system journal June 2018
Inhomogeneity of precipitation and its influencing factors in Northwest China from 1961 to 2015 journal July 2019
Dynamical Control of the Tibetan Plateau on the East Asian Summer Monsoon journal July 2019
Intensification of the Pre‐Meiyu Rainband in the Late 21st Century journal July 2019
Humidity variations spanning the ‘Little Ice Age’ from an upland lake in southwestern China journal November 2019
The Asian Summer Monsoon: Teleconnections and Forcing Mechanisms—A Review from Chinese Speleothem δ18O Records journal July 2019

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
East Asian summer monsoon
interannual variability
precipitation
westerlies