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The effect of Eurasian snow cover on the Indian monsoon

Journal Article · · Journal of Climate
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
  2. Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies, Calverton, MD (United States)
More than a century ago, Blanford suggested the inverse relation between Himalayan winter and spring snow accumulation and subsequent summer monsoon rainfall over India. This relation was later substantiated with additional data by Walker. Because of an inadequate observational network to obtain the spatial variation of snow cover over the Himalayan region, little progress was made until the availability of satellite measurements. Snow cover data derived from satellite observations was used to show that the correlation between winter Eurasian snow cover south of 52{degrees}N and the following Indian summer monsoon rainfall is negative and statistically significant. This result was further supported by additional research. The relationship between snow cover and monsoon circulation is consistent with a suggestion that the Indian monsoon circulation is a dynamically stable system and its interannual variations are largely determined by slowly varying surface boundary conditions. 64 refs., 22 figs.
OSTI ID:
79392
Journal Information:
Journal of Climate, Journal Name: Journal of Climate Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 8; ISSN 0894-8755; ISSN JLCLEL
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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