Interannual variability of the Meiyu onset over Yangtze-Huaihe River Valley and analyses of its previous strong influence signal

Abstract

Meiyu onset (MO) over Yangtze-Huaihe River Valley (YHRV) possesses obvious characteristics of interannual variations. Based on NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data sets, NOAA OLR and ERSST data, the interannual variability of MO(IVMO) and its previous strong influence signal (PSIS) are investigated. The possible mechanisms that the PSIS affecting IVMO are also discussed. The results show that the previous CP-ENSO (Central Pacific El Nino/Southern Oscillation) event is the PSIS affecting IVMO and it has a better accuracy rate of short-term climate prediction and practicality. The MO is most likely to be late (early) with the warm (cold) phase of CP-ENSO in previous boreal February and spring. CP-ENSO affects MO mainly by means of EAP (East Asian-Pacific) or JP (Japanese-Pacific) teleconnection, in which the tropical western North Pacific anticyclone plays an important role. In the years of CP-ENSO warm phase, the tropical warm wet water vapor transportation to YHRV is late. The anomalous positive sea surface temperature near the equatorial central Pacific results in late northward jump of the western Pacific subtropical high and late establishment of Indian southwest monsoon via air-sea interaction, which leads to late seasonal transition of the atmospheric circulations over East Asia from boreal spring to summer. Late seasonal transition of the atmospheric circulations and late tropical warm wet water vapor transport to YHRV are the primary reasons that cause the late MO. The situations are directly opposite in the years of CP-ENSO cold phase.