Moisture Flux and Water Balance over the South China Sea During Late Boreal Spring and Summer

Abstract

The moisture flux and water balance over the South China Sea (SCS) during late boreal spring and summer are studied using the reanalysis data of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR). It is shown that the SCS is a water vapor sink during that period of time. Climatologically, the SCS works like a “reservoir of water vapor” for its special geographical location. In early May, water vapor is brought into the SCS area through its eastern, southern, and western boundaries, and is transported out of that area through its northern boundary. From June to August, the western and southern boundaries of the SCS are inflow passes of moisture flux to that region, while the northern and eastern boundaries are outflow passes. It is the intense convergence of moisture to the SCS area that maintains the local heavy precipitation. The northward branch of moisture flux feeds the precipitation over eastern China.