Prevalent atmospheric and oceanic signals of the unprecedented heatwaves over the Yangtze River Valley in July–August 2022

Abstract

Unprecedented heatwaves attacked the Yangtze River valley (YRV) in July–August of 2022. The heatwave-favorable circulation pattern for the YRV is identified by using a self-organizing map. Result shows that the dominant daily circulation pattern driving heatwaves in the YRV is the East Asian anticyclonic pattern (EAAP), characterized by an anomalous deep anticyclone over the East Asian mid-latitudes. Remarkably, the unprecedented frequent occurrence of EAAP in 2022 contributes about 84.6% of the temperature anomalies in the 35 YRV hot days, which is the key dynamical factor for the heatwave in 2022. Physical mechanisms for the occurrence of EAAP are revealed on interannual and interdecadal time scales. On interannual time scale, the dipole sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the North Atlantic, characterized by warm and cold SST anomalies in the midlatitudes and subtropics, respectively, exert an important influence on the EAAP days. This dipole SST pattern is unprecedentedly strong in 2022. It facilitates the EAAP through the maintenance of the coupled British–Okhotsk Corridor pattern and the Silk Road pattern in the mid-latitudes. Additionally, the persistent cold SST anomalies in tropical Indian ocean and the central-eastern Pacific from the preceding spring to summer contribute to cooling of the tropical troposphere and induce easterly anomalies in the East Asian subtropics, thereby further promoting the occurrence of EAAP. On interdecadal time scale, the negative Pacific Decadal Oscillation may establish favorable circulation conditions for the occurrence of the EAAP through modulating the interdecadal Silk Road pattern. These findings improve our understanding of the physical mechanisms for driving extreme heatwaves in the YRV and have an implication for enhancing regional heatwave prediction.