Quasi-4-Yr Coupling between El Niño–Southern Oscillation and Water Vapor Transport over East Asia–WNP

Abstract

Abstract The summer moisture circulation anomaly over East Asia and the western North Pacific (WNP) couples well with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in a quasi-4-yr period. The moisture circulation is dominated by two well-separated modes. The first mode exhibits an anticyclonic (cyclonic) moisture circulation over tropical–subtropical East Asia–WNP with an easterly (westerly) transport over the tropical WNP–Indian Ocean; the second mode displays an alternating pattern with an anticyclonic (cyclonic) moisture circulation over the subtropical WNP layered between two cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulations. Both modes couple well with the ENSO signal during its quasi-4-yr cycle. Within the cycle, in the summer of a developing warm episode, the positive phase of the second mode plays a key role, while in the transitional summer between a decaying warm episode and a developing cool episode, the positive phase of the first mode tends to take effect. In the summer of a developing cool episode, the negative phase of the second mode plays an important role, while the negative phase of the first mode tends to take effect in the transitional summer between a decaying cool episode and a developing warm episode. The anticyclone (cyclone) over the Philippine Sea region serves as a bridge in the quasi-four-year coupling. Its establishment and eastward extension modify moisture circulation over East Asia–WNP. Conversely, the easterly (westerly) wind to the south of the anticyclone (cyclone) is beneficial for the formation and eastward propagation of the Kelvin wave and, hence, to the development of the quasi-4-yr periodic ENSO episode.