Studies on the northern early summer teleconnection patterns, their interannual variations and relation to drought/flood in China

Abstract

By using the one-point correlation method, calculations have been made of the northern early summer 500 hPa teleconnection patterns. Seven teleconnection patterns are revealed, namely, the Western Atlantic (WA), the Eastern Atlantic (EA), the Eurasian (EU), the Bengal/Northern Pacific (BNP), the Western Pacific (WP), the East Asian/Pacific (EAP), and the Huanghe/East Asian (HEA) patterns. Their centers are determined and their yearly intensity indices (1951–1990) are calculated. On this basis the relationship between their interannual variations and the drought/flood in China is examined. It is noted that the EU, HEA and EAP wave trains are closely related to the drought/flood in China. The HEA and EAP patterns strongly influence the precipitation in eastern China. For example, the fierce floods experienced in 1991 early summer over China are related to the weak EAP and strong HEA patterns.