scholarly journals Different Influences of Two El Niño Types on Low-Level Atmospheric Circulation over the Subtropical Western North Pacific

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 825-846
Author(s):  
Wei Tan ◽  
Zexun Wei ◽  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Qingjun Fu ◽  
Mengyan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Specific Humidity ◽  
Atmospheric Response ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Ep El Niño ◽  
Anomalous Cyclone

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on different evolutions of the low-level atmospheric circulations between eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño and central Pacific-II (CP-II) El Niño. The western North Pacific anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC) originates from the northern South China Sea for EP El Niño, and moves to the western North Pacific (WNP) afterward. Compared with EP El Niño, the origin of the WNPAC is farther west during CP-II El Niño, with the center over the Indochina Peninsula. Moreover, the WNPAC shows a weaker eastward shift. Such discrepancies are attributed to different evolutions of the cyclonic response over the WNP, which can suppress the convection in the western flank of the anomalous cyclone. The eastward retreat of the anomalous cyclone is significant for EP El Niño, but less evident for CP-II El Niño. These discrepancies are related to zonal evolutions of the increased precipitation over the equatorial Pacific. Following the southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), the deep-convection region extends eastward along the equator, reinforcing the atmospheric response to the eastern Pacific warming in EP El Niño. For CP-II El Niño, the atmospheric response is insignificant over the eastern Pacific without warming. Moreover, the meridional migration of the ITCZ can modulate zonal variations of the easterly trade wind and specific humidity as well. Due to the combined effects of the climatological background and atmospheric anomalies, the specific humidity–induced and wind-induced moist enthalpy advection contribute to different shifts of the precipitation center.

On the Phase Relations between the Western North Pacific, Indian, and Australian Monsoons*

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (21) ◽  
pp. 5572-5589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejun Gu ◽  
Tim Li ◽  
Zhongping Ji ◽  
Bin Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Negative Correlation ◽  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Phase Relationship ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Boreal Winter ◽  
Anomalous Anticyclone

Abstract The phase relationships of the western North Pacific (WNP) summer monsoon (WNPM) with the Australian monsoon (AM) and Indian monsoon (IM) are investigated using observational rainfall, SST, and NCEP reanalysis data for the period of 1979–2005. It is found that a strong WNPM often follows a strong AM but leads a weak AM, and a significant simultaneous negative correlation appears between WNPM and IM. The in-phase relationship from AM to the succeeding WNPM occurs often during the El Niño decaying phase when the warm eastern Pacific SST anomaly (SSTA) weakens AM through anomalous Walker circulation and the persistence of an anomalous WNP anticyclone from the boreal winter to summer leads to a weak WNPM. The out-of-phase relation from WNPM to the succeeding AM occurs either during the El Niño early onset year when the warm SSTA in June–August (JJA) is strong enough to force a low-level cyclonic flow anomaly in WNP and in December–February (DJF) the same warm SSTA forces a weak AM, or during the El Niño decaying phase when the persistence of the WNP anomalous anticyclone causes a weak WNPM and the transition of a warm to a cold episode causes a strong AM in DJF. The simultaneous negative correlation between WNPM and IM often appears either during the El Niño early onset years when the warm eastern Pacific SSTA induces the cyclonic wind shear that strengthens WNPM but suppresses convection over India, or during the El Niño decaying summer when a weak WNPM results from the persistence of the local anomalous anticyclone and a strong IM results from the El Niño-to-La Niña transition or a basin-wide Indian Ocean warming.

scholarly journals Differences in Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Activity among Three El Niño Phases

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (18) ◽  
pp. 7983-8002
Author(s):  
Jinjie Song ◽  
Philip J. Klotzbach ◽  
Yihong Duan
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Cyclone ◽  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Walker Circulation ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Central Pacific El Niño ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Sst Anomalies

AbstractThe impacts of El Niño on tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the western North Pacific (WNP) are examined through investigation of three types of tropical Pacific warming episodes according to where the maximum sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies occur in the equatorial Pacific: the eastern Pacific El Niño (EPE), the central Pacific El Niño (CPE), and the mixed El Niño (ME). More TCs form over the eastern part of the WNP in all three El Niño types, whereas the frequency of TCs over the western part of the WNP increases as the peak SST anomalies migrate from east to west. Although TCs more frequently recurve at higher latitudes during EPE and CPE, the most frequent region for recurving is much closer to the East Asian continent in CPE years than in EPE years. In contrast, more TCs track westward and threaten the Philippines in ME years. The increased TC genesis over the western part of the WNP can be explained by enhanced low-level relative vorticity, reduced vertical wind shear, and increased maximum potential intensity during CPE and increased midlevel moisture during EPE and ME. This increase is further related to updraft anomalies near the date line driven by an anomalous Walker circulation and an anomalous low-level cyclonic circulation over the WNP. The TC track differences among the different El Niño types are linked to the east–west shift of the western Pacific subtropical high, possibly caused by an anomalous Hadley circulation from 120° to 130°E that is strongly coupled with the anomalous Walker circulation.

scholarly journals Potential Impact of Preceding Aleutian Low Variation on El Niño–Southern Oscillation during the Following Winter

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 3061-3077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shangfeng Chen ◽  
Wen Chen ◽  
Renguang Wu ◽  
Bin Yu ◽  
Hans-F. Graf
Keyword(s):  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Synoptic Scale ◽  
Aleutian Low ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Sst Warming ◽  
Anomalous Cyclone

AbstractThe present study reveals a close relation between the interannual variation of Aleutian low intensity (ALI) in March and the subsequent winter El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). When March ALI is weaker (stronger) than normal, an El Niño (a La Niña)–like sea surface temperature (SST) warming (cooling) tends to appear in the equatorial central-eastern Pacific during the subsequent winter. The physical process linking March ALI to the following winter ENSO is as follows. When March ALI is below normal, a notable atmospheric dipole pattern develops over the North Pacific, with an anticyclonic anomaly over the Aleutian region and a cyclonic anomaly over the subtropical west-central Pacific. The formation of the anomalous cyclone is attributed to feedback of the synoptic-scale eddy-to-mean-flow energy flux and associated vorticity transportation. Specifically, easterly wind anomalies over the midlatitudes related to the weakened ALI are accompanied by a decrease in synoptic-scale eddy activity, which forces an anomalous cyclone to its southern flank. The accompanying westerly wind anomalies over the tropical west-central Pacific induce SST warming in the equatorial central-eastern Pacific during the following summer–autumn via triggering eastward-propagating warm Kelvin waves, which may sustain and develop into an El Niño event during the following winter via positive air–sea feedback. The relation of March ALI with the following winter ENSO is independent of the preceding tropical Pacific SST, the preceding-winter North Pacific Oscillation, and the spring Arctic Oscillation. The results of this analysis may provide an additional source for the prediction of ENSO.

Atmospheric Dynamic and Thermodynamic Processes Driving the Western North Pacific Anomalous Anticyclone during El Niño. Part I: Maintenance Mechanisms

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (23) ◽  
pp. 9621-9635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Wu ◽  
Tianjun Zhou ◽  
Tim Li
Keyword(s):  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Global Climate Model ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Circulation System ◽  
Remote Forcing ◽  
Anomalous Anticyclone ◽  
Central Eastern

The western North Pacific anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC) is an important low-level circulation system that connects El Niño and the East Asian monsoon. In this study, the mechanisms responsible for the formation and maintenance of the WNPAC are explored. Part I of this study focuses on the WNPAC maintenance mechanisms during El Niño mature winter and the following spring. Moisture and moist static energy analyses indicated that the WNPAC is maintained by both the remote forcing from the equatorial central-eastern Pacific via the atmospheric bridge and the local air–sea interactions. Three pacemaker experiments by a coupled global climate model FGOALS-s2, with upper-700-m ocean temperature in the equatorial central-eastern Pacific restored to the observational anomalies plus model climatology, suggest that about 60% (70%) intensity of the WNPAC during the winter (spring) is contributed by the remote forcing from the equatorial central-eastern Pacific. The key remote forcing mechanism responsible for the maintenance of the WNPAC is revealed. In response to El Niño–related positive precipitation anomalies over the equatorial central-eastern Pacific, twin Rossby wave cyclonic anomalies are induced to the west. The northern branch of the twin cyclonic anomalies advects dry and low moist enthalpy air into the tropical western North Pacific, which suppresses local convection. The suppressed convection further drives the WNPAC.

scholarly journals On the low-level circulation over the western north Pacific in relation with the duration of El Niño

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (10) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung-On Boo ◽  
Gyu-Ho Lim ◽  
Kwang-Yul Kim
Keyword(s):  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Low Level

Atmospheric Dynamic and Thermodynamic Processes Driving the Western North Pacific Anomalous Anticyclone during El Niño. Part II: Formation Processes

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (23) ◽  
pp. 9637-9650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Wu ◽  
Tianjun Zhou ◽  
Tim Li
Keyword(s):  
Rossby Wave ◽  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Specific Humidity ◽  
Central Pacific ◽  
Meridional Gradient ◽  
Sign Change ◽  
Anomalous Anticyclone

In Part I, the authors showed that northerly anomalies associated with the Rossby wave response to El Niño heating anomalies in the equatorial central Pacific lead to the southward advection of low moist enthalpy air forming the western North Pacific anomalous anticyclone (WNPAC). Why does such a remote forcing not cause the formation of the anomalous anticyclone in El Niño–developing summer? The physical mechanism responsible for the timing of the WNPAC formation is investigated in Part II. Through both an observational analysis and idealized numerical model experiments, the authors find that the onset timing of the WNPAC relies on the following three factors. The first is a sign change (from positive to negative) of the meridional gradient of background low-level specific humidity over the key tropical western North Pacific (WNP) region in November. The second is a sign change (from positive to negative) of the meridional gradient of background relative vorticity, which efficiently reduces the westward stretch of the Rossby wave gyre anomalies west of the equatorial heating through equivalent beta effect. As a result, the northern branch of the twin cyclonic anomalies induced by El Niño heating withdraws eastward, leaving space for the onset of the WNPAC. The third factor is attributed to local sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) forcing. Pacemaker experiments with a coupled global model indicate that cold SSTAs in the tropical WNP play an important role in starting the anomalous anticyclone over the WNP in late fall. In the absence of the local cold SSTA forcing, the formation of the WNPAC would be delayed to El Niño mature winter.

scholarly journals Impact of Two Types of El Niño on Tropical Cyclones over the Western North Pacific: Sensitivity to Location and Intensity of Pacific Warming

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1725-1742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Wu ◽  
Hongjie Zhang ◽  
Jau-Ming Chen ◽  
Tao Feng
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
Tropical Cyclones ◽  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Sst Warming ◽  
Ep El Niño ◽  
The Impact

The present study investigates the impact of various central Pacific (CP) and eastern Pacific (EP) warming on tropical cyclones (TCs) over the western North Pacific (WNP) for the period 1948–2015 based on observational and reanalysis data. Four distinctly different forms of tropical Pacific warming are identified to examine different impacts of locations and intensity of tropical Pacific warming on the WNP TCs. It is shown that WNP TC activity related to ENSO shows stronger sensitivity to the intensity of CP SST warming. The locations of TC genesis in an extreme EP El Niño featuring concurrent strong CP and EP warming (CEPW) display a notable southeastward shift that is generally similar to the CP El Niño featuring CP warming alone (CPW). These influences are clearly different from the effects of moderate EP El Niño associated with EP warming alone (EPW). The above influences of Pacific warming on TCs possibly occur via atmospheric circulation variability. Anomalous convection associated with CP SST warming drives anomalous low-level westerlies away from the equator as a result of a Gill-type Rossby wave response, leading to an enhanced broad-zone, eastward-extending monsoon trough (MT). An anomalous Walker circulation in response to EP SST warming drives an increase in anomalous equatorial westerlies over the WNP, leading to a narrow-zone, slightly equatorward shift of the eastward-extending MT. These changes in the MT coincide with a shift in large-scale environments and synoptic-scale perturbations, which favor TC genesis and development. In addition, during weaker EP SST warming (WEPW) with similar intensity to CPW, local SST forcing exhibits primary control on WNP TCs and atmospheric circulation.

scholarly journals Contributions of Different Time-Scale Variations to Tropical Cyclogenesis over the Western North Pacific

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 3137-3153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Cao ◽  
Renguang Wu ◽  
Mingyu Bi
Keyword(s):  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Time Scale ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Vertical Wind Shear ◽  
Specific Humidity ◽  
Interannual Variations ◽  
Intraseasonal Variations

Abstract The present study investigates relative contributions of different time-scale variations of environmental factors to the tropical cyclone (TC) genesis over the western North Pacific (WNP) during July–August–September–October (JASO). Distinct from previous studies that are concerned with large-scale spatial patterns during a certain period, the present study focuses on local and instantaneous conditions of the TC genesis. Analysis shows that the contribution of convection and lower-level vorticity to the TC genesis is mainly due to intraseasonal and synoptic variations. The contribution of vertical wind shear is largely related to synoptic variations. The contribution of midlevel specific humidity is almost 2 times more from intraseasonal variations than from synoptic variations. The contribution of sea surface temperature (SST) to the TC genesis is mainly due to interannual and intraseasonal variations. The barotropic energy for synoptic-scale disturbances during the TC genesis comes mainly from climatological mean flows over the southwest quadrant and from intraseasonal wind variations over the northeast quadrant of the WNP, respectively. The contribution of interannual variations to the TC genesis is enhanced over the southeast quadrant of the WNP. More TCs form under weak easterly and westerly vertical shears, respectively, during El Niño developing and decaying JASO. The contribution of interannual variations of SST tends to be larger during El Niño decaying than during developing JASO.

scholarly journals Weakened Anomalous Western North Pacific Anticyclone during an El Niño–Decaying Summer under a Warmer Climate: Dominant Role of the Weakened Impact of the Tropical Indian Ocean on the Atmosphere

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao He ◽  
Tianjun Zhou ◽  
Tim Li
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
El Niño ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Tropical Indian Ocean ◽  
Tropospheric Temperature ◽  
Coupled Models ◽  
Subtropical Anticyclone ◽  
Mean State

Abstract The western North Pacific subtropical anticyclone (WNPAC) is the most prominent atmospheric circulation anomaly over the subtropical Northern Hemisphere during the decaying summer of an El Niño event. Based on a comparison between the RCP8.5 and the historical experiments of 30 coupled models from the CMIP5, we show evidence that the anomalous WNPAC during the El Niño–decaying summer is weaker in a warmer climate although the amplitude of the El Niño remains generally unchanged. The weakened impact of the sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) over the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) on the atmosphere is essential for the weakened anomalous WNPAC. In a warmer climate, the warm tropospheric temperature (TT) anomaly in the tropical free troposphere stimulated by the El Niño–related SSTA is enhanced through stronger moist adiabatic adjustment in a warmer mean state, even if the SSTA of El Niño is unchanged. But the amplitude of the warm SSTA over TIO remains generally unchanged in an El Niño–decaying summer, the static stability of the boundary layer over TIO is increased, and the positive rainfall anomaly over TIO is weakened. As a result, the warm Kelvin wave emanating from TIO is weakened because of a weaker latent heating anomaly over TIO, which is responsible for the weakened WNPAC anomaly. Numerical experiments support the weakened sensitivity of precipitation anomaly over TIO to local SSTA under an increase of mean-state SST and its essential role in the weakened anomalous WNPAC, independent of any change in the SSTA.

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