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In this study, based on the ECMWF 20-year (1997 ~ 2016) hindcasts, the subseasonal prediction of the weekly summer rainfall anomaly over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (YR) were studied. The skill at 2-week lead time exhibits prominent interannual variation, which is significantly correlated with the preceding winter ENSO. That is, rainfall anomaly can be better predicted in El Niño decaying summer than in La Niña decaying summer. Observation analyses show that in El Niño decaying summer the intraseasonal variation of YR summer rainfall is featured by strong low-frequency (> 30 days) intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) partly associated with the first boreal summer ISO mode (BSISO1) activity, in comparison with La Niña decaying summer. This is possibly because El Niño-induced mean state western North Pacific (WNP) anti-cyclone blocks the northward propagation of convection over the WNP, resulting in BSISO1 stagnation in phases 3–4. The phase stagnation could force stable atmospheric teleconnection, which is favorable to sufficient moisture transportation to the YR and persistent rainfall formation. Finally, prediction verification showed that more accurate prediction for the middle-low-level circulation contribute to the better prediction of rainfall anomaly in El Niño decaying summer than in La Niña decaying summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to extend the bimodal intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) index, developed by Kikuchi et al. (Clim Dyn 38:1989–2000, 2012), using JRA-55 reanalysis back in time to 1958. The bimodal ISO index is composed of two distinct ISO indices: the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) index and the boreal summer ISO (BSISO) index, each aiming to capture the ISO behavior during boreal winter and summer, respectively. These indices are derived by means of extended empirical orthogonal function (EEOF) analysis applied to outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) during boreal winter and summer, respectively. By combining the MJO and BSISO indices, the state of the ISO can be reasonably represented over the course of the year. First, the original index is updated using observed OLR until recently (–Jan. 2017) with a modification of the use of extended winter and summer months (Dec.–Apr./Jun.–Oct.) instead of normal winter and summer months (Dec.–Feb./Jun.–Aug.) in EEOF analysis. The updated version is quite consistent with the original counterpart, whereas it is arguably able to represent the ISO more faithfully throughout the year. In the same manner, a JRA-55-based index is constructed. Although JRA-55 OLR has systematic biases, the resulting JRA-55-based bimodal ISO index is in excellent agreement with the observation-based index. A comparison between JRA-55 and its subset, JRA-55C (satellite observations are not assimilated at all) suggests that the JRA-55-based index is reliable even in the pre-satellite era. Interannual variability and long-term trend of the ISO activity are also discussed. The newly developed, long-term JRA-55-based index will be useful for a number of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2013 subseasonal asymmetry in tropical cyclone (TC) genesis over the western North Pacific (WNP) was investigated by using the 1979-2013 RSMC best track dataset. The genesis frequency of the 2013 WNP TCs between June-August (summer) and September-November (fall) manifested an abnormal temporal asymmetry: fewer typhoons (more tropical storms) in summer and more typhoons (normal tropical storms) in fall. The 2013 active summer-tropical storm genesis arose from both a failure of eastward extension of monsoon confluence region, especially in August and a lack of moisture supply for TC genesis over the eastern part of WNP, and consequently from fewer probability to reach typhoon intensity due to the westward movement of favorable location for genesis. Thereafter, the eastward extension of monsoon shear line in September and the establishment of monsoon gyre in October induced the eastward movement of favorable location for genesis which increased probability to reach typhoon intensity. The relative contribution of mid-level relative humidity to the positive GPI change played a major role in favorable condition for typhoon genesis in September (45.2%) and October (50.9%). The monsoon gyre pattern played a leading role in the most active fall-typhoon in 2013 contributing to the highest number of October-typhoon. The eastward-migration of convection mainly contributed to the subseasonal shift of TC genesis location following eastward movement of local SST warming from summer to fall under the La Nina-like neutral state. The enhanced active boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) in fall provided more favorable conditions for TC genesis showing about twice as many TCs occurred regarding BSISO in fall than those in summer. This spatiotemporal asymmetry in the large-scale circulations and moisture conditions between summer and fall accounted for the subseasonal shift of genesis location of TCs, and consequently for the active summer-tropical storm genesis and the active fall-typhoon genesis in 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cloud water content (CW) and radiative heating rate (QR) structures related to northward propagating boreal summer intraseasonal oscillations (BSISOs) are analyzed using data from A-train satellites in conjunction with the ERA-Interim reanalysis. It is found that the northward movement of CW- and QR anomalies are closely synchronized with the northward movement of BSISO precipitation maxima. Commensurate with the northward propagating BSISO precipitation maxima, the CW anomalies exhibit positive ice (liquid) CW maxima in the upper (middle/low) troposphere with a prominent tilting structure in which the low-tropospheric (upper-tropospheric) liquid (ice) CW maximum leads (lags) the BSISO precipitation maximum. The BSISO-related shortwave heating (QSW) heats (cools) the upper (low) troposphere; the longwave heating (QLW) cools (heats) the upper (middle/low) troposphere. The resulting net radiative heating (QRN), being dominated by QLW, cools (heats) the atmosphere most prominently above the 200 hPa level (below the 600 hPa level). Enhanced clouds in the upper and middle troposphere appears to play a critical role in increasing low-level QLW and QRN. The vertically-integrated QSW, QLW and QRN are positive in the region of enhanced CW with the maximum QRN near the latitude of the BSISO precipitation maximum. The bottom-heavy radiative heating anomaly resulting from the cloud-radiation interaction may act to strengthen convection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is the first time for the non-hydrostatic icosahedral atmospheric model (NICAM), at a horizontal mesh size of approximately 14-km, to conduct a continuous long-term Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project-type simulation. This study examines the performance of NICAM in simulating the tropical intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) from a statistical point of view using 30-year data (1979-2008) in the context of the bimodal ISO representation concept proposed by Kikuchi et al., which allows us to examine the seasonally varying behavior of the ISO in great detail, in addition to the MJO working group level 2 diagnostics. It is found that many of the fundamental features of the ISO are well captured by NICAM. The evolution of the ISO convection as well as large-scale circulation over the course of its life cycle is reasonably well reproduced throughout the year. As in the observation, the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) mode, characterized by prominent eastward propagation of convection, is predominant during boreal winter, whereas the boreal summer ISO (BSISO) mode, by a combination of pronounced eastward and northward propagation, during summer. The overall shape of the seasonal cycle as measured by the numbers of significant MJO and BSISO days in a month is relatively well captured. Two major biases, however, are also identified. The amplitude of the simulated ISO is weaker by a factor of ~2. Significant BSISO events sometimes appear even during winter (December-April), amounting to ~30 % of the total significant ISO days as opposed to ~2 % in the observation. The results here warrant further studies using the simulation dataset to understand not only many aspects of the dynamics and physics of the ISO but also its role in weather and climate. It is also demonstrated that the concept of the bimodal ISO representation provides a useful framework for assessing model's capability to simulate, and illuminating model's deficiencies in reproducing, the ISO. The nature and causes of the two major biases are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]