Different Configurations of Interannual Variability of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High and East Asian Westerly Jet in Summer

This study investigates the circulation and precipitation anomalies associated with different configurations of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) and the East Asian westerly jet (EAJ) in summer on interannual timescales. The in-phase configuration of the WNPSH and EAJ is characterized by the westward (eastward) extension of the WNPSH and the southward (northward) shift of the EAJ, which is consistent with the general correspondence between their variations. The out-of-phase configuration includes the residual cases. We find that the in-phase configuration manifests itself as a typical meridional teleconnection. For instance, there is an anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly over the tropical western North Pacific and a cyclonic (anticyclonic) anomaly over the mid-latitudes of East Asia in the lower troposphere. These circulation anomalies are more conducive to rainfall anomalies over the Yangtze River basin and south Japan than are the individual WNPSH or EAJ. By contrast, for the out-of-phase configuration, the mid-latitude cyclonic (anticyclonic) anomaly is absent, and the lower-tropospheric circulation anomalies feature an anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomaly with a large meridional extension. Correspondingly, significant rainfall anomalies move northward to North China and the northern Korean Peninsula. Further results indicate that the out-of-phase configuration is associated with the developing phase of ENSO, with strong and significant sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical central and eastern Pacific which occur simultaneously during summer and persist into the following winter. This is sharply different from the in-phase configuration, for which the tropical SSTs are not a necessity.

Automated summary

The study explores the circulation and precipitation anomalies associated with different configurations of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) and the East Asian westerly jet (EAJ) in summer on interannual timescales. In-phase configuration shows a typical meridional teleconnection, leading to rainfall anomalies over the Yangtze River basin and south Japan, while out-of-phase configuration results in significant rainfall anomalies moving northward to North China and the northern Korean Peninsula. Additionally, the out-of-phase configuration is linked to the developing phase of ENSO and significant sea surface temperature anomalies in the tropical central and eastern Pacific.