Analysis of Intraseasonal Oscillation Features of Winter Cold Precipitation Events in Southern China

Abstract

Based on the daily minimum air temperature (Tmin) data and the daily precipitation data from the NCC/CMA combined with the NCEP/DOE reanalysis data, the intraseasonal features and circulations of the winter cold precipitation events (CPEs) in southern China under the influence of strong Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) were explored. The results show that: (1) Winter temperatures in southern China are characterized by intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) of 10–30-d and 30–60-d, with six CPEs under strong MJO all occurring during these two intraseasonal scales in cooling phases. The invasion of cold air coupled with the availability of appropriate moisture conditions in southern China is more conducive to the CPEs. (2) A cyclone and anticyclone lying to the east of the Ural Mountains and the northwest of Lake Baikal at 925-hPa gradually move southeastward. The merging of the low-frequency (LF) blocking highs over the Ural Mountains and the North Pacific Ocean at 500-hPa leads to the contraction and southward movement of the LF cold vortex. The following anomalous northerly winds steer the cold air towards southern China. The cold advection is the dominant term in the cooling process, while the adiabatic cooling accompanied with ascending motion is also beneficial to the cooling process. (3) MJO has some effect on the LF blocking highs and the cold vortex in the mid-high latitudes and induces the CPEs over southern China. The joint effect of mid-high and low latitudes on the 30–60-d intraseasonal oscillation scale can have a significant impact on the cooling and precipitation processes of CPEs.

Keywords

• low frequency
• MJO
• cold precipitation events
• southern China