EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Rajeevan & McPhaden 2004
Rajeevan, M. and McPhaden, M.J. (2004). Tropical Pacific upper ocean heat content variations and Indian summer monsoon rainfall. Geophysical Research Letters 31: doi: 10.1029/2004GL020631. issn: 0094-8276.

Indian southwest monsoon rainfall (ISMR) has strong links with El Ni¿o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). However, sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies during the pre-monsoon season do not have any predictive value for ensuing monsoon rainfalls. Recent studies have suggested that warm water volume (WWV) in the tropical Pacific Ocean in boreal winter is a good precursor of ENSO warm and cold events (El Ni¿o and La Ni¿a). In this study, we have analyzed inter-annual variations in the WWV in the tropical Pacific Ocean and Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) using upper ocean thermal field analyses spanning 54 years (1950--2003). Significant negative correlations have been observed between WWV anomalies in the boreal winter and spring seasons and ISMR, with deficient (excess) monsoon years corresponding to positive (negative) WWV anomalies. This relationship provides a much longer lead time than ENSO SST indicators for prediction of ensuing monsoon rainfall. Twenty-one year moving correlations show that the correlation between WWV anomalies in boreal winter and spring and subsequent ISMR anomalies has strengthened since the mid-1980s.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Tropical meteorology, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Precipitation, Oceanography, Physical, El Nino, Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics, Climatology, Oceanography, Physical, Air/sea interactions
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit