Relationship between South China Sea Summer Monsoon and Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclones Linkages with the Interaction of Indo-Pacific Pattern

Abstract

The South China Sea (SCS) summer monsoon (SCSSM) and Western North Pacific tropical cyclones (TCs) are both tropical systems that interact with each other on multiple scales. This study examines the differences in TCs activity characteristics between anomalous strong and weak SCSSM years, and explores the possible mechanisms behind these differences through the coupling relationship between tropical atmospheric circulation and oceanic surface conditions. Results show that the destructiveness of TCs over the Western North Pacific is stronger during weak SCSSM years than in strong years, whereas the opposite occurs for TCs over the SCS. The interaction between the tropical Indo-Pacific ocean and atmosphere plays a key role in the relationship between SCSSM intensity and TCs activity. In strong (weak) SCSSM years, the sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the tropical Pacific Ocean tends to correspond to a La Niña-like (El Niño-like) distribution, whereas the tropical Indian Ocean shows an Indian Ocean dipole-negative (positive) phase distribution. Moreover, Walker circulations in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans are coupled during these years, which creates a seesaw-like relationship in the conditions for TCs formation between the SCS and the Western Pacific Ocean. During weak SCSSM years, the formation and activity of TCs over the SCS are suppressed due to the weakened water vapor transport caused by abnormal easterly winds from the eastern Indian Ocean to the southern SCS. Meanwhile, the higher SSTA in the Western Pacific Ocean enhances the TCs activity. In strong SCSSM years, the enhanced monsoon drives a stronger monsoon trough, improving the convective environment over the SCS, whereas in contrast, the Western Pacific Ocean is covered by colder water, resulting in poorer conditions for TCs genesis.