Abstract
The cold surges over East Asia can be classified into wave-train type and blocking type according to their dynamic origins. In the present study, two dynamic indices are proposed to objectively identify cold surge types using potential temperature (θ) on the dynamic tropopause at 2-potential vorticity units (2-PVU) surface. The two indices are designed to represent primary characteristics of the two types of cold surge. The wave-train index (WI) is defined as a difference of anomalous θ on the 2-PVU surface between the western North Pacific and northeast China, which captures a southward (northward) intrusion of cold (warm) air mass related to the trough-ridge pattern. The blocking index (BI) is defined as a difference of anomalous θ between the subarctic region and northeast China, which indicates air mass overturning related to a reversal of the usual meridional θ gradient commonly observed in the occurrence of blocking type cold surge. Composite analyses based on the distribution of the WI and BI clearly demonstrate the dynamic evolutions of corresponding cold surge types. The wave-train cold surge is associated with a southeastward expansion of the Siberian High and northerly wind near surface, which is caused by growing baroclinic waves. During the blocking cold surge, a geopotential height dipole indicating the subarctic blocking and deepening of East Asian coastal trough induces a southward expansion of the Siberian High and northeasterly wind. Compared to the wave-train type, the blocking cold surge exhibits a longer duration and stronger intensity. In the new framework of these dynamic indices, we can detect a third type of cold surge when both the wave-train and the blocking occur together. In addition, we can exclude the events that do not have the essential features of the upper tropospheric disturbances or the subarctic anticyclonic circulation, which are responsible for cold surge occurrence, using the new indices.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen TC (2002) A North Pacific short-wave train during the extreme phases of ENSO. J Climate 15(17):2359–2376
Chen TC, Yen MC, Huang WR, Gallus WA (2002) An East Asian cold surge: case study. Mon Weather Rev 130(9):2271–2290
Chen TC, Huang WR, Yoon J (2004) Interannual variation of the East Asian cold surge activity. J Climate 17(2):401–413
Cohen J, Saito K, Entekhabi D (2001) The role of the Siberian high in Northern Hemisphere climate variability. Geophys Res Lett 28(2):299–302
Dee DP, Uppala SM, Simmons AJ, Berrisford P, Poli P, Kobayashi S, Andrae U, Balmaseda MA, Balsamo G, Bauer P, Bechtold P, Beljaars ACM, van de Berg L, Bidlot J, Bormann N, Delsol C, Dragani R, Fuentes M, Geer AJ, Haimberger L, Healy SB, Hersbach H, Holm EV, Isaksen L, Kallberg P, Kohler M, Matricardi M, McNally AP, Monge-Sanz BM, Morcrette JJ, Park BK, Peubey C, de Rosnay P, Tavolato C, Thepaut JN, Vitart F (2011) The ERA-Interim reanalysis: configuration and performance of the data assimilation system. Q J R Meteor Soc 137(656):553–597. doi:10.1002/QJ.828
Green JSA (1977) The weather during july 1976: some dynamical considerations of the drought. Weather 32(4):120–126. doi:10.1002/j.1477-8696.1977.tb04532.x
Hoskins B, Berrisford P (1988) A potential vorticity perspective of the storm of 15–16 October 1987. Weather 43(3):122–129. doi:10.1002/j.1477-8696.1988.tb03890.x
Hoskins BJ, Mcintyre ME, Robertson AW (1985) On the use and significance of isentropic potential vorticity maps. Q J R Meteor Soc 111(470):877–946
Jeong J-H, Ho C-H (2005) Changes in occurrence of cold surges over East Asia in association with Arctic Oscillation. Geophys Res Lett 32:L14704. doi:10.1029/2005GL023024
Jeong J-H, Kim B-M, Ho C-H, Chen D, Lim G-H (2006) Stratospheric origin of cold surge occurrence in East Asia. Geophys Res Lett 33:L14710. doi:10.1029/2006GL026607
Jiang TY, Deng Y (2011) Downstream modulation of North Pacific atmospheric river activity by East Asian cold surges. Geophys Res Lett 38. doi:10.1029/2011gl049462
Joung CH, Hitchman MH (1982) On the role of successive downstream development in East Asian polar air outbreaks. Mon Weather Rev 110(9):1224–1237
Kalkstein LS, Tan GR, Skindlov JA (1987) An evaluation of 3 clustering procedures for use in synoptic climatological classification. J Clim Appl Meteorol 26(6):717–730
Lu FC, Juang HMH, Liao CC (2007) A numerical case study of the passage of a cold surge across Taiwan. Meteorol Atmos Phys 95:27–52. doi:10.1007/s00703-006-0192-9
Maeda S, Kobayashi C, Takano K, Tsuyuki T (2000) Relationship between singular modes of blocking flow and high-frequency eddies. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 78(5):631–646
Nakamura H, Wallace JM (1993) Synoptic behavior of baroclinic eddies during the blocking onset. Mon Weather Rev 121(7):1892–1903. doi:10.1175/1520-0493
Park T-W, Jeong J-H, Ho C-H, Kim S-J (2008) Characteristics of atmospheric circulation associated with cold surge occurrences in East Asia: a case study during 2005/06 winter. Adv Atmos Sci 25(5):791–804. doi:10.1007/s00376-008-0791-0
Park T-W, Ho C-H, Yang S, Jeong J-H (2010) Influences of Arctic Oscillation and Madden–Julian Oscillation on cold surges and heavy snowfalls over Korea: a case study for the winter of 2009–2010. J Geophys Res Atmos 115:D23122. doi:10.1029/2010JD014794
Park T-W, Ho C-H, Yang S (2011) Relationship between the arctic oscillation and cold surges over East Asia. J Clim 24(1):68–83. doi:10.1175/2010jcli3529.1
Park T-W, Ho C-H, Deng Y (2014) A synoptic and dynamical characterization of wave-train and blocking cold surge over East Asia. Clim Dyn 43(3–4):753–770. doi:10.1007/s00382-013-1817-6
Pelly JL, Hoskins BJ (2003) A new perspective on blocking. J Atmos Sci 60(5):743–755
Takaya K, Nakamura H (2005a) Mechanisms of intraseasonal amplification of the cold Siberian high. J Atmos Sci 62(12):4423–4440
Takaya K, Nakamura H (2005b) Geographical dependence of upper-level blocking formation associated with intraseasonal amplification of the Siberian high. J Atmos Sci 62(12):4441–4449
Tibaldi S, Molteni F (1990) On the operational predictability of blocking. Tellus 42A:343–365
Tyrlis E, Hoskins BJ (2008) The morphology of Northern Hemisphere blocking. J Atmos Sci 65(5):1653–1665. doi:10.1175/2007jas2338.1
Woo SH, Kim BM, Jeong JH, Kim SJ, Lim GH (2012) Decadal changes in surface air temperature variability and cold surge characteristics over northeast Asia and their relation with the Arctic Oscillation for the past three decades (1979–2011). J Geophys Res Atmos 117. doi:10.1029/2011jd016929
Zhang Y, Wang WC (1997) Model-simulated northern winter cyclone and anticyclone activity under a greenhouse warming scenario. J Clim 10(7):1616–1634
Zhang Y, Sperber KR, Boyle JS (1997) Climatology and interannual variation of the East Asian winter monsoon: results from the 1979–95 NCEP/NCAR reanalysis. Mon Weather Rev 125(10):2605–2619
Acknowledgments
The ERA-Interim data used in this study were provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather forecast (ECMFW). Park and Deng were supported by the DOE Office of Science Regional and Global Climate Modeling (RGCM) program under Grant DE-SC0005596 and by the NSF Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics (CLD) program under Grant AGS-1147601. Ho was funded by the Korea Ministry of Environment under “Climate Change Correspondence R&D Program”. Jeong was supported by the Korea Meteorological Administration Research and Development Program under Grant CATER 2012-3066.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Park, TW., Ho, CH., Jeong, JH. et al. A new dynamical index for classification of cold surge types over East Asia. Clim Dyn 45, 2469–2484 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2483-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2483-7