ECHAM5-Simulated Impacts of Two Types of El Niño on the Winter Precipitation Anomalies in South China

Abstract

The authors used an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) of European Centre Hamburg Model (ECHAM5.4) and investigated the possible impacts of eastern Pacific (EP) and central Pacific (CP) El Niño on the winter precipitation anomalies in South China. A composite analysis suggested much more rainfall during the mature phase of EP El Niño than in the case of CP El Niño, and their corresponding observed wet centers to be located in the southeast coast and the region to the south of the Yangtze River, respectively. Results obtained on the basis of model-sensitive run imply that the modelsimulated rainfall anomalies agree well with the observation, and the magnitude of simulated rainfall anomalies were found to be reduced when the amplitude of sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) forcing of EP and CP El Niño was cut down. These results imply that the rainfall anomaly in South China is very sensitive not only to the type of El Niño but also to its intensity.

Keywords:

• eastern/central Pacific El Niño
• precipitation
• ECHAM5
• South China