Li et al. (2026) Interdecadal change in the interannual relationship between spring tropical Indian ocean sea surface temperature and summer extreme precipitation in northern Xinjiang of Northwest China

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Climate Dynamics
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-30
• Authors: Nannan Li, Yong Zhao, Lixia Meng, Yuanan Jiang
• DOI: 10.1007/s00382-026-08446-z

Research Groups

Not explicitly mentioned in the abstract. The study utilizes data from the China Meteorological Data Service Centre, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

Short Summary

This study examines the interdecadal changes in the relationship between spring Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature (IOSST) and summer extreme precipitation (SEP) in northern Xinjiang, Northwest China. It finds a significant strengthening of this relationship during 1984–2004, primarily mediated by the subtropical westerly jet over Central Asia, which is modulated by IOSST independently of El Niño during this later period.

Objective

• To examine the interdecadal change in the relationship between spring Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature (IOSST) and summer extreme precipitation (SEP) in northern Xinjiang of Northwest China.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Northern Xinjiang (Northwest China), Indian Ocean (for SST), Central Asia (for subtropical westerly jet).
• Temporal Scale: 1961–2022 (daily and monthly data); specific interdecadal periods analyzed: 1963–1983 and 1984–2004.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly mentioned in the abstract.
• Data sources:
  • Daily precipitation data: China Meteorological Data Service Centre.
  • Monthly Sea Surface Temperature (SST): National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
  • Monthly atmospheric reanalysis data: National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

Main Results

• The relationship between spring Indian Ocean SST (IOSST) and summer extreme precipitation (SEP) in northern Xinjiang has undergone an obvious interdecadal change.
• The IOSST-SEP relationship became significantly closer during the 1984–2004 period compared to 1963–1983.
• The meridional movement of the subtropical westerly jet (SWJ) over Central Asia (CA) plays a crucial role in linking IOSST and SEP by affecting Central Asian cyclones and water vapor transport.
• During 1963–1983, the persistence of anomalous IOSST signals from spring to summer was strongly dependent on El Niño, with IOSST acting as a heat sink and not influencing the meridional movement of the SWJ over CA.
• During 1984–2004, the persistence of anomalous IOSST signals from spring to summer was independent of El Niño, with IOSST acting as a heat source and modulating the meridional movement of the SWJ over CA via a Gill-type atmospheric response.

Contributions

• Identifies and characterizes a significant interdecadal change in the teleconnection between Indian Ocean SST and extreme precipitation in northern Xinjiang.
• Elucidates the critical role of the subtropical westerly jet over Central Asia as an atmospheric bridge in mediating this relationship.
• Provides distinct mechanistic explanations for the IOSST-SEP relationship across different interdecadal periods, highlighting the shift in El Niño dependence and the nature of IOSST's influence (heat sink vs. heat source, SWJ modulation).

Funding

Not explicitly mentioned in the abstract.

Citation

@article{Li2026Interdecadal,
  author = {Li, Nannan and Zhao, Yong and Meng, Lixia and Jiang, Yuanan},
  title = {Interdecadal change in the interannual relationship between spring tropical Indian ocean sea surface temperature and summer extreme precipitation in northern Xinjiang of Northwest China},
  journal = {Climate Dynamics},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1007/s00382-026-08446-z},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-026-08446-z}
}