Role and impact of Siberian High on the temporal variation of Indian northeast monsoon rainfall

Abstract

The relation between the intensity of Siberian High, defined as the mean sea level pressure over the Siberian region bounded by 87.5 & 102.5° E longitudes and 47.5 & 52.5° N latitudes (PSH) and Indian northeast monsoon rainfall has been studied in antecedent and concurrent modes based on monthly/seasonal mean PSH and monthly/seasonal rainfall data of Tamil Nadu (NMR) for the 34 year period, 1971 to 2004. It has been found that a positive relationship exists between the PSH and NMR of October-November (ON) which is significant in the antecedent mode [PSH(AS/Sep)] and modest in concurrent mode. The relationship turns negative for NMR (Dec) with both PSH(Sep) (antecedent) and PSH(Dec) (concurrent). By and large, negative anomaly profile of PSH during September- November (SON) followed by a positive PSH (Dec) anomaly is associated with a deficient NMR, but, a normal to positive PSH anomaly profile in SON becoming negative in December is associated with an excess NMR. The manifestation of PSH on NMR has been shown to be by way of modulating the strength of low level easterlies over the Bay of Bengal off the southeast coast of peninsular India as well as the latitudinal positions of Sub Tropical Ridge at 200 hPa (STR) and Equatorial Trough at 850 hPa (ET) over India. An intense PSH (Sep) is associated with strengthening of easterlies over the Bay of Bengal as well as southward location of STR/ET thereby favouring a good NMR (ON). During December, a weaker than normal PSH (Dec) is associated with northward location of ET from its normal latitudinal position near the equator which becomes conducive for good NMR(Dec). That a weaker than normal PSH in December is associated with good NMR(Dec) is comprehended from an analysis of time series of PSH. It has been found that the PSH itself undergoes a phase change in December on most occasions, i.e., an intense PSH (Nov) is by and large, followed by a weaker than normal PSH (Dec) and vice versa.