Modeling Interannual Variations of Summer Monsoons

Abstract
Results from a set of 90-day integrations, made with a T42 version of the ECMWF model and forced with a variety of specified sea surface temperature (SST) datasets, are discussed. Most of the integrations started from data for 1 June 1987 and 1 June 1988. During the summer of 1987, both the Indian and African monsoons were weak, in contrast with the summer of 1988 when both monsoons were much stronger. With observed SSTs, the model is able to simulate the interannual variations in the global-scale velocity potential and stream-function fields on seasonal time scales. On a regional basis, rainfall over the Sahel and, to a lesser extent, India showed the correct sense of interannual variation, though in absolute terms the model appears to have an overall dry bias in these areas. Additional integrations were made to study the impact of the observed SST anomalies in individual oceans. Much of the interannual variation in both Indian and African rainfall can be accounted for by the remote effect of th... Abstract Results from a set of 90-day integrations, made with a T42 version of the ECMWF model and forced with a variety of specified sea surface temperature (SST) datasets, are discussed. Most of the integrations started from data for 1 June 1987 and 1 June 1988. During the summer of 1987, both the Indian and African monsoons were weak, in contrast with the summer of 1988 when both monsoons were much stronger. With observed SSTs, the model is able to simulate the interannual variations in the global-scale velocity potential and stream-function fields on seasonal time scales. On a regional basis, rainfall over the Sahel and, to a lesser extent, India showed the correct sense of interannual variation, though in absolute terms the model appears to have an overall dry bias in these areas. Additional integrations were made to study the impact of the observed SST anomalies in individual oceans. Much of the interannual variation in both Indian and African rainfall can be accounted for by the remote effect of th...

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