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The global monsoon division combining the k-means clustering method and low-level cross-equatorial flow

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Abstract

The global monsoon domain has been recently determined utilizing two criteria: difference of local maximum and minimum pentad-mean precipitation rates exceeding 4 mm day−1, and wind reversal of low-level cross-equatorial flow. In this paper, 22 major dry–wet alteration regions under six categories were first derived through the k-means clustering method from the climatological evolution of global precipitation. Considering the seasonal influences of the low-level cross-equatorial flow in these major dry–wet alternation regions, the global monsoon was objectively divided into 16 major regions under five climatological precipitation categories. Nine monsoon regions are distributed between Asia and Australia while four regions are from Africa to the Southwest Indian Ocean and three regions in Americas. Precipitation trends during rainy seasons of 1981–2010 were examined in the 16 monsoon regions. Four regions with decreasing trends of precipitation are located in Africa and the Southwest Indian Ocean while three regions with increasing trends are situated in Americas. Six regions of increasing precipitation trends are concentrated in Asia and the biggest increasing trend is found in south China.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful for the constructive comments from the two anonymous reviewers, which are crucial in improving this manuscript. This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41375073), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA05090407) and the Global Change and Air-Sea Interaction Program (GASI-03-02-01-02)

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  1. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Ning Jiang, Weihong Qian & Jeremy Cheuk-Hin Leung

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  1. Ning Jiang
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  2. Weihong Qian
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Correspondence to Weihong Qian.

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Jiang, N., Qian, W. & Leung, J.CH. The global monsoon division combining the k-means clustering method and low-level cross-equatorial flow. Clim Dyn 47, 2345–2359 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-015-2967-5

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