Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Heavy rainfall caused by interactions between monsoon depression and middle-latitude systems in Australia: a case study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The heavy rainfall caused by interactions between the monsoon depression and the middle-latitude systems in Australia has been investigated in this paper. For a better understanding of the Australian monsoon depression (AMD) and its synoptic-scale interaction with the middle-latitude systems, some key meteorological parameters have been calculated, including the vorticity budget, moisture budget, temperature advection, frontogenesis function and potential vorticity. The results show that interaction between the lower and mid-latitude systems does exist leading to the merging of the extratropical low with frontal systems and the AMD, meanwhile both the low-level cold air from the mid-latitude and the warm moist air that was lifted by the front were very favorable for the formation and the intensification of heavy rainfall, which was quite different from the rainfall caused by the AMD alone. Second, the obvious temperature advection and gradient were detected, so the baroclinicity was favorable to the intensification of the front, as well as to the development of the upper-level jet. Next, isentropic analysis revealed that the south-west cold-flow sank and met the warm flow coming from the northern part of Australia, thereby forming the obvious baroclinic zone in the lower troposphere. A high-PV anomaly area located in the upper level of the troposphere, which overlaid the low-level frontogenesis zone, also existed. The upper-level PV maximum extended downwards forming a vertical PV column when the extratropical low intensified. Furthermore, the AMD is a warm-cored vortex located in middle and upper troposphere with a deep and thick moisture layer, and there were some differences in the vorticity and moisture budgets of the two different stages. Finally, based on the above-mentioned analysis, a conceptual model describing the interactions between the lower and middle-latitude systems in the southern hemisphere was proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
Fig. 25

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Daggupaty SM, Sikka DR (1977) On the vorticity budget and vertical velocity distribution associated with the life cycle of a monsoon depression. J Atmos Sci 34:773–792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson NE (1995) Vorticity budget for AMEX, Part I: diagnostics. Mon Weather Rev 123:1620–1635

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson NE, Holland GJ (1987) A diagnostic analysis of two intense monsoon depression over Australia. Mon Weather Rev 115:380–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doty BE (1995) Grid analysis and display system (GrADS). Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Interaction, Institute for Global Environment and Society, Calverton, MD, 148 pp

  • Godbole RV (1977) The composite structure of the monsoon depression. Tellus 29:5–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Hell RM, Smith RK (1998) A monsoon depression over northwestern Australia. Part I: case study. Aust Meteorol Mag 47:21–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland GJ, McBride JL, Smith RK, Jasper D, Keenan T (1986) The BMRC Australian monsoon experiment: AMEX. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 67:1466–1472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoskins BJ, McIntyre ME, Robertson AW (1985) On the use and significance of isentropic potential vorticity maps. Quart J Roy Meteorol Soc 111:877–946

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalnay E, Kanamitsu M, Kistler R, Collins W, Deaven D, Gandin L, Iredell M, Saha S, White G, Woollen J, Zhu Y, Leetmaa A, Reynolds R (1996) The NCEP/NCAR 40-Year reanalysis project. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 77:437–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kato K (1985) On the abrupt change in the structure of the Baiu front over the China continent in late May of 1979. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 63:20–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnamurti TN, Kanamitsu M, Godbole R, Chang CB, Carr F, Chow JH (1975) Study of a monsoon depression (I), synoptic structure. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 53:227–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnamurti TN, Kanamitsu M, Godbole R, Chang CB, Carr F, Chow JH (1976) Study of a monsoon depression (II), dynamical structure. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 54:208–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Nitta T, Masuda K (1981) Observational study of a monsoon depression developed over the Bay of Bengal during summer MONEX. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 59:672–682

    Google Scholar 

  • Nitta T, Murakami M (1980) Three dimensional structure and energy cycles of a monsoon depression developed over the Bay of Bengal. FGGE Oper Rep 9:137–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmen E (1958) Vertical circulation and release of Kinetic energy during the development of Hurricane Hazel into an extratropical storm. Tellus 10:1–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi LX, Leslie LM, Zhao SX (1999) Cut-off low pressure systems over southern Australia: climatology and case study. Int J Climatol 19:1633–1649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossby CG (1937) Isentropic analysis. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 18:201–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Shibagaki Y, Ninomiya K (2005) Multi-scale interaction processes associated with development of a sub-synoptic-scale depression on the Meiyu-Baiu frontal zone. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 83(2):219–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tao SY, Chen LX (1987) A review of recent research on the East Asian summer monsoon in China. In: Chang CP, Krishnamurti TN (eds) Monsoon meteorology. Oxford University Press, pp 60–92

  • Uccellini LW (1976) Operational diagnostic applications of isentropic analysis. Nat Weather Digest 1:4–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng QC, Zhang BL, Liang YL, Zhao SX (1994) East Asian monsoon—a case study. Proc Indian Nat Sci Acad 69A(100):81–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Zhao SX (2004) A study of formation and development of one kind of cyclone on the Mei-yu (Baiu) Front. Adv Atmos Sci 21(5):741–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao SX, Mills GA (1991) A study of a monsoon depression bringing record rainfall over Australia. Part II: synoptic diagnostic description. Mon Weather Rev 119:2074–2094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao SX, Sun JH (2007) Study on cut-off low-pressure systems with floods over Northeast Asia. Meteorol Atmos Phys 96:159–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao SX, Zeng QC (2005) A study of east Asia strong cold wave-surge crossing equator and influencing the development of tropical cyclone and heavy rainfall in the southern hemisphere. Clim Environ Res 10(3):507–525 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the project of the National Key Basic Research and Development of China (No. 2009CB421401) and the project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40930951). The authors would like to thank Dr. Lixin Qi, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Australia, for his valuable discussions and important assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100029, Beijing, China

    Qi Kong & Sixiong Zhao

  2. Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China

    Qi Kong

  3. National Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, 100081, Beijing, China

    Qi Kong

Authors
  1. Qi Kong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sixiong Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sixiong Zhao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kong, Q., Zhao, S. Heavy rainfall caused by interactions between monsoon depression and middle-latitude systems in Australia: a case study. Meteorol Atmos Phys 106, 205–226 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-010-0060-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-010-0060-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation