Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly and  Precipitation Distribution in the Alagoas State of the Brazilian Northeast

I. Kulikova; N. Fedorova; V. Levit; E. S. Cordeiro

doi:10.4236/ns.2014.614104

Home > Journals > Biomedical & Life Sciences | Chemistry & Materials Science > NS

Natural Science > Vol.6 No.14, September 2014

Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly and Precipitation Distribution in the Alagoas State of the Brazilian Northeast ()

I. Kulikova¹, N. Fedorova², V. Levit², E. S. Cordeiro²

¹Hydrometeorological Research Centre of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia.
²Institute of Atmospheric Science, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/ns.2014.614104 PDF HTML 2,415 Downloads 3,009 Views Citations

Abstract

Precipitation data of 17 pluviometrical stations in the Alagoas State of the Brazilian Northeast and global spatial distribution of the Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly (SSTA) were analyzed for the period of 1981-2007. Techniques of constructing composite charts for SSTA fields are used to study the interrelation between the ocean thermal state with precipitation more than 50 mm/24 h, 20 mm/24 h or without precipitation for six ambient regions of the state. The student test is used for estimating statistical characteristics of the composites. Synoptic-scale pattern analyses of the composites reveal strikingly different spatial distribution of SSTA within each composite. The El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle refers to the coherent, large-scale fluctuation of ocean temperatures. At the highest ambient regions during heavy precipitation days, more intensive SSTA was observed. The lowest anomalies were observed for all types of precipitation in the semi-arid region. Quantile analyses of NCEP/NCAR indexes of SSTA distribution, such as NATL, SATL, TROP and RNASA were used too. Positive SSTA values in tropical regions are associated with the highest possibility of precipitation formation. The SST interhemispheric north-south gradient in equatorial regions of the North and South Atlantic has direct influence on the precipitation formation in the Alagoas State.

Keywords

Precipitation, Brazilian Northeast, Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly, SST Interhemispheric Gradient

Share and Cite:

Kulikova, I. , Fedorova, N. , Levit, V. and Cordeiro, E. (2014) Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly and Precipitation Distribution in the Alagoas State of the Brazilian Northeast. Natural Science, 6, 1159-1178. doi: 10.4236/ns.2014.614104.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Molion, L.C.B. and Bernardo, S.O. (2002) Uma revisão da dinâmica das chuvas no Nordeste Brasileiro. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 17, 1-10.
[2]	Pontes Da Silva, B.F., Fedorova, N., Levit, V., Cavalcanti, J.V. and Rocha, A.C. (2008) El Niño-Oscilação Sul e sua relação com as precipitações observadas no período chuvoso de Alagoas entre 2003 e 2006. In: XV Congresso Bra- sileiro de Meteorologia, San Paulo.
[3]	Pontes Da Silva, B.F., Fedorova, N., Levit, V. and Peresetsky, A. (2011) Sistemas sinóticos associados às precipitações intensas no Estado de Alagoas. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 26, 295-310.
[4]	Schwerdtfeger, W. (1976) Climates of Central and South America. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, New York.
[5]	Kousky, V.E. (1979) Frontal Influences on Northeast Brazil. Monthly Weather Review, 107, 1140-1153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1979)107<1140:FIONB>2.0.CO;2
[6]	Pereira Fo, A.J., Crawford, K.C. and Stensrud, D.J. (1999) Mesoscale Precipitation Fields. Part II: Hydrometeorologic Modeling. Journal of Applied Meteorology, 38, 102-125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1999)038<0102:MPFPIH>2.0.CO;2
[7]	Hastenrath, S. and Heller, L. (1977) Dynamic of Climatic Hazards in Northeast Brazil. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, 110, 411-425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.49711046407
[8]	Citeau, J., Bergés, J.C., Demarcq, H. and Mahé, G. (1988) Position de La zone de convergence a 28?N et température de surface de l’océan. Veille Climatique Satellitaire, 21, 3-7.
[9]	Andrade, K. (2005) Climatologia e comportamento dos sistemas frontais sobre a América do Sul. Master’s Thesis, Nacional Institute of Space Science, São José dos Campos.
[10]	Kousky, V.E. and Gan, M.A. (1981) Upper Tropospheric Cyclonic Vortices in the Tropical South Atlantic. Tellus, 33, 538-551. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2153-3490.1981.tb01780.x
[11]	Cruz, C.D. (2008) Determinação sinótica dos fatores que favorecem as influências frontais sobre o estado de Alagoas. Master’s Thesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio.
[12]	Veber, M.E. (2011) Desenvolvimento de atividades convectivas sobre a região Nordeste do Brasil, organizada pela extremidade frontal. Master’s Thesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio, 132 p.
[13]	Costa, M.S. (2010) Vórtice ciclônico dos altos níveis associado à corrente de jato no nordeste brasileiro nos anos de 1998-2007. Master’s Thesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio, 113 p.
[14]	Ramirez, M.C.V. (1996) Padrões climáticos dos vórtices ciclônicos em altos níveis no Nordeste do Brasil. Thesis, Nacional Institute of Space Science, São José dos Campos.
[15]	Repinaldo, H.F.B. (2010) Vórtice ciclônico em altos níveis e corrente de jato doNordeste brasileiro em anos de El Niño e La Niña. Master’s Thesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio.
[16]	Uvo, C.R.B. and Nobre, C.A. (1989) A Zona de Convergência Intertropical (ZCIT) e a precipitação no norte do Nordeste do Brasil. Parte I: A Posição da ZCIT no Atlântico Equatorial. Climanálise, 4, 34-40.
[17]	Xavier, T.M.B.S., Xavier, A.F.S., Silva Dias, P.L. and Silva Dias, M.A.F. (2000) A zona de Convergência Intertropical — ZCIT e suas relações com a chuva no Ceará (1964-98). Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 15, 27-43.
[18]	Zhou, J. and Lau, K.M. (2001) Principal Modes of Interannual and Decadal Variability of Summer Rainfall over South America, International Journal of Climatology, 21, 1623-1644. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/joc.700
[19]	Fedorova, N. and Carvalho, M.H. (2006) Processos sinóticos em anos de La Niña e de El Niño. Parte VI: Nebulosidade convectiva nas regiões equatoriais e tropicais da América do Sul e oceanos adjacentes. Revista Brasileira de Meteoro- logia, 21, 1-14.
[20]	Nobre, P. and Shukla, J. (1996) Variation of Sea Surface Temperature, Wind Stress and Rainfall over the Tropical Atlantic and South America. Journal of Climate, 9, 2464-2479. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1996)009<2464:VOSSTW>2.0.CO;2
[21]	Coutinho, E.C. and Fisch, G. (2007) Distúrbios Ondulatórios de Leste (Dols) na Região do Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara-MA. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 22, 193-203.
[22]	Fedorova, N. and Carvalho, M.H. (2000) Processos sinóticos em anos de La Niña e de El Niño. Parte II: Zonas Frontais. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 15, 57-72.
[23]	Kousky, V.E. and Ferreira, N.J. (1981) Interdiurnal Surface Pressure Variations in Brazil: Their Spatial Distributions, Origins and Effects. Monthly Weather Review, 109, 1999-2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1981)109<1999:ISPVIB>2.0.CO;2
[24]	Oliveira, A.S. (1986) Interações Entre Sistemas Frontais na América do Sul e a Convecção da Amazônia. Master’s Thesis, Nacional Institute of Space Science, São José dos Campos.
[25]	Rodrigues, L.R.L., Fedorova, N. and Levit, V. (2010) Adverse Meteorological Phenomena Associated with Low Level Baric Troughs in the Alagoas State, Brazil, in 2003. Atmospheric Science Letters, 11, 204-209. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asl.273
[26]	Maddox, R.A. (1983) Large-Scale Meteorological Conditions Associated with Midlatitude, Mesoscale Convective Complexes. Monthly Weather Review, 111, 1475-1493. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1983)111<1475:LSMCAW>2.0.CO;2
[27]	Alves, J.M., Ferreira, F.F., Campos, J.N.B., Souza, E.B., Duran, B.J. and Servain, J. (2006) Mecanismos Atmosféricos Associados à Ocorrência de Precipitação Intensa sobre o Nordeste do Brasil durante Janeiro/2004. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 21, 1-21.
[28]	Fedorova, N., Levit, V., Silveira, M.H.S., Pontes Da Silva, B.F. and Amiranashvili, A.G. (2009) Mesoscale Convective Complexes on the Northeastern Coast of Brazil. Journal of the Georgian Geophysical Society, Issue B: Physics of Atmosphere, Ocean and Space Plasma, 13B, 36-49.
[29]	Reboita, M.S., Gan, M.A., Rocha, R.P. and Ambrizzi, T. (2010) Regime de precipitação na América do Sul: Uma revisão bibliográfica. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 25, 185-204.
[30]	Cavalcanti, I.F.A. (2012) Large Scale and Synoptic Features Associated with Extreme Precipitation over South America: A Review and Case Studies for the First Decade of the 21st Century. Atmospheric Research, 118, 27-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2012.06.012
[31]	Kousky, V.E. and Ropelewski, C.F. (1989) Extremes in the Southern Oscilation and Their Relationship to Precipitation Anomalies with Emphasis on the South America Region. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 4, 351-363.
[32]	Lima, M.C. (1991) Variabilidade da precipitação no litoral Leste da Região Nordeste do Brasil. Master’s Thesis, Nacional Institute of Space Science, São José dos Campos.
[33]	Moura, G.B.A., Lacerda, F.F., Aragão, J.O.R., Passavante, J.Z.O., Souza, I.A., Lacerda, F.R., Ferreira, M.A.F., Ferreira, F.F. and Silva, C.V. (1999) Relação entre Temperatura da Superfície do Oceano Atlântico (área do Dipolo) e Pacífico com Anomalias de Precipitação do Setor Leste do Nordeste do Brasil: Parte I. In: XI Congresso Brasileiro de Agrometeorologia, Florianópolis.
[34]	Moura, G.B.A., Lacerda, F.F., Aragão, J.O.R., Passavante, J.Z.O., Souza, I.A., Lacerda, F.R., Ferreira, M.A.F., Ferreira, F.F. and Silva, C.V. (1999) Relação entre Temperatura da Superfície do Oceano Atlântico (área do Dipolo) e Pacífico com Anomalias de Precipitação do Setor Leste do Nordeste do Brasil: Parte II. In: XI Congresso Brasileiro de Agrometeorologia, Florianópolis.
[35]	Hastenrath, S. (1976) Variation in Low-Latitude Circulation and Extreme Climatic Events in the Tropical Americas. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 33, 201-215. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1976)033<0202:VILLCA>2.0.CO;2
[36]	Kousky, V.E., Kayano, M.T. and Cavalcanti, I.F.A. (1984) A Review of the Southern Oscillation: Oceanic-Atmos- pheric Circulation Changes and Related Rainfall Anomalies. Tellus, 36A, 490-504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0870.1984.tb00264.x
[37]	Alves, J.M.B., Souza, E.B., Repellie, C.A. and Ferreira N.S. (1997) Um estudo da variabilidade pluviométrica no setor leste do nordeste brasileiro e a influência do fenômeno El Niño/Oscilação Sul. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 12, 25-39.
[38]	Andreoli, R.V., Kayano, M.T., Guedes, R.L., Oyama, M.D. and Alves, M.A.S. (2004) A influência da temperatura da superfície do mar dos oceanos Pacífico e Atlântico na variabilidade de precipitação em Fortaleza. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 19, 337-344.
[39]	Mantua, N.J., Hare, S.R., Zhang, Y., Wallace, J.M. and Francis, R.S. (1997) A Pacific Interdecadal Climate Oscilation with Impacts on Salmon Production. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 78, 1069-1079. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(1997)078<1069:APICOW>2.0.CO;2
[40]	Siqueira, A.H.B. (2010) Clima da América do Sul e sua relação com oceanos adjacentes. Master’s Thesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio.
[41]	Souza, E.B., Kayano, M.T. and Ambrizzi, E. (2004) The Regional Precipitation over the Eastern Amazon/Northeast Brazil Modulated by Tropical Pacific and Atlantic SST Anomalies on Weekly Timescale. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia, 19, 325-336.
[42]	Folland, C.K., Colman, A.W., Rowell, D.P. and Davey, M.K. (2001) Predictability of Northeast Brazil Rainfall and Real-Time Forecast Skill, 1987-98. Journal of Climate, 14, 1937-1957. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2001)014<1937:PONBRA>2.0.CO;2
[43]	Hastenrath, S. (1990) Prediction of Northeast Brazil Rainfall Anomalies. Journal of Climate, 3, 893-904. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1990)003<0893:PONBRA>2.0.CO;2
[44]	Grimm, A. and Tedeschi, R.G. (2009) ENSO and Extreme Rainfall Events in South America. Journal of Climate, 22, 1589-1609. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2008JCLI2429.1
[45]	Reynolds, R.W., Rayner, N.A., Smith, T.M., Stokes, D.C. and Wang, W. (2002) An Improved in Situ and Satellite SST Analysis for Climate. Journal of Climate, 15, 1609-1625. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2002)015<1609:AIISAS>2.0.CO;2
[46]	Gordin, V.A. (1994) Inverse Interpolation of Averaged Values Applied to Climate Information (in Russian). Meteorology and Hydrology, 11, 110-115.
[47]	Wilks, D.S. (2011) Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences. Elsevier Science, New York.
[48]	Muravyev, A.V., Kulikova, I.A. and Resnyansky, Y.U.D. (2010) Synchronous and Asynchronous Relations between the North Atlantic SSTA and the Northern Hemisphere Large-Scale Circulation Features. Meteorology and Hydrology, 2, 5-25.
[49]	Bolshev, L.N. and Smirnov, N.V. (1983) Tables of Mathematical Statistics (in Russian). Nauka, Moscow.
[50]	Tukey, J.W. (1977) Box-and-Whisker Plots. §2C. In: Exploratory Data Analysis, Addison-Wesley, Reading, 39-43.
[51]	Bombardi, R.J. and Carvalho, L.M.V. (2011) The South Atlantic Dipole and Variations in the Characteristics of the South American Monsoon in the WCRP-CMIP3 Multi-Model Simulations. Climate Dynamics, 36, 2091-2102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00382-010-0836-9
[52]	Hastenrath, S. (2011) Exploring the Climate Problems of Brazil’s Nordeste: A Review. Climatic Change, 112, 243-251. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10584-011-0227-1
[53]	Silveira, M.H.S. (2012) Análise termodinâmica dos Complexos Convectivos de Mesoescala atuantes na costa leste do Nordeste Brasileiro. Master’s Thesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio.