Relationships between the West Asian subtropical westerly jet and summer precipitation in northern Xinjiang

The relation between the spatial and temporal variations of the West Asian subtropical westerly jet (WASWJ) and the summer precipitation in northern Xinjiang has been explored using the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and the summer precipitation data at 43 stations in northern Xinjiang during 1961 to 2007. Results show that the position of the WASWJ is more important than its strength in influencing the summer precipitation in northern Xinjiang. When the jet position is further south, the anomalous southwesterly flow crossing the Indian subcontinent along the southern foothill of the Tibetan Plateau is favorable for the southwestward warm and wet air penetrating from low latitudes into Central Asia and northern Xinjiang and more rainfall formation. Further analysis shows that the interannual variations of the jet position are well correlated with the Arctic Oscillation (AO). In the weak AO years, the middle to upper troposphere becomes colder than normal and results in an anomalous cyclonic circulation at 200 hPa over Western and Central Asia, which enhances the westerly wind over middle and low latitudes and leads to the WASWJ located further south.