Clustering of synoptic activity by Indian summer monsoon intraseasonal oscillations

Abstract

Active and break phases of the Indian summer monsoon are characterized by enhancement and decrease of precipitation over the monsoon trough region. Using genesis data of monsoon low pressure systems (LPS) and circulation data for the period 1954 to 1993, it is shown that the frequency of occurrence of LPS is nearly 3.5 times higher in the active phase of monsoon as compared to the break phase. In addition, the tracks of these synoptic systems are also strongly spatially clustered along the monsoon trough during the active phase of the monsoon. The enhanced (decreased) frequency of occurrence of LPS during active (break) phases is due to modulation of meridional shear of zonal winds and cyclonic vorticity along the monsoon trough by the intraseasonal oscillations (ISO).