Abstract
The advective monthly mean transfer of water vapour in the layer below 700 mbar is investigated for India for the years 1962 to 1972 and for the months January to September. The average zonal and meridional components of the transfer of water vapour for India are obtained. They are further averaged for different combinations of the pre-monsoon months from January to May and are correlated with the summer monsoon rainfall. The correlation coefficients for zonal transfer of water vapour are either negative or small positive for different combinations of the months mentioned above. The correlation coefficients for the meridional transfer of water vapour are positive. The maximum value is 0.74 for the March to May combination and is statistically significant at the 1% level.
An extensive investigation is, therefore, made for the March to May averages of water vapour transfer for four broad regions of India. The parameters of water vapour transfer for these regions are compared with the threshold values and the prediction category, normal or drought, for the subsequent summer monsoon season is determined for all years. The correlation coefficient between the index of drought, as determined from parameters of water vapour transport and rainfall departure, is statistically significant at the 2% level.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ananthakrishnan, R. (1970),Reversal of Pressure Gradients and Wind Circulation Across India and Southwest Monsoon, Q. J. R. Met. Soc.48 (4) 539–542.
Appa Rao, G., andRamana Murty, Bh. V. (1977),Water Vapour Transport and Vergence Patterns Over India During Two Contrasting Summer Monsoons, Pure Appl. Geophys.115, 491–502.
Bavadekar, S. N., andMooley, D. A. (1978),Computation of the Average Precipitation Over the Western Part of Peninsular India During the Summer Monsoon from the Continuity Equation for Atmospheric Water Vapour, Tellus30, 537–541.
Benton, G. S., andEstoque, M. A. (1954),Water Vapour Transfer Over the North American Continent, J. Met.11, 462–477.
Hutchings, J. W. (1957),Water Vapour Flux and Flux Divergence Over Southern England Summer, Q. J. R. Met. Soc.83, 30–48.
Hutchings, J. W. (1961),Water Vapour Transfer Over the Australian Continent, J. Met.18, 615–634.
Jagannathan, P., andKhandekar, M. L. (1962),Pre-disposition of the Upper Air Structure in March to May Over India to the Subsequent Monsoon Rainfall of the Penninsula, India J. Met. Geophys.13, 305–316.
Joseph, P. V., andRaman, P. L. (1966),Existence of Low Level Westerly Jet Stream Over Peninsular India During July, Indian J. Met. Geophys.17, 407–410.
Keshavamurthy, R. N., andAwade, S. T. (1974),Dynamical Abnormalities Associated with Drought in Asiatic Summer Monsoon, Indian J. Met. Geophys.25 (2), 257–264.
Parthasarathy, B. andMooley, D. A. (1978),Some Features of Long Homogeneous Series of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall, Mon. Weath. Rev.106, 771–781.
Peixoto, J. P., (1966),On the Global Water Vapour Balance and the Hydrological Cycle. Tropical Meteorology in Africa (Munitlap Foundation, Nairobi 1966, pp. 223–243.
Peixoto, J. P. (1970),Pole to Pole Divergence of Water Vapour, Tellus22, 17–25.
Pisharoty, P. R. (1965),Evaporation from the Arabian Sea and the Indian Southwest Monsoon. Proc. WMO/UNESCO/IMD/INCOR Symp. Meteorological Results of the International Indian Ocean Expedition, India, 1965, India Met. Dept., pp. 43–54.
Ramamurity, K., Jambunathan, R., andSikka, D. R. (1976),Moisture Distribution and Water Vapour Flux Over the Arabian Sea During an Active and Weak Spell of Southwest Monsoon 1973, Indian J. Met. Geophys.27, 127–140.
Rasmusson, E. M. (1967),Atmospheric Water Vapour Transport and Water Balance of North America, Mon. Weath. Rev.95, 403–425.
Saha, K. R., andBavadekar, S. N. (1973),Water Vapour Budget and Precipitation Over the Arabian Sea During the Northern Summer, Q. J. R. Met. Soc.99, 273–278.
Saha, K. R., andBavadekar, S. N. (1977),Moisture Flux Across the West Coast of India and Rainfall During the Southwest Monsoon, Q. J. R. Met. Soc.103, 370–374.
Sikka, D. R., andMathur, M. B. (1965),Transport of Water Vapour Over Arabian Sea and Adjoining Indian Region During an Active Monsoon Situation. Proc. WMO/UNESCO/IMD/INCOR Symp. Meteorological Results of the International Indian Ocean Expedition, India, 1965, India Met. Dept., pp. 55–67.
Starr, V. P., andPeixoto, J. P. (1958),On the Global Balance of Water Vapour and Hydrology of Deserts, Tellus10, 189–194.
Starr, V. P., Peixoto, J. P., andLivadas, G. C. (1958),On the Meridional Flux of Water Vapour in the Northern Hemisphere, Geofis. Pura Appl.39, 174–184
Starr, V. P., andPeixoto, J. P. (1960),On the Zonal Flux of Water Vapour in the Northern Hemisphere, Geofis. Pura Appl.42, 199–203.
Starr, V. P., Peixoto, J. P., andCrisi, A. R. (1965),Hemispheric Water Balance for the IGY, Tellus17, 463–472.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bavadekar, S.N. Water vapour transport of the pre-monsoon period and the general performance of the Indian summer monsoon. PAGEOPH 120, 67–78 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00879427
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00879427