Sea surface temperature anomalies in different ocean basins affecting the interannual variations of summer precipitation in low-latitude highlands of Southeast Asia

This study investigates the effects of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in different ocean basins driving the interannual variations of summer precipitation in low-latitude highlands of Southeast Asia (SALH) during 1981–2020. Singular value decomposition reveals that above-normal SALH precipitation is dynamically connected with positive SST anomalies over the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) and over the tropical South Atlantic (TSA) and negative SST anomaly over the eastern North Pacific (ENP). The atmospheric circulation related to the TIO SST anomaly that facilitates enhanced SALH precipitation is characterized by the positive phase of Pacific-Japan pattern around East Asia. Those associated with the TSA and ENP SST anomalies are featured by the zonally overturning circulation across the tropical regions and a circumglobal teleconnection-like wave train, respectively. All of these could strengthen the western Pacific subtropical high and the climatological water vapor transport toward SALH. Furthermore, these SST anomalies can persist from preceding several months to summer and may provide the predictability for the interannual variations of the SALH summer precipitation.