MOISTURE TRANSPORT PATHS AND SOURCES OF SOUTH CHINA ANNUALLY FIRST RAINY SEASON AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONSET OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON?

This study simulated the moisture transport process of southern China annually first rainy season (SCAFRS) using a Lagrangian airflow trajectory model (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory: HYSPLIT), to determine SCAFRS moisture transport characteristics and their relationship with South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM). It is found that the moisture transport paths and sources of SCAFRS are closely related to the onset of SCSSM. Divided by SCSSM onset dates, the moisture transport characteristics of SCAFRS are compared quantitatively. Before the onset of SCSSM, precipitation of SCAFRS mainly comes from western Pacific and eastern China. Their contributions are 24% and 25%, respectively. The amount of water vapor carried along the path coming from Bay of Bengal-South China Sea (BSC) is relatively high, but the contribution rate of this path to SCAFRS precipitation is relatively low. Mainly due to strong precipitation over Bay of Bengal before the onset of SCSSM, this region is a moisture sink, which makes most moisture deposit in this region and only a small portion of water vapor transported to southern China. After the onset of SCSSM, most water vapor is transported to southern China by the southwesterly paths. The Indian Ocean is the main moisture source, which contributes almost 25% to SCAFRS precipitation. The contributions of moisture originating from BSC and eastern China to southern China precipitation after the onset of SCSSM are 21% and 18%, respectively.