The continued warming in the South China Sea is likely to lead to increased precipitation in South Asia and East Asia and affect global weather
Climate change in the South China Sea and its surrounding areas could have “profound impacts” on both local and global climate patterns, a new study has found. The South China Sea, located in the eastern part of Southeast Asia, is a partially enclosed sea surrounded by Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
The South China Sea and its surrounding areas (SCSSA), which includes the Indo-Pacific Oceans, Southeast Asia, and the Tibetan Plateau, play a crucial role in the worldwide climate system. The region is marked by intense ocean-land-atmosphere interactions, making it highly susceptible to global climate change.
The study, published in Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research journal, stated that rapid warming is a defining feature of climate change in this area, affecting not only the South China Sea and its surroundings but also influencing weather patterns across the globe. This rapid warming is leading to increased rainfall during the Asian summer monsoon and significant shifts in the frequency and origin of tropical cyclones.
“Climate change in the South China Sea and its surrounding areas is very complex. It has a significant impact on shaping not only regional climates, but also exerting far-reaching impacts on weather and climate patterns across the globe,” said Song Yang, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, China.
One defining feature of this region are the three important wind patterns that overlap: the regional Hadley circulation, the Walker circulation, and the Asian monsoon circulation. These wind patterns, also known as circulations or cells, are vital for the global movement of air, connecting the local climate to the broader world.
Climate change is already causing shifts in the three overlapping wind patterns, which is expected to increase dry weather and decrease humidity in the extratropical regions.
How will it impact climate in other parts of the globe?
“The increased latent heating over the SCSSA can exert effects on climate variability in regions such as North Africa, South Asia, and East Asia, while surface warming of the Tibetan Plateau has the potential to induce significant climate anomalies in southern Europe and the North Atlantic,” the study stated.
Heating experienced in this region can influence weather patterns in distant areas, including the Arctic. Changes in the western Pacific and South Asian monsoon region may worsen droughts in North Africa due to air movement between the Pacific and Africa, the researchers found.
As the climate gets warmer, South Asia, East Asia, and northern Australia will experience more rainfall. This is because as the sea surface gets warmer, there’s more water vapour in the air and the wind patterns over the South China Sea and nearby areas become stronger.
“Enhanced convection over the SCSSA can lead to anomalous descending motions, causing drought in southern China, South Asia, and northern Africa during the boreal spring and summer,” the researchers wrote.
Changes in the Indo-Pacific Oceans and Tibetan Plateau can affect not only downstream climates such as East Asia, North America, Antarctica, and South America, but also upstream regions like North Africa, South Europe, the North Atlantic, and the Middle East.
According to the study, warming is expected to continue in the South China Sea, leading to increased precipitation in South Asia and East Asia, driven by rising atmospheric moisture. In a future warmer climate, the study predicts more severe impacts from super typhoons in the South China Sea. Additionally, Asian-Australian monsoon precipitation is expected to rise significantly, influenced by heightened atmospheric moisture content.
Source: Asian Scientist Magazine, 21 Feb 2024. https://www.asianscientist.com/2024/02/environment/climate-change-in-south-china-sea-can-impact-global-weather/
Link to full scientific article:
Global Effects of Climate Change in the South China Sea and Its Surrounding Areas