Variação da pressão em Tahiti e sua relação com a precipitação no Brasil com ênfase no leste do nordeste

Abstract

The objective of this work was to analyze the relationship of the sea level pressure (SLP) of Tahiti and some meteorological variables over Brazil, with emphasis in the eastern coast of Northeastern Brazil (ENE). For this purpose, NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data sets of SLP, rainfall rate, outgoing longwave (OLR), zonal and meridional wind components at 850 mb level, for a period that includes two phases of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), a cold phase (1948-1976) and a warm phase (1977-1998), were used. Firstly, the variables anomaly fields were elaborated. Then, a Tahiti SLP standardized index time series (IPT) was constructed and used for correlating with the above mentioned variables anomalies over Brazil. The software GrADS was employed to constructing the variables anomaly fields and the IPT linear correlation coefficient maps. The IPT spatial correlation was performed for each variable anomalies of the cold and the warm PDO phases separately. IPT and rainfall rate correlation coefficients values, ranging from 0,3 to 0,5 , with statistically significance level up to 99%, were found over the northeastern Amazon (Trombetas river watershed) and ENE. In general, the correlation coefficients presented higher values in the PDO warm phase and the IPT performed better than other climatic indices, such as SOI, MEI and Niño 3.4, with respect to rainfall rate over Brazil. Lag correlations were performed, with the meteorological variables lagging up to 5 months the IPT. The results suggested that the IPT is a good predictor of the rainfall rate 5 months in advance, particularly in northeastern Amazon.