Relationship between Soviet snow and Korean rainfall

In this study the statistical relationship between winter–spring Soviet snow depth and summer monsoon rainfall over South Korea has been investigated by lag correlation coefficients and composite analysis. Data for the 1966–95 period are used. Results reveal that the winter/springtime snow depth over western Eurasia (over Kazakhstan) is negatively related, whereas the snow depth over eastern Eurasia (over Manchuria–eastern Siberia) is positively related with Korean monsoon rainfall. The dipole correlation pattern suggests that heavy snow over eastern Eurasia and light snow over western Eurasia is favourable, whereas the reverse situation is unfavourable for monsoon activity over South Korea. The NCEP–NCAR re‐analyses data reveal that the dipole correlation configuration is indicative of a mid‐latitude long‐wave pattern with an anomalous ridge over north Asia during the winter prior to a weak Korean monsoon and an anomalous trough prior to a strong monsoon. The re‐analyses data further suggest that the position, shape, and strength of the summertime North Pacific subtropical high and the low‐level jet over the East Asian sector could be considerably influenced by the snow distribution over Eurasia.