Abstract
Sea levels in the Western North Pacific (WNP) are presented with
anomalous intraseasonal variations. This study examines the response of
sea level in the WNP to the atmospheric Intraseasonal Oscillation modes,
namely the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the Boreal Summer
Intraseasonal Oscillation (BSISO), using the 25 years (1993-2017) of
satellite altimetry and barotropic model output. In winter, the MJO has
significant effects on the component of sea level due to the instant
wind and atmospheric pressure effects (high-frequency), showing an
eastward propagation pattern in most regions, with the strongest effects
in the western marginal seas. The MJO-associated pattern of dynamical
(low-frequency) component of sea level propagates southward, with the
significant effects mostly in the tropics. In summer, the
BSISO-associated pattern of the high-frequency component of sea level
moves from southwest to northeast, with the largest anomalies in the
middle of WNP (20{degree sign}N-30{degree sign}N), while the
strongest BSISO effects on the low-frequency component are detectable
mostly in the coasts of China and east of the Philippines. The MJO and
BSISO can also modulate the probability of extreme sea level events. In
winter, during phases 2-5, MJO increases the chance of extreme high
events in the high-frequency component of sea level by 100-200% in the
western coasts and the tropics. In summer, in BSISO phases 6-7, the
chance of extreme high events in the high-frequency component of sea
level is enhanced by >300% in the South China Sea and east
of the Philippines.