Impact of Tropical Sea Surface Temperature Independent of the Preceding Winter ENSO on the Interannual Variability of South China Sea Summer Monsoon Intensity

<p indent="0mm">This study explores the impact of the tropical sea surface temperature (SST) independent of the preceding winter El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events (ENSO-independent SST) on the interannual variability of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon (SCSSM) and the associated mechanisms. During summer, the ENSO-independent SST component dominates across tropical ocean regions. The tropical ENSO-independent SSTs during spring and summer in the Maritime Continent (MC), the equatorial central-eastern Pacific (CEP), and the tropical Atlantic Ocean (TAO) regions play a comparably significant role in the interannual variation of the SCSSM intensity, compared to the tropical SST dependent on the preceding winter ENSO. The ENSO-independent SST anomalies (SSTA) in the TAO during spring and summer exhibit significant persistence. They can influence the SCSSM through westward propagation of teleconnection, as well as through eastward-propagating Kelvin waves. In summer, the SSTA in the MC, CEP, and TAO regions contribute jointly to the variability of the SCSSM. The MC SSTA affects local convection and generates anomalous meridional circulation to impact the SCSSM intensity. The CEP SSTA directly influences the SCSSM via the Matsuno-Gill response mechanism and indirectly affects it via meridional circulation by modulating vertical motions over the MC through zonal circulation. The TAO SSTA impacts the SCSSM through both westward and eastward pathways, as well as by influencing zonal circulation patterns in the tropical and subtropical North Pacific. The results offer valuable insights into the factors influencing the interannual variability of the SCSSM intensity.