Transient behavior of the meridional moisture transport across South America and its relation to atmospheric circulation patterns

The transient behavior of meridional moisture transport across the South American continent is examined with the reanalysis data provided by the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The results show clearly the effects of the valley between the Andes and the Brazilian Plateau in canalizing the southward moisture transport: an intense jet is episodically formed in this valley. The synoptic variability of this low-level jet and its relation to the large-scale atmospheric circulation are studied.