Non‐Synchronization of the Decadal Transition in Winter Near‐Surface Wind Speed Across Northern and Southern China

Abstract Decadal variations in near‐surface wind speed (NSWS) and their causes are poorly understood. We found that the decadal transition of winter NSWS in northern China (NC) was 10 years earlier than in southern China (SC), which could be linked to the changes in intensities of the eastward wave‐activity flux and Siberian High (SH) induced by the Warm Arctic‐Cold Eurasia (WACE) dipole pattern. From 1973 to 1990, the WACE pattern from positive to negative phases confined the eastward wave trains to high latitudes with a decreasing SH, inducing an NSWS reduction. From 1991 to 2000, the WACE strengthened from negative to positive phases, causing a decadal transition in NSWS first in NC. After 2000, accompanied by the strengthening of the positive WACE, the eastward wave trains propagated downstream to lower latitudes, the SH and the meridional pressure gradient enhanced. Therefore, the transition of decadal NSWS occurred in SC until 2000.