Abstract:By using the ERA5 reanalysis data in recent 20 years, the statistical and circulation characteristics of gale and extreme gale events near the Zhongshan station in Antarctica were analyzed. Results show that the occurrence frequency of gale events is the highest in spring and the least in summer. The mean duration time of gale events is the longest in winter and the shortest in summer. However, there is no seasonal variation of the mean intensity of gale events. For extreme gale events, seasonal variations are found in their occurrence frequency. In winter, the occurrence frequency is about 6 times of that in summer, and twice of that in spring and autumn. There is little difference in the mean duration time and intensity in each season. During gale events, the upper troposphere of Antarctica is dominated by a unique polar vortex. In the middle troposphere, the polar vortex breaks up owing to the intrusion of warm moist air from the mid-lower latitudes, forming a ridge to the east of Zhongshan Station. The sinking air ahead of the ridge creates of anticyclonic cold high at the surface. Gales occur near Zhongshan Station as the easterly flow of the anticyclone goes downslope the plateau. The aforementioned circulation features are the strongest (weakest) in winter (spring), which thus gives rise to the seasonal variation of gale events.