  Fine et al. (2016, hereafter F16) investigated the potential role of Sumatra
Island, as well as the Malay Peninsula and Java, in creating terrain-induced
circulations over the Indian Ocean (IO) that subsequently develop into tropical
cyclones (TCs). Applying sophisticated vortex tracking software to 2.5 yrs of
model analyses, F16 found four regions downstream of topographic features in
the Maritime Continent to be prolific generators of low-level cyclonic vortices
(123/yr). This present study extends the limited analyses of F16 by applying a
similar approach to 10 yrs (2008-2017) of ERA5 analyses. While the 2.5-yr
period which F16 studied was slightly (8%) more active in terms of vortex
production than the 10-yr period, in general the findings of F16 are
representative of the longer-term record with 80% of all shed vortices
occurring with easterly low-level (925 hPa) flow over the hotspot regions.
Additional analysis of the 10-yr record found that vortex counts are highest
near MJO phase 1 when low-level easterlies are strongest over the maritime
continent region. A secondary peak in vortex counts occurs during MJO phase 4
when low-level westerlies were present near the equator west of Sumatra. This
suggests that low-level westerly surges on the equator impinging on Sumatra
associated with the MJO contribute to an increase in wake vortex development.
While the frequency of vortex genesis over the four hotspot regions is strongly
tied to the annual cycle of winds, periods with anomalous zonal flow are shown
to impact vortex counts. This is most apparent in the region off the southern
tip of Sumatra where vortex counts were 4 times higher during periods of
anomalous easterlies compared to periods with anomalous westerlies. In this
region positive (negative) ENSO and Indian-Ocean Dipole conditions drive
anomalous easterlies (westerlies) which impact vortex formation rates.
