The researchers looked at how the South China Sea summer monsoon starts each year from 1997 to 2014. They found three types of starts: normal, intermittent, and delayed. Normal starts happen when there is strong wind and rain over the South China Sea. Intermittent starts have breaks in the rain. Delayed starts occur when a high-pressure system blocks the monsoon. Warm sea temperatures in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea help the monsoon start normally. El Niño events can delay the monsoon, while La Niña events can bring it early. The temperature difference between the Indian and Pacific Oceans affects when the monsoon starts during La Niña years.