Abstract: The configuration of the subtropical circulation forced by sensible heating is studied using a linear quasigeostrophic model. The impacts of subtropical background zonal flow and radiative cooling on the formation of triangular off-centered configuration of the surface anticyclone are discussed. Results show that when the basic flow is constant, cyclones and anticyclones forced by sensible heating are mainly situated in the middle and lower troposphere and the amplitude at surface is much stronger than that in the middle and upper layers. When the basic flow is not constant, the meridional shear of basic flow can change the meridional locations of the forced cyclone and anticyclone centers lying approximately where the zero zonal wind is located. The vertical shear of basic flow strengthens the upper layer anticyclone, makes it stronger than the surface anticyclone, and the anticyclone center is located in the upper troposphere, which is similar to the South Asia High. In addition, it is found that the surface anticyclone forms when long-wave radiative cooling in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the basic flow of the subtropical area are both considered. Subtropical westerlies in higher latitudes make the surface anticyclone move eastward, and subtropical easterlies in lower latitudes lead to its westward moving. As a result, the parallelogram surface anticyclone is forced extending from northeast to southwest and its center is situated in the western Pacific Ocean. Furthermore, radiative cooling intensifies the surface anticyclone in the eastern Pacific Ocean and causes its center to move eastward. As a result, the triangular and off-centered configuration of the surface anticyclone appears.