The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events
The stratospheric pathway is a major driver of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts on mid-latitude tropospheric circulation and winter weather. The weak vortex induced by El Niño conditions has been shown to increase the risk of cold spells, especially over Eurasia, but its role for North Am...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.626244/full |
| _version_ | 1818436660452392960 |
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| author | Xin Zhou Quanliang Chen Yang Li Yawei Yang Shaobo Zhang Yong Zhao Yulei Qi Jingtao Zhou |
| author_facet | Xin Zhou Quanliang Chen Yang Li Yawei Yang Shaobo Zhang Yong Zhao Yulei Qi Jingtao Zhou |
| author_sort | Xin Zhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The stratospheric pathway is a major driver of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts on mid-latitude tropospheric circulation and winter weather. The weak vortex induced by El Niño conditions has been shown to increase the risk of cold spells, especially over Eurasia, but its role for North American winters is less clear. This study involved idealized experiments with the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model to examine how the weak winter vortex induced by extreme El Niño events is linked to North American coldness in spring. Contrary to the expected mid-latitude cooling associated with a weak vortex, extreme El Niño events do not lead to North American cooling overall, with daily cold extremes actually decreasing, especially in Canada. The expected cooling is absent in most of North America because of the advection of warmer air masses guided by an enhanced ridge over Canada and a trough over the Aleutian Peninsula. This pattern persists in spring as a result of the trapping of stationary waves from the polar stratosphere and troposphere, implying that the stratospheric influence on North America is sensitive to regional downward wave activities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:12:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce022ed62d0e49d898670357b3b517c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T17:12:19Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce022ed62d0e49d898670357b3b517c92022-12-21T22:53:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632021-02-01910.3389/feart.2021.626244626244The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño EventsXin Zhou0Quanliang Chen1Yang Li2Yawei Yang3Shaobo Zhang4Yong Zhao5Yulei Qi6Jingtao Zhou7Plateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaShanghai Climate Center, Shanghai, ChinaPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaPlateau Atmosphere and Environment Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Atmospheric Science, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu, ChinaThe stratospheric pathway is a major driver of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts on mid-latitude tropospheric circulation and winter weather. The weak vortex induced by El Niño conditions has been shown to increase the risk of cold spells, especially over Eurasia, but its role for North American winters is less clear. This study involved idealized experiments with the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model to examine how the weak winter vortex induced by extreme El Niño events is linked to North American coldness in spring. Contrary to the expected mid-latitude cooling associated with a weak vortex, extreme El Niño events do not lead to North American cooling overall, with daily cold extremes actually decreasing, especially in Canada. The expected cooling is absent in most of North America because of the advection of warmer air masses guided by an enhanced ridge over Canada and a trough over the Aleutian Peninsula. This pattern persists in spring as a result of the trapping of stationary waves from the polar stratosphere and troposphere, implying that the stratospheric influence on North America is sensitive to regional downward wave activities.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.626244/fullextreme El Niñostratospheric pathwaynorth Americaspring coldnessWACCM4 |
| spellingShingle | Xin Zhou Quanliang Chen Yang Li Yawei Yang Shaobo Zhang Yong Zhao Yulei Qi Jingtao Zhou The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events Frontiers in Earth Science extreme El Niño stratospheric pathway north America spring coldness WACCM4 |
| title | The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events |
| title_full | The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events |
| title_fullStr | The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events |
| title_full_unstemmed | The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events |
| title_short | The North American Spring Coldness Response to the Persistent Weak Stratospheric Vortex Induced by Extreme El Niño Events |
| title_sort | north american spring coldness response to the persistent weak stratospheric vortex induced by extreme el nino events |
| topic | extreme El Niño stratospheric pathway north America spring coldness WACCM4 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.626244/full |
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