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Accelerated increase in the Arctic tropospheric warming events surpassing stratospheric warming events during winter: Accelerated Increase in Arctic Warming

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073012· OSTI ID:1439712
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4]
  1. Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)
  2. Central Weather Bureau, Taipei (Taiwan)
  3. Gwangju Inst. of Science and Technology (Korea, Republic of)
  4. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
In January 2016, a robust reversal of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) took place associated with a rapid tropospheric warming in the Arctic region; this was followed by the occurrence of a classic sudden stratospheric warming in March-April. The succession of these two distinct Arctic warming events provides a stimulating opportunity to examine their characteristics in terms of similarities and differences. Historical cases of these two types of Arctic warming were identified and validated based upon tropical linkages with the Madden-Julian Oscillation and El Niño as well as those documented in previous studies. Our results indicate a recent and accelerated increase in the tropospheric warming type versus a flat trend in stratospheric warming type. Given that tropospheric warming events occur twice as fast than the stratospheric warming type, the noted increase in the former implies further intensification in midlatitude winter weather extremes similar to those experienced in early 2016. Forced simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model suggest that the reduced Arctic sea ice contributes to the observed increase in the tropospheric warming events and associated impact on the anomalously cold Siberia.
Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1439712
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA--124045; KP1703010
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 44; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (4)

Evaluating Impacts of Recent Arctic Sea Ice Loss on the Northern Hemisphere Winter Climate Change journal April 2018
Impact of atmospheric heat and moisture transport on the Arctic warming journal February 2019
Two Impacts of Arctic Rapid Tropospheric Daily Warming From Different Warm Temperature Advection on Cold Winters Over Northern Hemisphere journal September 2019
Warm Arctic episodes linked with increased frequency of extreme winter weather in the United States journal March 2018

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Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Arctic Oscillation
Arctic warming
accelerated increase
extreme weather
sea ice loss
tropospheric warming