Summer atmospheric circulation over Greenland in response to Arctic amplification and diminished spring snow cover

Journal Article · 23 June 2023 · Nature Communications

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39466-6 · OSTI ID:1986417

Preece, Jonathon R. ; Mote, Thomas L. ; Cohen, Judah ; Wachowicz, Lori J.; Knox, John A.; Tedesco, Marco; Kooperman, Gabriel J.

Abstract The exceptional atmospheric conditions that have accelerated Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss in recent decades have been repeatedly recognized as a possible dynamical response to Arctic amplification. Here, we present evidence of two potentially synergistic mechanisms linking high-latitude warming to the observed increase in Greenland blocking. Consistent with a prominent hypothesis associating Arctic amplification and persistent weather extremes, we show that the summer atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic has become wavier and link this wavier flow to more prevalent Greenland blocking. While a concomitant decline in terrestrial snow cover has likely contributed to this mechanism by further amplifying warming at high latitudes, we also show that there is a direct stationary Rossby wave response to low spring North American snow cover that enforces an anomalous anticyclone over Greenland, thus helping to anchor the ridge over Greenland in this wavier atmospheric state.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0021209
• OSTI ID: 1986417
• Journal Information: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 14; ISSN 2041-1723
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English