The nonlinear association between the Arctic Oscillation and North American winter climate

Nonlinear projections of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) index onto North American winter (December–March) 500-mb geopotential height (Z500) and surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies reveal a pronounced asymmetry in the atmospheric patterns associated with positive and negative phases of the AO. In a linear view, the Z500 anomaly field associated with positive AO resembles a positive North Atlantic Oscillation pattern with statistically significant positive and negative anomalies stretching zonally into central-eastern USA and Canada, respectively, resulting in a cold climate anomaly over northeastern and eastern Canada, Alaska and the west coast of USA, and a warm climate anomaly over the rest of the continent. By contrast, the nonlinear behavior, mainly a quadratic association with AO, which is most apparent when the amplitude of the AO index is large, has the same spatial pattern and sign for both positive and negative values of the index. The nonlinear pattern reveals negative Z500 anomalies over the west coast of USA and the North Atlantic and positive Z500 anomalies at higher latitudes centered over the Gulf of Alaska and northeastern Canada accompanied by cooler than normal climate over the USA and southwestern Canada and warmer than normal climate over other regions of the continent. A similar analysis is conducted on the data from the Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis second generation coupled general circulation model. The nonlinear patterns of North American Z500 and SAT anomalies associated with the AO in the model simulation are generally consistent with the observational results, thereby confirming the robustness of the nonlinear behavior of North American winter climate with respect to the AO in a climate simulation that is completely independent of the observations.     

冬季亚洲—太平洋涛动年际变率与东亚气候异常

利用1948—2011年NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料和1951—2010年我国160站降水量资料,研究了冬季亚洲—太平洋区域的大气遥相关及其与东亚冬季风和降水的关系。结果表明:冬季在亚洲—西太平洋与中、东太平洋中低纬度对流层上层扰动温度之间存在类似于夏季的亚洲—太平洋涛动 (APO) 现象,即当东亚中低纬度对流层中、上层偏暖时,中东太平洋中低纬度对流层中上层温度偏冷,反之亦然。冬季APO可以反映冬季亚洲—太平洋东西向热力差异强度变化,与夏季相比,冬季APO遥相关在亚洲的中心位置略偏南、偏东,且冬季APO与大气环流关系与夏季也有所不同;当冬季APO指数偏高时,对流层上层东亚大槽位置偏西,而东亚热带地区的高压向北伸展,导致我国南方对流层为深厚的异常反气旋系统所控制,此时南方地区对流层低层盛行异常的偏东北气流,并伴随水汽辐散和异常下沉运动,南方降水偏少;冬季APO指数与ENSO有紧密联系。     

南极涛动和北半球大气环流异常的联系

使用ECMWF逐日再分析资料分析研究了北半球冬季南极涛动和北半球大气环流异常之间的联系。资料的分析结果表明, 南极涛动和滞后其25～40天位于北大西洋地区的一个弱的类似于北大西洋涛动 (North Atlantic Oscillation, 简称NAO) 的偶极子模态, 以及伴随这一偶极子模态而出现的北半球中纬度纬向风异常之间存在着统计上的联系。处于正 (负) 位相的南极涛动对应着滞后25～40天后, 北大西洋高纬极区出现位势高度负 (正) 异常, 副热带大西洋出现位势高度正 (负) 异常; 同时, 在北半球中高纬度地区(45°N～65°N) 出现西 (东) 风异常, 中低纬度地区(25°N～40°N)出现东 (西) 风异常。文中也对资料分析结果进行了简单的动力学分析, 表明与南极涛动相联系的涡动动量异常是驱动北半球纬向平均纬向风异常的主要原因。     

Effects of atmosphere-ocean interaction on the interannual variability of winter temperature in Taiwan and East Asia

 This study investigated the ocean-atmosphere interaction effect on the winter surface air temperature in Taiwan. Temperature fluctuations in Taiwan and marine East Asia correlated better with a SST dipole in the western North Pacific than the SST in the central/eastern equatorial Pacific. During the warm (cold) winters, a positive (negative) SST anomaly appears in marine East Asia and a negative (positive) SST anomaly appears in the Philippine Sea. The corresponding low-level atmospheric circulation is a cyclonic (anticyclonic) anomaly over the East Asian continent and an anticyclonic (cyclonic) circulation in the Philippine Sea during the warm (cold) winters. Based on the results of both numerical and empirical studies, it is proposed that a vigorous ocean-atmosphere interaction occurring in the western North Pacific modulates the strength of the East Asian winter monsoon and the winter temperature in marine East Asia. The mechanism is described as follows. The near-surface circulation anomalies, which are forced by the local SST anomaly, strengthen (weaken) the northeasterly trade winds in the Philippine Sea and weaken (strengthen) the northeasterly winter monsoon in East Asia during warm (cold) winters. The anomalous circulation causes the SST to fluctuate by modulating the heat flux at the ocean surface. The SST anomaly in turn enhances the anomalous circulation. Such an ocean-atmosphere interaction results in the rapid development of the anomalous circulation in the western North Pacific and the anomalous winter temperature in marine East Asia. This interaction is phase-locked with the seasonal cycle and occurs most efficiently in the boreal winters. Received: 22 October 1999 / Accepted: 5 June 2000     

北极海冰对2008年1月乌拉尔高压异常的影响

2008年1月我国南方发生了大范围的雨雪冰冻灾害天气,造成此次灾害的一个重要原因是乌拉尔高压异常的长期维持,而作为下垫面的海洋,2007/2008冬季环北欧海海冰异常偏少。观测资料合成分析表明,乌拉尔山地区出现高压异常与巴伦支海和喀拉海的海冰偏少存在密切对应关系。利用大气环流模式试验研究了(90°W~60°E)区域海冰异常对大气的影响,模拟结果显示海冰对乌拉尔高压异常有正的贡献,线性模式诊断表明天气尺度瞬变波是海冰影响乌拉尔高压异常的一种重要机制。     

Diagnostic Comparison of Wintertime East Asian Subtropical Jet and Polar-Front Jet: Large-Scale Characteristics and Transient Eddy Activities

Diagnostic comparison of the East Asian subtropical jet (EASJ) and polar-front jet (EAPJ) in winter season is carried out by using the ERA-40 dataset. The large-scale circulation characteristics and synopticscale transient eddy activities (STEAs) associated with the EASJ and EAPJ are examined. The results show that the EASJ and EAPJ in the upper-level monthly mean data have no clear geographical border, while the distribution of the numbers of jet cores from the daily data exhibits a distinct boundary at the latitudes of the northern Tibetan Plateau. The two areas with large numbers of jet cores correspond to the EASJ and EAPJ regions. The analysis of STEAs over the East Asian region shows a spatial match of STEAs with the EASJ and EAPJ in winter: the strong EASJ is located within the weak southern branch of the STEA while the relatively weak EAPJ appears within the active northern branch of the STEA, indicating that the EAPJ is the jet coexisting with the STEA. Further analysis shows two anomalous modes of the winter EAPJ: the anomalous anticyclonic/cyclonic circulation and the weakened/strengthened local westerly wind. The large-scale circulation anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere related to the first mode are concentrated in the Eurasian mid to high latitudes, and are also influenced by the anomalous circulation in the upstream area. When the local westerly wind over the EAPJ region is weakened/strengthened, the westerly jet in the eastern part of the EASJ and that in the western Pacific region show opposite variations. The corresponding anomalous atmospheric circulation demonstrates the Eurasian (EU) pattern. The EAPJ anomalies are also closely linked with the STEA anomalies over East Asia. The anomalies in the northern branch of the STEA propagate as a wave train along its axis into the East Asian coastal waters, and then migrate eastward to the oceanic region. However, the ones near the southern branch are trapped over the eastern part of East Asia and its coastal waters at 200 hPa.     

影响中国夏季降水的前冬北半球中高纬大气环流年际变异主模态

本文利用观测和再分析资料,通过奇异值分解(Singular Value Decomposition, SVD)分析,发现北极涛动(Arctic Oscillation, AO)是显著影响中国夏季降水年际异常的前冬中高纬大气环流变异的主模态。AO在冬季发展成熟,在春季衰亡,在夏季发生位相反转。AO会导致华北、东北、长江中下游和华南夏季降水异常呈现三极型分布。伴随正位相的AO,在黄海至日本海上空的异常低压伴随的东北风异常引起华北和东北水汽通量异常辐散及降水减少,而西北太平洋的异常高压不仅增强其北侧的西南风水汽输送,和北部异常低压共同作用导致长江中下游水汽通量异常辐合及降水增加,而且使得华南水汽通量异常辐散,降水减少。因此,本文发现的前冬AO模态与我国夏季三极型异常降水分布的关系可为我国夏季旱涝预测提供一个重要的中高纬前期因子。     

冬季低纬度热源异常在北半球对流层大气环流异常中的作用

本文首先从理论上讨论了北半球冬季低纬度强迫源与中纬度强迫源强迫所产生的准定常行星波在实际基本气流中传播路径及其振幅分布的差异,指出冬季低纬度热源异常将对北半球中、高纬度对流层大气环流的异常起很大影响,而中纬度热源异常将对平流层环流异常起很大作用。 本文应用一个包括Rayleigh摩擦、Newton冷却及水平涡旋热力扩散准地转34层球坐标模式分别计算了冬季低纬度热源异常与中纬度热源异常所造成北半球扰动系统的异常情况,计算结果表明了冬季低纬度热源异常将对中、高纬度对流层大气环流异常起很大作用,热带太平洋上空热源异常将产生PNA型环流异常。     

Linking Arctic sea‐ice and atmospheric circulation anomalies on interannual and decadal timescales

Abstract

The relationship between Arctic sea‐ice concentration anomalies, particularly those associated with the “Great Salinity Anomaly” of 1968–1982, and atmospheric circulation anomalies north of 45°N is investigated. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses are performed on winter Arctic ice concentration from 1954 to 1990, sea level pressure and 500‐hPa heights from 1947 to 1994, and 850‐hPa temperatures from 1963 to 1994. Variability on both interannual and decadal timescales is apparent in the time series of the leading winter EOFs of all variables. The first EOF of winter sea‐ice concentration was found to characterize the patterns of ice variability associated with the Great Salinity Anomaly in the northern North Atlantic from 1968–82. Spatial maps of temporal correlation coefficients between the time series of the first EOF of winter sea‐ice concentration and the winter atmospheric anomaly fields are calculated at lags of 0 and ±7 year. Maximum correlations were found to exist when the time‐series of this ice EOF 1 leads the atmospheric anomaly fields by one year. A particularly interesting result is the connection between the presence of ice anomalies in the Greenland and Barents Seas and subsequent pressure anomalies of the same sign over the Irminger Basin and the Canadian Arctic. The main emphasis of the paper is to identify connections between Arctic sea‐ice and atmospheric circulation anomalies at interannual time‐scales.     

东北春季极端连续无雨日与前冬北太平洋海平面气压的可能联系北大核心

基于1960—2019年中国东北地区108个台站逐日降水资料、JRA-55再分析资料和Hadley中心海温数据,分析了东北地区春季极端连续无雨日的年际变化特征及其与前冬北太平洋地区大气环流和海表温度的关系。研究表明,东北地区春季极端连续无雨日集中在3—4月。当3—4月极端连续无雨日偏多时,贝加尔湖地区存在异常高压,东北地区受偏北气流影响,局地水汽辐散。进一步分析发现,东北地区3—4月极端连续无雨日与前冬1—2月北太平洋地区偶极型海平面气压存在密切联系。该大气模态可以引起同期北太平洋海温呈现出马蹄形异常分布并持续到3—4月。在3—4月,海温异常可以通过改变北太平洋上空的经向温度梯度,引起东亚到北太平洋地区的西风变化,进而有利于贝加尔湖地区出现异常高压。另一方面,海温异常还会增强北半球中纬度的波列活动,东传的波列也可以增强贝加尔湖地区的高压。上述异常环流为东北地区极端连续无雨日的增加提供了有利背景条件。留一交叉验证结果显示,前冬1—2月北太平洋地区偶极型海平面气压可作为东北春季极端连续无雨日的潜在预测因子。     

北太平洋冬季海-气耦合的主模态及其与瞬变扰动异常的联系

利用45年的ECMWF再分析资料,使用SVD方法研究了冬季北太平洋地区表层海温(SST)异常与大气环流异常间的主要耦合模态,探讨了大尺度海-气耦合型与天气尺度瞬变扰动的相互关系。分析结果表明,中纬度北太平洋地区冬季存在两种主要的海-气耦合型,第1种耦合型反映了与ENSO紧密相关的中纬度北太平洋冬季海温异常分布型以及大气的PNA型,第2种耦合型SST异常集中在东亚沿海以及中纬度北太平洋海流区,相应的大气场则为暖(冷)SSTA上空东西向带状区域内位势高度偏高(低),明显独立于ENSO型。进一步的合成分析表明,在第1种耦合型SST正(负)异常年里,冬季阿留申低压主体位置偏西南(东北),从东北亚到北美西海岸的西北—东南向带状区域内是低层大气温度正(负)异常区和高层西风负(正)异常区,西风负(正)异常中心位于西风急流出口处的北太平洋中东部,而西风急流主体区的风速变化很小。在第2种耦合型东亚沿海至中纬度北太平洋海流区SST偏暖(冷)时,阿留申低压整体偏弱(强),SST暖(冷)异常上空的大气温度偏暖(冷),高层西风急流区西风偏弱(强)。两种耦合型均显示出在北太平洋中纬度地区大气和海洋的异常相关中心有很好的空间对应性。在两种耦合型下,中纬度北太平洋冬季的大气斜压性也发生截然不同的改变,引起中纬度天气尺度瞬变扰动活动异常。瞬变扰动异常的动力强迫作用对北太平洋西风异常的形成存在正反馈作用,而其热力作用则试图破坏与两种海-气耦合模态相关的大气温度异常型。     

Roles of Synoptic to Quasi-Monthly Disturbances in Generating Two Pre-Summer Heavy Rainfall Episodes over South China

In this study,power spectral analysis and bandpass filtering of daily meteorological fields are performed to explore the roles of synoptic to quasi-monthly disturbances in influencing the generation of pre-summer heavy rainfall over South China.Two heavy rainfall episodes are selected during the months of April-June 2008-15,which represent the collaboration between the synoptic and quasi-biweekly disturbances and the synoptic and quasi-monthly disturbances,respectively.Results show that the first heavy rainfall episode takes place in a southwesterly anomalous flow associated with an anticyclonic anomaly over the South China Sea(SCS)at the quasi-biweekly scale with 15.1%variance contributions,and at the synoptic scale in a convergence zone between southwesterly and northeasterly anomalous flows associated with a southeastward-moving anticyclonic anomaly on the leeside of the Yungui Plateau and an eastwardpropagating anticyclonic anomaly from higher latitudes with 35.2%variance contribution.In contrast,the second heavy rainfall episode takes place in southwest-to-westerly anomalies converging with northwest-to-westerly anomalies at the quasi-monthly scale with 23.2%variance contributions to the total rainfall variance,which are associated with an anticyclonic anomaly over the SCS and an eastward-propagating cyclonic anomaly over North China,respectively.At the synoptic scale,it occurs in south-to-southwesterly anomalies converging with a cyclonic anomaly on the downstream of the Yungui Plateau with 49.3%variance contributions.In both cases,the lower-tropospheric mean south-to-southwesterly flows provide ample moisture supply and potentially unstable conditions;it is the above synoptic,quasi-biweekly or quasimonthly disturbances that determine the general period and distribution of persistent heavy rainfall over South China.     

1998年和2016年北大西洋海温异常对中国夏季降水影响的数值模拟研究

基于1979-2016年ERA-Interim再分析资料和CAM5.3模式,研究了2016年和1998年北大西洋海温异常对中国夏季降水以及大尺度环流的可能影响及其机制。结果表明,这两年前夏（6-7月）长江中下游及其以南地区降水均异常偏多,但1998年降水异常较2016年更为显著。后夏（8月）,2016年长江以南地区降水异常偏多,长江-黄河流域降水异常偏少,而1998年降水异常分布与之相反。2016年和1998年夏季中国东部降水异常的差异与西北太平洋对流层低层异常反气旋以及欧亚中高纬度环流变化的共同作用直接相关。敏感性数值试验的结果表明,北大西洋海温异常的显著差异是导致2016年和1998年夏季中国东部降水以及大尺度环流异常存在明显差异的重要原因之一。一方面,北大西洋海温异常可以通过改变欧亚中高纬度环流进而对中国夏季降水产生影响。1998年北大西洋海温异常自热带至副极地呈类似"+ - +"型分布,这种海温异常型能够在前夏欧亚中高纬度地区激发出双阻型的环流异常响应。2016年北大西洋海温异常自热带至副极地呈相对弱的"- + -"型分布,欧亚中高纬度环流异常响应总体偏弱。另一方面,北大西洋海温异常还可以通过影响热带纬向环流进而对西北太平洋对流层低层异常反气旋起调制作用。1998年北大西洋海温异常对夏季西北太平洋异常反气旋起增强作用,这与热带印度洋-太平洋海温的强迫作用相协调。然而,2016年北大西洋海温异常则有利于西北太平洋异常反气旋的减弱,这与热带印度洋-太平洋海温的强迫作用相反。因此,在这3个大洋的协同作用下,2016年和1998年前夏西北太平洋异常反气旋均偏强,但前者的振幅弱于后者。在后夏,1998年西北太平洋对流层低层仍受异常反气旋控制,2016年则为异常气旋控制。      

东北冷涡持续活动时期的北半球500 hPa环流特征分析

分别对5月和6～8月东亚东北冷涡活动典型的多寡年份北半球500 hPa高度距平场进行合成、频次累积和相关分析,结果表明:东亚东北冷涡持续性活动不仅与前期、同期和后期北半球的大气环流异常密切相关,而且也是异常区的重要组成部分;500hPa 5月和6～8月东北冷涡活动多寡年的同期500hPa高度距平合成场差异显著;6～8月东北冷涡典型多寡年的同期距平场均与前冬(12～2月)的主要异常区反位相,存在半年尺度的遥相关,与北太平洋涛动(NPO)类同的500 hPa高度距平场,如前冬呈正位相,预报6～8月东北冷涡持续活动弱,反之,冷涡持续活动强;合成场和相关场通过信度检验的关键区主要位于东亚中高纬度至阿留申群岛及其以南的副热带地区、青藏高原接近巴基斯坦一侧和北非乍得盆地与撒哈拉大沙漠等地区;由此可以认为东亚地区中高纬度5月和6～8月东北冷涡持续性活动是北半球大气环流异常持续或调整的重要表征.     

我国东部梅雨期降水的年际和年代际变化特征及其与大气环流和海温的关系

基于我国160站59年(1951～2009年)的月降水观测资料、美国气象环境预报中心和国家大气研究中心(NCEP/NCAR)提供的再分析资料和Hadley中心的海表温度(Sea Surface Temperature,简称SST)资料,对我国东部(100°E以东,15°N～40°N)梅雨期(6月和7月)降水的时空变化特...     

华南6月降水异常及其与东亚—太平洋遥相关的关系

利用1959～2010年共52年的大气环流和降水资料,我们分析了华南前汛期季风降水 (6月降水) 的变化特征,发现6月华南降水与同期EAP (East Asia-Pacific,东亚—太平洋) 遥相关型有显著的相关关系,两者之间的相关系数为0.35.EAP指数为正时,长江中下游以南的地区降水偏多,而长江以北和黄河之间的地区降水偏少.将华南6月降水分为与EAP相关的降水序列和与EAP独立的降水序列,比较了二者所对应环流异常的异同点.结果表明,与EAP相关的降水异常对应着EAP相关型的环流异常分布特征,降水为正异常时,850hPa风场从低纬度到高纬度呈现“反气旋、气旋、反气旋”的异常分布,湿的偏南风和干的偏北风在华南上空交汇,降水增多;而整个淮河流域上空为偏北风异常,导致南风带来的水汽输送减少,降水偏少,因此降水异常呈现偶极子分布.相比之下,与EAP独立的降水正异常对应的环流异常表现为热带西北太平洋上空的反气旋性环流异常,华南地区上空为显著的西南风异常,输送到华南地区的水汽增多,导致降水偏多.     

An Observed Connection Between Wintertime Temperature Anomalies over Northwest China and Weather Regime Transitions in North Atlantic

In this study, the association between wintertime temperature anomalies over Northwest China and the weather regime transitions in North Atlantic on synoptic scale is analyzed by using observational surface air temperature(SAT) data and atmospheric reanalysis data. Daily SAT anomaly and duration time are used in order to define SAT anomaly cases. Differences with regard to the circulation anomalies over the Ural Mountains and the upstream North Atlantic area are evident. It is found that the colder than normal SAT is caused by the enhanced Ural high and associated southward flow over Northwest China. Time-lagged composites reveal possible connections between the SAT anomalies and the different development phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO). The Ural highs tend to be strengthened during the negative phase of NAO(NAO–) to Atlantic ridge transition, which are closely related to the downstream-propagating Rossby wave activity. The opposite circulation patterns are observed in the warm SAT cases. A cyclonic circulation anomaly is distinctly enhanced over the Urals during the positive phase of NAO(NAO+) to Scandinavian blocking transition, which would cause warmer SAT over Northwest China. Further analyses suggest that the intensified zonal wind over North Atlantic would favor the NAO– to Atlantic ridge transition, while the weakened zonal wind may be responsible for the transition between NAO+ and Scandinavian blocking.     

北半球高纬地区年际尺度循环过程中的气-海-冰相互作用关系

基于一个全球气-海-冰耦合模式数值模拟结果,对北半球高纬度地区年际尺度的气-海-冰相互作用进行了分析。在所使用的全球气-海-冰耦合模式中,大气环流模式和陆面过程模式来自国家气候中心,海洋环流模式和海冰模式来自中国科学院大气物理研究所大气科学和地球流体力学数值模拟国家重点实验室。采用一种逐日通量距平耦合方案实现次网格尺度海冰非均匀条件下大气环流模式和海洋环流模式在高纬地区的耦合。只对50 a模拟结果中的后30 a结果进行了分析。在分析中,首先对滤波后的北半球高纬度地区海平面气压、表面大气温度、海表面温度、海冰密集度及海表面感热通量的标准化距平做联合复经验正交函数分解,取第一模进行重建,然后讨论了在一个循环周期(约4 a)中北半球高纬度地区气-海-冰的作用关系。结果表明:(1)当北大西洋涛动处于正位相时,格陵兰海出现南风异常,使表面大气温度升高,海洋失去感热通量减少,海洋表面温度升高,海冰密集度减小;当北大西洋涛动处于负位相时,格陵兰海出现北风异常,使表面大气温度降低,海洋失去感热通量增多,海洋表面温度降低,海冰密集度增加。巴伦支海变化特点与格陵兰海相似,但在时间上并不完全一致。(2)多年平均而言,北冰洋内部靠近极点区域为冷中心。当北冰洋内部为低压异常时,因异常中心偏向太平洋一侧,使北冰洋内部靠近太平洋部分为暖平流异常,靠近大西洋一侧为冷平流异常。伴随着暖、冷平流异常,这两侧分别出现暖异常和冷异常,海表面给大气的感热通量分别偏少和偏多,上述海区海表面温度分别偏高和偏低,海冰密集度分别偏小和偏大。当北冰洋内部为高压异常时特点正好与上述相反。由上述分析结果可知,在海洋、大气年际循环中,大尺度大气环流变率起主导作用,海洋表面温度和海冰密集度变化主要是对大气环流变化的响应。     

Numerical Simulation of the Effect of the SST Anomalies in the Tropical Western Pacific on the Blocking Highs over the Northeastern Asia

The effects of the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical western Pacific on the atmospheric circulation anomalies over East Asia are simulated by the IAP-GCM with an observed and idealized distributions of the SST anomalies in the tropical western Pacific,respectively.Firstly,the atmospheric circulation anomalies during July and August,1980 are simulated by three anomalous experiments including the global SST anomaly experiment,the tropical SST anomaly experiment and the extratropical SST anomaly experiment,using the observed SST anomalies in 1980.It is shown that the SST anomalies in the tropical ocean greatly influence the formation and maintenance of the blocking high over the northeastern Asia,and may play a more important role than the SST anomalies in the extratropical ocean in the influence on the atmospheric circulation anomalies.Secondly,the effects of the SST anomalies in the tropical western Pacific on the atmospheric circulation anomalies over East Asia are also simulated w     

Atmospheric forcing of Fram Strait sea ice export: a closer look

Fram Strait is the primary region of sea ice export from the Arctic and therefore plays an important role in regulating the amount of sea ice and freshwater within the Arctic. We investigate the variability of Fram Strait sea ice motion and the role of atmospheric circulation forcing using daily data during the period 1979–2006. The most prominent atmospheric driver of anomalous sea ice motion across Fram Strait is an east–west dipole pattern of Sea Level Pressure (SLP) anomalies with centers of action located over the Barents Sea and Greenland. This pattern, also observed in synoptic studies, is associated with anomalous meridional winds across Fram Strait and is thus physically consistent with forcing changes in sea ice motion. The association between the SLP dipole pattern and Fram Strait ice motion is maximized at 0-lag, persists year-round, and is strongest on time scales of 10–60 days. The SLP dipole pattern is the second empirical orthogonal function (EOF) of daily SLP anomalies in both winter and summer. When the analysis is repeated with monthly data, only the Barents center of the SLP dipole remains significantly correlated with Fram Strait sea ice motion. However, after removing the leading EOF of monthly SLP variability (e.g., the North Atlantic Oscillation), the full east–west dipole pattern is recovered. No significant SLP forcing of Fram Strait ice motion is found in summer using monthly data, even when the leading EOF is removed. Our results highlight the importance of high frequency atmospheric variability in forcing Fram Strait sea ice motion.