Representation of Northern Hemisphere winter storm tracks in climate models

Northern Hemisphere winter storm tracks are a key element of the winter weather and climate at mid-latitudes. Before projections of climate change are made for these regions, it is necessary to be sure that climate models are able to reproduce the main features of observed storm tracks. The simulated storm tracks are assessed for a variety of Hadley Centre models and are shown to be well modelled on the whole. The atmosphere-only model with the semi-Lagrangian dynamical core produces generally more realistic storm tracks than the model with the Eulerian dynamical core, provided the horizontal resolution is high enough. The two models respond in different ways to changes in horizontal resolution: the model with the semi-Lagrangian dynamical core has much reduced frequency and strength of cyclonic features at lower resolution due to reduced transient eddy kinetic energy. The model with Eulerian dynamical core displays much smaller changes in frequency and strength of features with changes in horizontal resolution, but the location of the storm tracks as well as secondary development are sensitive to resolution. Coupling the atmosphere-only model (with semi-Lagrangian dynamical core) to an ocean model seems to affect the storm tracks largely via errors in the tropical representation. For instance a cold SST bias in the Pacific and a lack of ENSO variability lead to large changes in the Pacific storm track. Extratropical SST biases appear to have a more localised effect on the storm tracks.     

冬季北半球风暴轴的协同变化及其与大气环流的相互作用

基于1971—2016年NCEP/NCAR的逐日、逐月再分析资料,研究冬季北半球西伯利亚风暴轴(Siberian Storm Track,SIST)、北太平洋风暴轴(Pacific Storm Track,PST)和北大西洋风暴轴(Atlantic Storm Track,AST)的协同变化特征及其与大气环流的关系。结果表明:(1)三大风暴轴不仅各自的位置与强度变化存在显著相关性,风暴轴之间也存在一定的协同变化且年代际尺度上比年际尺度上更紧密。年际尺度上,SIST与AST的经度变化呈显著负相关,而PST和AST的协同性较差;年代际尺度上,SIST与PST的经、纬度变化均呈弱的负相关,SIST与AST的经度和强度变化均呈显著正相关,PST与AST的经、纬度变化均呈显著负相关。(2)由联合EOF分析得到北半球风暴轴的协同变化时空特征:在年际尺度上,第一模态主要表现为SIST偏弱(强),PST主体偏弱(强)、东南偏强(弱),AST略偏北(南)偏强(弱)但不显著的协同变化。PC1为正位相时,对应的大气环流异常为:500 hPa高度场上为太平洋北美(Pacific North America,PNA)型和欧亚(Eurasian,EU)型的正位相,东亚急流偏强且偏南;第二模态主要表现为SIST偏强(弱)且偏东(西),PST中东部偏南(北)、西部强度偏强(弱),AST偏强(弱)的协同变化。PC2为正位相时,对应的大气环流异常为:500 hPa高度场上为PNA型和大西洋东部(East Atlantic,EA)型的正位相,北美急流减弱;在年代际尺度上,第一模态主要表现为SIST偏西(东)且偏弱(强),PST偏东(西)且偏弱(强),AST偏西(东)且偏弱(强)的协同变化。PC1为正位相时,对应的大气环流异常为:500 hPa高度场上为西大西洋(West Atlantic,WA)型和EU型的正位相。第二模态主要表现为SIST偏强(弱)且偏北(南),PST偏南(北)且偏弱(强),AST北抬(南压)的协同变化。PC2为正位相时,对应的大气环流异常为:500 hPa高度场上为EU型和WA型的正位相,东亚急流强度加强且偏南,北美急流强度减弱。     

北半球冬季风暴轴与ENSO循环的关系及其能量平衡特征

利用欧洲中期天气预报中心的再分析资料,分析了北半球冬季对流层上层300 hPa面上风暴轴与ENSO循环的关系以及风暴轴的能量平衡特征.研究表明,由于El Nino年北太平洋的哈德莱环流增强,导致北太平洋西风急流向赤道和向东伸展,进而引起了北太平洋风暴轴的增强并向赤道和向东伸展;而La Nina年事件期间情形正好相反.在北大西洋,El Nino年其西风急流中心最大值有所减小,但整个西风急流区域有所扩大并向西和向赤道伸展,相应北大西洋风暴轴强度在El Nino年也有所减弱并向西和向赤道方向伸展;La Nina事件的情形正好相反.能量分析表明,斜压转换的正值中心位于风暴轴及其上游区域.在El Nino年,北太平洋斜压转换的正值中心向赤道和向下游伸展,而北大西洋斜压转换的正值中心向赤道和向西伸展,这与北太平洋风暴轴和北大西洋风暴的变化趋势是一致的.行星尺度扰动对斜压转换的贡献比天气尺度扰动的贡献要小,而行星尺度-天气尺度扰动的相互作用项对斜压转换的贡献更小.研究还表明,能量正压转换的正中心化于风暴轴的上游,负中心位于风暴轴区域.相对于La Nina年,El Nino年北太平洋东部的正压转换负值中心偏北,北美的正值中心位置偏南,而北大西洋的负值中心强度减弱范围变小.这些变化与从La Nina年剑El Nino年北太平洋和北大西洋风暴轴的变化是一致的.在能量的正压转换过程中,天气尺度扰动的贡献要大于行星尺度扰动,而行星尺度-天气尺度扰动的相互作用项的贡献更小.     

冬季北半球风暴轴的多尺度能量变化特征及其可能机制

基于1971—2016年NCEP/NCAR(美国环境预报中心和国家大气研究中心)的逐日再分析资料及NCPC(美国国家海洋和大气管理局气候预报中心)的海温、大气环流及海洋指数等资料通过多尺度能量分析(MS-EVA)等方法,把冬季北半球风暴轴看做一整体,分析了风暴轴区域多尺度的能量变化特征及其可能机制。主要结论概括如下:(1)多年气候平均状态下,风暴轴的动能来源主要表现为在风暴轴中上游先由低频尺度向天气尺度输送有效位能,随后在风暴轴主体区再由天气尺度有效位能转换为天气尺度动能,其中风暴轴西端可直接由低频尺度向天气尺度输送动能。(2)北半球三大风暴轴联合EOF结果表明:第一模态下,主要体现了北西伯利亚风暴轴与北太平洋风暴轴强度的减弱(增强),同时伴随着北大西洋风暴轴位置北抬(南压);第二模态下,主要体现了北西伯利亚风暴轴强度减弱(增强),同时北太平洋风暴轴位置北抬(南压)中东部强度增强(减弱),而北大西洋风暴轴位置南压(北抬)。(3)回归分析表明:北半球风暴轴异常在不同模态下与低频尺度环流联系密切。低频尺度波动可通过海温及西风急流等异常变化先影响风暴轴区域多尺度间的能量转换,进而影响风暴轴整体的异常变化。     

Response of Northern Hemisphere storm tracks to Indian-western Pacific Ocean warming in atmospheric general circulation models

With 40 years integration output of two atmospheric general circulation models (GAMIL/IAP and HadAM3/UKMO) forced with identical prescribed seasonally-varying sea surface temperature, this study examines the effect of the observed Indian-western Pacific Ocean (IWP) warming on the Northern Hemisphere storm tracks. Both models indicate that the observed IWP warming tends to cause both the North Pacific storm track (NPST) and the North Atlantic storm track (NAST) to move northward. Such a consistent effect on the two storm tracks is closely associated with the changes in the low-level atmospheric baroclinicity, high-level jet stream and upper-level geopotential height. The IWP warming can excite a wavelike circum-global teleconnection in the geopotential height that gives rise to an anticyclonic anomaly over the midlatitude North Pacific and a positive-phase NAO anomaly over the North Atlantic. These geopotential height anomalies tend to enhance upper-level zonal westerly winds north of the climatological jet axes and increase low-level baroclinicity and eddy growth rates, thus favoring transient eddy more active north of the climatological storm track axes, responsible for the northward shift of the both storm tracks. The IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NAST is quite similar to the observed, suggesting that the IWP warming can be one of the key factors to cause decadal northward shift of the NAST since the 1980s. However, the IWP warming-induced northward shift of the NPST is completely opposite to the observed, implying that the observed southward shift of the NPST since the 1980s would be primarily attributed to other reasons, although the IWP warming can have a cancelling effect against those reasons.     

Northern Hemisphere midlatitude cyclone variability in GCM simulations with different ocean representations

The impact of different ocean models or sea surface temperature (SST) and sea-ice concentrations on cyclone tracks in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes is determined within a hierarchy of model simulations. A reference simulation with the coupled atmosphere ocean circulation model ECHAM/HOPE is compared with simulations using ECHAM and three simplified ocean and sea-ice representations: (1) a variable depth mixed layer (ML) ocean, (2) forcing by varying SST and sea-ice, and (3) with climatological SST and sea-ice; the latter two are from the coupled ECHAM/HOPE integration. The reference simulation reproduces the observed cyclone tracks. The cyclones are tracked automatically by a standard routine and the variability of individual cyclone trajectories within the storm tracks is determined by a cluster approach. In the forced simulation with varying SST, the geographical distribution and the statistics of the cyclones are not altered compared to the coupled reference simulation. In the ML- and the climatological simulation, deviations of the mean cyclone distribution are found which occur mainly in the North Pacific, and can partially be traced back to missing El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability. The climatological experiment is superior to the ML-experiment. The variability of the individual cyclone trajectories, as determined by the cluster analysis, reveals the same types and frequencies of propagation directions for all four representations of the lower boundary. The largest discrepancies for the cluster occupations are found for the climatological and the ML-simulation.     

The signature of ENSO in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitude seasonal mean flow and high-frequency intraseasonal variability

Summary The impact of pronounced positive and negative sea surface temperature (STT) anomalies in the tropical Pacific associated with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon on the atmospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere extratropics during the boreal winter season is investigated. This includes both the impact on the seasonal mean flow and on the intraseasonal variability on synoptic time scales. Moreover, the interaction between the transient fluctuations on these times scales and the mean circulation is examined. Both data from an ensemble of five simulations with the ECHAM3 atmospheric general circulation model at a horizontal resolution of T42 each covering the period from 1979 through 1992 and operational analyses from ECMWF for the corresponding period are examined. In each of the simulations observed SSTs for the period of investigation are given as lower boundary forcing, but different atmospheric initial conditions are prescribed.The simulations with ECHAM3 reveal a distinct impact of the pronounced SST-anomalies in the tropical Pacific on the atmospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere extratropics during El Niño as well as during La Niña events. These changes in the atmospheric circulation, which are found to be highly significant in the Pacific/North American as well as in the Atlantic/European region, are consistent with the essential results obtained from the analyses. The pronounced SST-anomalies in the tropical Pacific lead to changes in the mean circulation, which are characterized by typical circulation patterns. These changes in the mean circulation are accompanied by marked variations of the activity of the transient fluctuations on synoptic time scales, that are changes in both the kinetic energy on these time scales and the atmospheric transports of momentum and heat accomplished by the short baroclinic waves. The synoptic disturbances, on the other hand, play also an important role in controlling the changes in the mean circulation associated with the ENSO phenomenon. They maintain these typical circulation patterns via barotropic, but counteract them via baroclinic processes.The hypothesis of an impact of the ENSO phenomenon in the Atlantic/European region can be supported. As the determining factor the intensification (reduction) of the Aleutian low and the simultaneous reduction (intensification) of the Icelandic low during El Niño and during La Niña events respectively, is identified. The changes in the intensity of the Aleutian low during the ENSO-events are accompanied by an alteration of the transport of momentum caused by the short baroclinic waves over the North American continent in such a way that the changes in the intensity of the Icelandic low during El Niño as well as during La Niña events are maintained.With 16 Figures     

北半球冬季极涡异常变化的时空特征

利用NCEP/NCAR再分析月平均高度场资料,计算了1948/1949-2009/2010年北半球冬季500～10 hPa的极涡环流指数,包括面积指数S、强度指数P和中心位置指数(λc,φc).分析了北半球冬季极涡在垂直高度上(共12层)的季、月气候态和异常态变化规律.结果表明:极涡面积和强度在不同高度上的大小变化不同,最大值出现的时间也存在差异,二者相关性不好,为两个相对独立的指数.极涡面积和强度的年代际变化趋势在上下层上也不一样,异常变化规律复杂;极涡中心位置上下层变化规律相同,主要在东半球80°N以北范围变化,在极点附近经度变化大,纬度变化小,纬度指数年代际变化明显,近10 a极涡明显偏南.从整体上看,极涡中心位置从500 hPa到10hPa形态上为逆时针、半径越向上越大的旋转变化.     

Fast responses of Northern Hemisphere winter daily circulation to anthropogenic aerosols

Anthropogenic aerosols (AA) have significantly caused anomalous winter mean atmospheric circulation over the Northern Hemisphere, but the main daily patterns of winter large-scale circulation change are not well understood. Here a self-organizing map analysis is applied to identify the leading patterns in AA-induced winter daily geopotential height (Z) anomaly fields simulated by three atmospheric general circulation models, with a focus on fast adjustments. Two winter daily circulation response patterns with a synoptic time scale are found: one pattern shows concurring Z anomalies over North America and North Asia with the same sign and the Bering Sea seeing the opposite, resembling the Asia–Bering–North American teleconnection; while the other is the Arctic Oscillation-like pattern with similar Z anomalies over North Pacific and North Atlantic and the opposite over the Arctic region. The AA-induced anomalous precipitation over the tropics and anomalous synoptic eddy activities over the extratropical oceans concur to support and maintain these circulation anomaly patterns. The winter-mean climate responses to AA can be understood as a result of these daily anomaly patterns, especially over the higher latitudes. Specifically, the associated changes in surface air temperature (SAT) over the mid-high latitudes are caused by the AA-driven meridional movements of polar (cold and dry) airmass and midlatitude (warm and moist) airmass in the regions, mainly through the relevant surface downward longwave radiation. This study highlights the role of AA in altering daily weather patterns, which is not sufficiently captured by seasonal mean responses.     

Notes on extended–range atmospheric prediction in the Northern Hemisphere winter

We examined the characteristic feature and predictability of low frequency variability (LFV) of the atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere winter (January and February) by using the empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) of the geopotential height at 500 hPa. In the discussion, we used the EOFs for geostrophic zonal wind (Uznl) and the height deviation from the zonal mean (Zeddy). The set of EOFs for Uznl and Zeddy was denoted as Uznl-1. Uznl-2, …, Zeddy-1, Zeddy-2…, respectively. We used the data samples of 396 pentads derived from 33 years of NMC, ECMWF and JMA analyses, from January 1963 to 1995. From the calculated scores for Uznl-1, Uznl-2, Zeddy-1, Zeddy-2 and so on we found that Uznl-1 and Zeddy-1 were statistically stable and their scores were more persistent than those of the other EOFs. A close relationship existed between the scores of Uznl-1 and those of Zeddy-1 30-day forecast experiments were carried out with the medium resolution version of JMA global spectral model for 20 cases in January and February for the period of 1984-1992. Results showed that Zeddy-1 was more predicta?ble than the other EOFs for Zeddy Considering these results, we argued that prediction of the Zeddy-1 was to be one of the main target of extended range forecasting     

冬季北太平洋风暴轴的年代际变化特征及其可能影响机制

利用1958-2002年的ERA-40再分析资料,用谐波变换和EOF方法分析了冬季北太平洋风暴轴在年代际时间尺度上的变化特征,并通过回归分析的方法初步探讨了风暴轴年代际变化的可能影响机制.结果表明,在年代际时间尺度上,北太平洋风暴轴有两种主要模态,第1模态是风暴轴在其气候平均位置增强或减弱的主体一致变化型,其年代际变化受到上游涡旋强迫的影响,北大西洋强(弱)的涡旋活动,使得冬季北太平洋西风急流减弱(增强)、变宽(窄)、北抬(南压),同期北太平洋风暴轴活动偏强(弱),黑潮延续体区海表温度有偏暖(冷)的响应;第2模态是风暴轴中东部在气候平均位置南北两侧振荡的经向异常型,与太平洋年代际振荡(PDO)循环的暖(冷)位相相联系,下垫面海温非绝热加热的作用,激发加强(减弱)大气中类太平洋/北美遥相关型(PNA)的响应,引起大气斜压性异常偏南(北),使得风暴轴整体南压(北抬),且中东部向东南(北)方向移动.因此,冬季北太平洋风暴轴的年代际变化不仅是局地波-流相互作用的结果,还应考虑上游涡旋活动和海温热力强迫的作用.     

Volcanos and El Niño: signal separation in Northern Hemisphere winter

The frequent coincidence of volcanic forcing with El Niño events disables the clear assignment of climate anomalies to either volcanic or El Niño forcing. In order to select the signals, a set of four different perpetual January GCM experiments was performed (control, volcano case, El Niño case and combined volcano/El Niño case) and studied with advanced statistical methods for the Northern Hemisphere winter. The results were compared with observations. The signals for the different forcings are discussed for three variables (temperature, zonal wind and geopotential height) and five levels (surface, 850 hPa, 500 hPa, 200 hPa and 50 hPa). The global El Niño signal can be selected more clearly in the troposphere than in the stratosphere. In contrast, the global volcano signal is strongest in the stratospheric temperature field. The amplitude of the perturbation for the volcano case is largest in the Atlantic region. The observed effect of local cooling due to the volcanic reduction of shortwave radiation over large land areas (like Asia) in subtropical regions, the observed advective warming over Eurasia and the advective cooling over Greenland are well simulated in the model. The radiative cooling near the surface is important for the volcano signal in the subtropics, but it is weak in high latitudes during winter. A statistically significant tropospheric signal of El Niño forcing occurs in the subtropics and in the midlatitudes of the North Pacific. The local anomalies in the El Niño forcing region in the tropics, and the warming over North America in middle and high latitudes are simulated as observed. The combined signal is different from a simple linear combination of the separate signals. It leads to a climate perturbation stronger than for forcing with El Niño or stratospheric aerosol alone and to a somewhat modified pattern.     

Numerical simulation of Eurasian teleconnection pattern in atmospheric circulation during the Northern Hemisphere winter

In this paper, the anomaly of disturbance height field over Northern Hemisphere due to SST anomaly in the tropical Atlantic Ocean is simulated by using the general circulation model of IAP. A quasi-geostrophic, 34-level spherical coordinate model is also used to compute the distribution of atmospheric circulation anomaly when there is an anomaly of heat source over the tropical Atlantic. The computed results show that, owing to the heat source anomaly over the tropical Atlantic, the EU-pattern anomaly in the winter circulation may be caused. Namely, a ridge will be enhanced over the northwest Europe, a trough will be deepened over Siberia, but a positive anomaly of disturbance height field will be formed over the northeast China, Japan and other areas of East Asia. Moreover, the numerically simulated results show that the above-mentioned EU-pattern anomalies of circulation are due to the propagations of planetary wave train. About 15 days after an anomaly of the heat source over the tropical Atlantic is injected, the EU-pattern anomaly of atmospheric circulation is formed. This is in good agreement with the results analysed theoretically. On the leave from Geophysical Institute, Faculty of Science in Tokyo University, Japan.     

冬季北半球极涡强度对北太平洋风暴轴的影响

利用美国NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和中国国家气候中心北半球极涡强度指数资料,采用相关和合成分析等方法,初步分析了北半球极涡强度对北太平洋风暴轴的影响及其可能机制。研究发现,北半球极涡与北太平洋风暴轴之间有同步的强弱变化特征,在北半球极涡强度的高(低)值年,一般对应着风暴轴强度的增强(减弱),风暴轴区域扰动动能的加大(减弱),天气尺度涡动向极和向上的热量以及西风动量输送的显著增强(减弱)。进一步分析表明,极涡的异常变化可以通过改变欧亚大陆及其下游北太平洋上空的高度场,进而改变东亚西风急流的强度以及风暴轴上游的斜压性,从而对风暴轴产生影响。     

基本气流在ENSO对北半球冬季大气环流影响中的作用

本文从观测事实、理论与数值试验来研究基本气流在ENSO事件对北半球冬季大气环流影响中的作用。通过观测资料的分析,发现1972/1973年冬ENSO现象发生时的基本气流与一般ENSO现象发生年份的基本气流不同,这使得该年冬季ENSO现象所引起的北半球大气环流异常与一般ENSO现象所引起的环流异常型不同。一般ENSO现象所引起的北半球大气环流异常型是PNA型,而1972/1973年冬北半球环流异常型是非PNA型,我国东北地区出现暖冬,冷空气活动弱。     

北半球冬季中纬度位势高度场的季节内振荡

利用1979—2012年逐日NCEP/DOE再分析资料,分析北半球中纬度冬季(11月1日—4月30日)对流层位势高度的季节内振荡特征。结果表明:对流层上层位势高度的季节内变化强度较中下层更强,中心主要位于太平洋和大西洋上空;对流层上层位势高度场主要为1~3波的超长波形势,功率谱分析结果表明其时间序列呈现显著的季节内振荡(10~60 d)特征;10~60 d滤波的位势高度异常空间分布与原异常场一致,位势高度季节内振荡随时间主要表现为向西传播的特征,尤其表现在北太平洋上空,而亚欧大陆更为复杂一些;亚洲冬季风对北半球中纬度位势高度的季节内振荡有响应,主要表现为蒙古高压位置和强度的异常,继而对我国冬季气温产生影响。     

Extratropical cyclone variability in the Northern Hemisphere winter from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data

 The winter climatology of Northern Hemisphere cyclone activity was derived from 6-hourly NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the period from 1958 to 1999, using software which provides improved accuracy in cyclone identification in comparison to numerical tracking schemes. Cyclone characteristics over the Kuroshio and Gulfstream are very different to those over continental North America and the Arctic. Analysis of Northern Hemisphere cyclones shows secular and decadal-scale changes in cyclone frequency, intensity, lifetime and deepening rates. The western Pacific and Atlantic are characterized by an increase in cyclone intensity and deepening during the 42-year period, although the eastern Pacific and continental North America demonstrate opposite tendencies in most cyclone characteristics. There is an increase of the number of cyclones in the Arctic and in the western Pacific and a downward tendency over the Gulf Stream and subpolar Pacific. Decadal scale variability in cyclone activity over the Atlantic and Pacific exhibits south-north dipole-like patterns. Atlantic and Pacific cyclone activity associated with the NAO and PNA is analyzed. Atlantic cyclone frequency demonstrates a high correlation with NAO and reflects the NAO shift in the mid 1970s, associated with considerable changes in European storm tracks. The PNA is largely linked to the eastern Pacific cyclone frequencies, and controls cyclone activity over the Gulf region and the North American coast during the last two decades. Assessment of the accuracy of the results and comparison with those derived using numerical algorithms, shows that biases inherent in numerical procedures are not negligible. Received: 7 July 2000 / Accepted: 30 November 2000     

中部型ENSO和平流层准两年振荡对冬季北半球平流层臭氧的联合调制作用

利用观测和再分析资料通过合成分析方法,研究了中部型ENSO和平流层准两年振荡（QBO）对冬季北半球平流层臭氧的独立影响和联合调制作用。研究表明,北半球平流层臭氧在中部型厄尔尼诺年增加,而在中部型拉尼娜年减少;准两年振荡东风位相年份,北半球平流层臭氧增加,准两年振荡西风位相结果则相反。相比之下,北半球中、高纬度平流层臭氧异常对准两年振荡活动的响应明显小于其对ENSO活动的响应。进一步研究发现,准两年振荡东风位相会加强中部型厄尔尼诺事件引起的北半球平流层臭氧的增加,而减弱中部型拉尼娜事件造成的平流层臭氧的减少。在准两年振荡西风位相下,中部型厄尔尼诺事件仅导致北半球平流层臭氧含量少量升高,而中部型拉尼娜事件期间臭氧会大幅度减少。因此,准两年振荡东风位相会加强中部型厄尔尼诺事件对北半球平流层臭氧的影响,而减弱中部型拉尼娜事件对北半球平流层臭氧的影响。准两年振荡西风位相会减弱中部型厄尔尼诺而加强中部型拉尼娜事件对北半球平流层臭氧的影响。