Accessibility navigation


Contrasting interannual and multidecadal NAO variability

Woollings, T., Franzke, C., Hodson, D. L. R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7159-6700, Dong, B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0809-7911, Barnes, E. A., Raible, C. C. and Pinto, J. G. (2015) Contrasting interannual and multidecadal NAO variability. Climate Dynamics, 45 (1-2). pp. 539-556. ISSN 0930-7575

[img]
Preview
Text - Accepted Version
· Please see our End User Agreement before downloading.

1MB

It is advisable to refer to the publisher's version if you intend to cite from this work. See Guidance on citing.

To link to this item DOI: 10.1007/s00382-014-2237-y

Abstract/Summary

Decadal and longer timescale variability in the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) has considerable impact on regional climate, yet it remains unclear what fraction of this variability is potentially predictable. This study takes a new approach to this question by demonstrating clear physical differences between NAO variability on interannual-decadal (<30 year) and multidecadal (>30 year) timescales. It is shown that on the shorter timescale the NAO is dominated by variations in the latitude of the North Atlantic jet and storm track, whereas on the longer timescale it represents changes in their strength instead. NAO variability on the two timescales is associated with different dynamical behaviour in terms of eddy-mean flow interaction, Rossby wave breaking and blocking. The two timescales also exhibit different regional impacts on temperature and precipitation and different relationships to sea surface temperatures. These results are derived from linear regression analysis of the Twentieth Century and NCEP-NCAR reanalyses and of a high-resolution HiGEM General Circulation Model control simulation, with additional analysis of a long sea level pressure reconstruction. Evidence is presented for an influence of the ocean circulation on the longer timescale variability of the NAO, which is particularly clear in the model data. As well as providing new evidence of potential predictability, these findings are shown to have implications for the reconstruction and interpretation of long climate records.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > NCAS
Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
ID Code:37549
Uncontrolled Keywords:North Atlantic Oscillation Jet variability Atmosphere–ocean interaction Climate reconstructions
Publisher:Springer
Publisher Statement:The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2237-y

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

University Staff: Request a correction | Centaur Editors: Update this record

Page navigation