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Identification of large scale climate patterns affecting snow variability in the eastern United States
Author(s) -
Morin Jennifer,
Block Paul,
Rajagopalan Balaji,
Clark Martyn
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/joc.1534
Subject(s) - climatology , snow , geopotential height , north atlantic oscillation , mode (computer interface) , environmental science , teleconnection , scale (ratio) , spatial ecology , precipitation , geography , meteorology , el niño southern oscillation , geology , ecology , cartography , computer science , biology , operating system
Abstract This study investigates dominant patterns of snow variability and their relationship to large‐scale climate circulations over the eastern half of the United States. Two snowfall variables—total seasonal snowfall (TSF) and number of snow days (NSD)—are examined. A principal components (PC) analysis is conducted on data from 124 snowfall stations. The leading mode of variability for both TSF and NSD is driven by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The secondary mode of variability for TSF is driven by the Pacific/North American pattern (PNA), while the secondary mode of variability for NSD is driven by a dipole pattern and is attributable to regional influences and noise. These patterns exhibit persistence, which provides prospects for seasonal predictions of snowfall variables. This research compliments and extends the work of Serreze et al (1998), who performed a PC analysis of geopotential heights during the winter season and correlated the spatial patterns of the leading modes of variability with seasonal snowfall values. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society