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Increasing Frequency of Midtropospheric Dry Layers in the Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zone
Author(s) -
Bartos Elissa A.,
Rapp A. D.,
Wodzicki K. R.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2018gl080799
Subject(s) - intertropical convergence zone , climatology , shortwave , environmental science , la niña , geology , geography , meteorology , precipitation , radiative transfer , physics , el niño southern oscillation , quantum mechanics
Recent long‐term characterization of the Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shows that the ITCZ has narrowed, which may be due to the enhanced transport of dry air layers from the subtropics. In this study, we examine the relationship between the frequency of midtropospheric dry layers and ITCZ width. European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis Interim midtroposphere (400 to 600 hPa) relative humidity is used to create a 36‐year (1979–2014) dry layer climatology for the Pacific ITCZ region. Analysis shows an inverse relationship between ITCZ width and dry layer frequency, with ITCZ width decreasing as the frequency of dry layers increases. Moreover, findings show that the region of greatest long‐term increase in dry layer frequency occurs in the central Pacific, where the greatest narrowing of the ITCZ is also observed.