Open AccessNorth Atlantic Winter SLP Anomalies Based on the Autumn ENSO State
Author(s) -
D. Pozo-Vázquez,
Sonia Raquel GámizFortis,
J. TovarPescador,
María Jesús EstebanParra,
Yolanda CastroDíez
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of climate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.315
H-Index - 287
eISSN - 1520-0442
pISSN - 0894-8755
DOI - 10.1175/jcli-3210.1
Subject(s) - climatology , predictability , northern hemisphere , north atlantic oscillation , anomaly (physics) , el niño southern oscillation , sea surface temperature , environmental science , geology , physics , quantum mechanics , condensed matter physics
The winter sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere have been analyzed over the period 1873–2000 based on the ENSO state during the previous autumn. First, a set of extreme cold and warm ENSO events and periods that may be regarded as normal is selected using the SST data of the Niño-3 region. This selection is carried out for autumn and with the constraint that the ENSO event is well developed. For the winters following these selected autumn events, composites of Northern Hemisphere SLP anomalies have been obtained and compared to each other. A study of the consistency among events of the relationship between ENSO and SLP anomalies was also carried out. Results show the preference for a positive NAO-like SLP anomaly pattern in the North Atlantic region during the winters following autumns of strong cold ENSO events and, thus, suggest the existence of a potential source of predictability for the North Atlantic climate. An additional analysis of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index confirms this finding. The possible physical basis of this source of predictability for the North Atlantic climate is discussed.