Article Type:
Reply

Reply to “Comments on ‘Changes to the North Atlantic Subtropical High and Its Role in the Intensification of Summer Rainfall Variability in the Southeastern United States’”

Wenhong Li Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

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Laifang Li Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

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Rong Fu Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas

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Yi Deng School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

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Hui Wang Climate Prediction Center, NOAA/NWS/NCEP, Camp Springs, Maryland, and Wyle Information Systems, McLean, Virginia

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Print Publication:
15 Jan 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00674.1
Page(s):
683–688
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Abstract

Recently Diem questioned the western ridge movement of the North Atlantic subtropical high (NASH) reported in a 2011 paper of Li et al. This reply shows more analysis that further strengthens the conclusions originally put forth by Li et al. Diem’’s analysis of the trend in the western ridge of the NASH was based on the data over a 30-yr period (1978–2007), whereas the main conclusions in Li et al. were drawn according to the data over a 60-yr period (1948–2007). Over the last 60 years, the NASH has shown a significant trend of westward movement, the meridional movement of the western ridge of the NASH has enhanced in the recent three decades, and the potential impact of global warming cannot be ruled out in an attempt to explain these changes of the NASH.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Wenhong Li, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 321C Old Chem Bldg., P.O. Box 90227, Durham, NC 27708. E-mail: wenhong.li@duke.edu

The original article that was the subject of this comment/reply can be found at http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/2010JCLI3829.1.

Abstract

Recently Diem questioned the western ridge movement of the North Atlantic subtropical high (NASH) reported in a 2011 paper of Li et al. This reply shows more analysis that further strengthens the conclusions originally put forth by Li et al. Diem’’s analysis of the trend in the western ridge of the NASH was based on the data over a 30-yr period (1978–2007), whereas the main conclusions in Li et al. were drawn according to the data over a 60-yr period (1948–2007). Over the last 60 years, the NASH has shown a significant trend of westward movement, the meridional movement of the western ridge of the NASH has enhanced in the recent three decades, and the potential impact of global warming cannot be ruled out in an attempt to explain these changes of the NASH.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Wenhong Li, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 321C Old Chem Bldg., P.O. Box 90227, Durham, NC 27708. E-mail: wenhong.li@duke.edu

The original article that was the subject of this comment/reply can be found at http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/2010JCLI3829.1.

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