Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Evolution of Atmospheric Response to Early-Season Eurasian Snow Cover Anomalies

Kazuyuki Saito Program in Atmosphere, Oceans and Climate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Search for other papers by Kazuyuki Saito in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Judah Cohen Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts

Search for other papers by Judah Cohen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Dara Entekhabi Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Search for other papers by Dara Entekhabi in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Nov 2001
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(2001)129<2746:EOARTE>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
2746–2760
Restricted access

We are aware of a technical issue preventing figures and tables from showing in some newly published articles in the full-text HTML view.
While we are resolving the problem, please use the online PDF version of these articles to view figures and tables.

Abstract

Recently it has been shown that the area extent of Eurasian snow cover during September–October–November (SON) and the principal component of the leading mode of extratropical Northern Hemisphere (NH) climate variability in the following winter are statistically correlated. In this paper, physical linkages between SON Eurasian snow cover and the wintertime climate variability in the NH atmosphere are postulated. And in order to test the proposed hypotheses, comprehensive analyses of satellite-based observations for snow cover and reanalysis data for geopotential heights and sea level pressure are used.

The magnitude of the correlation between snow cover and climate variability is found to be inversely proportional to the height suggesting that snow cover may act as a lower boundary forcing to the tropospheric circulation. Conversely, however, an index constructed to capture the downward propagating circulation anomaly from the lower stratosphere to the middle troposphere is shown to be as highly correlated with snow cover variability as the Arctic oscillation derived from sea level pressure.

A mechanism involving the vertical propagation of Rossby waves is proposed to explain this apparent contradiction. Anomalous fall snow cover variability not only alters near-surface temperatures but also impacts upward propagating Rossby waves. Changes forced in the stratosphere by anomalous snow cover are not realized until later in the winter season when the troposphere and stratosphere are actively coupled.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Judah Cohen, Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., 131 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02421-3126. Email: jcohen@aer.com

Abstract

Recently it has been shown that the area extent of Eurasian snow cover during September–October–November (SON) and the principal component of the leading mode of extratropical Northern Hemisphere (NH) climate variability in the following winter are statistically correlated. In this paper, physical linkages between SON Eurasian snow cover and the wintertime climate variability in the NH atmosphere are postulated. And in order to test the proposed hypotheses, comprehensive analyses of satellite-based observations for snow cover and reanalysis data for geopotential heights and sea level pressure are used.

The magnitude of the correlation between snow cover and climate variability is found to be inversely proportional to the height suggesting that snow cover may act as a lower boundary forcing to the tropospheric circulation. Conversely, however, an index constructed to capture the downward propagating circulation anomaly from the lower stratosphere to the middle troposphere is shown to be as highly correlated with snow cover variability as the Arctic oscillation derived from sea level pressure.

A mechanism involving the vertical propagation of Rossby waves is proposed to explain this apparent contradiction. Anomalous fall snow cover variability not only alters near-surface temperatures but also impacts upward propagating Rossby waves. Changes forced in the stratosphere by anomalous snow cover are not realized until later in the winter season when the troposphere and stratosphere are actively coupled.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Judah Cohen, Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., 131 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02421-3126. Email: jcohen@aer.com

Save
Cover Monthly Weather Review
Monthly Weather Review

  • Baldwin, M. P., and T. J. Dunkerton, 1999: Propagation of the Arctic oscillation from the stratosphere to the troposphere. J. Geophys. Res, 104 , . (D24),. 30937–30946.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bamzai, A. S., 1999: AO–snow cover relationships on interannual and decadal time scales. Proc. Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Amer. Geophys. Union, F240.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bamzai, A. S., and J. Shukla, 1999: Relation between Eurasian snow cover, snow depth, and the Indian summer monsoon: An observational study. J. Climate, 12 , 3117–3132.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Barnett, T. P., L. Dümenil, U. Schlese, E. Roeckner, and M. Latif, 1989: The effect of Eurasian snow cover on regional and global climate variations. J. Atmos. Sci, 46 , 661–685.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Boville, B. A., 1984: The influence of the polar night jet on the tropospheric circulation in a GCM. J. Atmos. Sci, 41 , 1132–1142.

  • Bretherton, C. S., and D. S. Battisti, 2000: An interpretation of the results from atmospheric general circulation models forced by the time history of the observed sea surface temperature distribution. Geophys. Res. Lett, 27 , 767–770.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Charney, J. G., and P. G. Drazin, 1961: Propagation of planetary-scale disturbances from the lower into the upper atmosphere. J. Geophys. Res, 66 , 83–109.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Cohen, J., 1994: Snow cover and climate. Weather, 49 , 150–156.

  • Cohen, J., and D. Entekhabi, 1999: Eurasian snow cover variability and Northern Hemisphere climate predictability. Geophys. Res. Lett, 26 , 345–348.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Cohen, J., and D. Entekhabi, 2001: The influence of snow cover variability on Northern Hemisphere climate variability. Atmos.–Ocean, 39 , 35–53.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Cohen, J., K. Saito, and D. Entekhabi, 2001: The role of the Siberian high in the Northern Hemisphere climate variability. Geophys. Res. Lett, 28 , 299–302.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Deser, C., 2000: On the teleconnectivity of the “Arctic oscillation.”. Geophys. Res. Lett, 27 , 779–782.

  • Deser, C., and M. Blackmon, 1993: Surface climate variations over the North Atlantic Ocean during winter: 1900–1989. J. Climate, 6 , 1743–1753.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • DeWeaver, E., and S. Nigam, 2000: Zonal-eddy dynamics of the North Atlantic oscillation. J. Climate, 13 , 3893–3914.

  • Douville, H., and J-F. Royer, 1996: Sensitivity of the Asian summer monsoon to an anomalous Eurasian snow cover within the Météo-France GCM. Climate Dyn, 12 , 449–466.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Gutzler, D. S., 2000: Covariability of spring snowpack and summer rainfall across the southwestern United States. J. Climate, 13 , 4018–4027.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Gutzler, D. S., and R. D. Rosen, 1992: Interannual variability of wintertime snow cover across the Northern Hemisphere. J. Climate, 5 , 1441–1447.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hahn, D. G., and J. Shukla, 1976: An apparent relationship between Eurasian snow cover and Indian summer monsoon rainfall. J. Atmos. Sci, 33 , 2461–2462.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hartley, D. E., J. T. Villarin, R. X. Black, and C. A. Davis, 1998: A new perspective on the dynamical link between the stratosphere and troposphere. Nature, 391 , 471–474.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hurrell, J. W., 1995: Decadal trends in the North Atlantic oscillation: Regional temperatures and precipitation. Science, 269 , 676–679.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hurrell, J. W., 1996: Influence of variations in extratropical wintertime teleconnections on Northern Hemisphere temperature. Geophys. Res. Lett, 23 , 665–668.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kalnay, E., and Coauthors,. . 1996: The NCEP/NCAR 40-Year Reanalysis Project. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc, 77 , 437–471.

  • Kodera, K., and K. Yamazaki, 1994: A possible influence of the recent polar stratospheric coolings on the troposphere in the Northern Hemisphere winter. Geophys. Res. Lett, 21 , 809–812.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kodera, K., and H. Koide, 1997: Spatial and seasonal characteristics of recent decadal trends in the Northern Hemispheric troposphere and stratosphere. J. Geophys. Res, 102 , 19433–19447.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kodera, K., and Y. Kuroda, 2000: Tropospheric and stratospheric aspects of the Arctic oscillation. Geophys. Res. Lett, 27 , 3349–3352.

  • Kodera, K., M. Chiba, H. Koide, A. Kitoh, and Y. Nikaidou, 1996: Interannual variability of the winter stratosphere and troposphere in the Northern Hemisphere. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 74 , 365–382.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kripalani, R. H., and A. Kuikarni, 1999: Climatology and variability of historical Soviet snow depth data: Some new perspectives in snow–Indian monsoon teleconnections. Climate Dyn, 15 , 475–489.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kuhn, M., 1989: The role of land ice and snow in climate. Understanding Climate Change, A. Berger, R. E. Dickinson, and J. W. Kidson, Eds., Amer. Geophys. Union, 17–28.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kuroda, Y., and K. Kodera, 1999: Role of planetary waves in the stratosphere–troposphere coupled variability in the Northern Hemisphere winter. Geophys. Res. Lett, 26 , 2375–2378.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kushnir, Y., 1994: Interdecadal variations in North Atlantic sea surface temperature and associated atmospheric conditions. J. Climate, 7 , 141–157.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Latif, M., K. Arpe, and E. Roeckner, 2000: Oceanic control of decadal North Atlantic sea level pressure variability in winter. Geophys. Res. Lett, 27 , 727–730.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Leathers, D. J., and D. A. Robinson, 1993: The association between extremes in North American snow cover extent and United States temperature. J. Climate, 6 , 1345–1355.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Matsuno, T., 1970: Vertical propagation of stationary planetary waves in the winter Northern Hemisphere. J. Atmos. Sci, 27 , 871–883.

  • Mehta, V. M., M. J. Suarez, J. V. Manganello, and T. L. Delworth, 2000: Oceanic influence on the North Atlantic oscillation and associated Northern Hemisphere climate variations: 1959–1993. Geophys. Res. Lett, 27 , 121–124.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Mysak, L. A., and S. A. Venegas, 1998: Decadal climate oscillations in the Arctic: A new feedback loop for atmosphere–ice–ocean interactions. Geophys. Res. Lett, 25 , 3607–3610.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • North, G. R., T. L. Bell, R. F. Cahalan, and F. J. Moeng, 1982: Sampling errors in the estimation of empirical orthogonal function. Mon. Wea. Rev, 110 , 699–706.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Osborn, T. J., K. R. Briffa, S. F. B. Tett, P. D. Jones, and R. M. Trigo, 1999: Evaluation of the North Atlantic oscillation as simulated by a coupled climate model. Climate Dyn, 15 , 685–702.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Overland, J. E., J. M. Adams, and N. A. Bond, 1999: Decadal variability of the Aleutian low and its relation to high-latitude circulation. J. Climate, 12 , 1542–1548.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Perlwitz, J., and H-F. Graf, 2001: Troposphere–stratospheric dynamic coupling under strong and weak polar vortex conditions. Geophys. Res. Lett, 28 , 274–277.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Perlwitz, J., H-F. Graf, and R. Voss, 2000: The leading variability mode of the coupled troposphere–stratosphere winter circulation in different climate regime. J. Geophys. Res, 105 , 6915–6926.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Plumb, R. A., 1985: On the three-dimensional propagation of stationary waves. J. Atmos. Sci, 42 , 217–229.

  • Polyakov, I. V., A. Y. Proshutinsky, and M. A. Johnson, 1999: Seasonal cycles in two regimes of Arctic climate. J. Geophys. Res, 104 , . (C11),. 25761–25788.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Ringler, T. D., and K. H. Cook, 1999: Understanding the seasonality of orographically forced stationary waves: Interaction between mechanical and thermal forcing. J. Atmos. Sci, 56 , 1154–1174.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Robertson, A. W., C. R. Mechoso, and Y-J. Kim, 2000: The influence of Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies on the North Atlantic oscillation. J. Climate, 13 , 122–138.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Robinson, D. A., K. F. Dewey, and R. R. Heim Jr., . 1993: Global snow cover monitoring: An update. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc, 74 , 1689–1696.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Rodwell, M. J., D. P. Rowell, and C. K. Folland, 1999: Oceanic forcing of the wintertime North Atlantic oscillation and European climate. Nature, 398 , 320–323.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Serreze, M. C., F. Carse, and R. G. Barry, 1997: Icelandic low cyclone activity: Climatological features, linkages with the NAO, and relationships with recent changes in the Northern Hemisphere circulation. J. Climate, 10 , 453–464.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Serreze, M. C., M. P. Clark, D. L. McGinnis, and D. A. Robinson, 1998: Characteristics of snowfall over the eastern half of the United States and relationships with principal modes of low-frequency atmospheric variability. J. Climate, 11 , 234–250.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shindell, D. T., R. L. Miller, G. A. Schmidt, and L. Pandolfo, 1999:: Simulation of recent northern winter climate trends by greenhouse-gas forcing. Nature, 399 , 452–455.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Thompson, D. W. J., and J. M. Wallace, 1998: The Arctic oscillation signature in the wintertime geopotential height and temperature fields. Geophys. Res. Lett, 25 , 1297–1300.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Thompson, D. W. J., J. M. Wallace, and G. C. Hegerl, 2000: Annular modes in the extratropical circulation. Part II: Trends. J. Climate, 13 , 1018–1036.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Thorndike, A. S., and R. Colony, 1980: Arctic Ocean buoy program data January 1979–December 1979. Tech. Rep. 19, Polar Science Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 131 pp.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Ting, M., M. P. Hoerling, T. Xu, and A. Kumar, 2000: Reply. J. Climate, 13 , 1040–1043.

  • Walker, G. T., and E. W. Bliss, 1932: World Weather V. Mem. Roy. Meteor. Soc, 4 , 53–83.

  • Wallace, J. M., and D. S. Gutzler, 1981: Teleconnections in the geopotential height field during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Mon. Wea. Rev, 109 , 784–812.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Walland, D. J., and I. Simmonds, 1997: Modelled atmospheric response to changes in Northern Hemisphere snow cover. Climate Dyn, 13 , 25–34.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Walsh, J. E., W. H. Jasperson, and B. Ross, 1985: Influences of snow cover and soil moisture on monthly air temperature. Mon. Wea. Rev, 113 , 756–768.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Watanabe, M., and T. Nitta, 1998: Relative impacts of snow and sea surface temperature anomalies on an extreme phase in the winter atmospheric circulation. J. Climate, 11 , 2837–2857.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Watanabe, M., and T. Nitta, 1999: Decadal changes in the atmospheric circulation and associated surface climate variations in the Northern Hemisphere winter. J. Climate, 12 , 494–510.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Watanabe, M., M. Kimoto, T. Nitta, and M. Kachi, 1999: A comparison of decadal climate oscillations in the North Atlantic detected in observations and a coupled GCM. J. Climate, 12 , 2920–2940.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wilks, D. S., 1995: Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences. Academic Press, 464 pp.

  • Yamazaki, K., 1989: A study of the impact of soil moisture and surface albedo changes on global climate using the MRI GCM-I. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 67 , 123–146.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Yasunari, T., A. Kitoh, and T. Tokioka, 1991: Local and remote responses to excessive snow mass over Eurasia appearing in the northern spring and summer climate—A study with MRI GCM. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 69 , 473–487.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Zwiers, F. W., and H. von Storch, 1995: Taking serial correlation into account in tests of the mean. J. Climate, 8 , 336–351.

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 907 605 122
PDF Downloads 213 63 3