Interactions between global SST anomalies and the midlatitude atmospheric circulation

Abstract A review is given of the processes contributing to variability of the atmosphere–ocean system on interannual timescales. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationships between midlatitude atmospheric fluctuations and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in various geographical sites. Various hypotheses are tested using output from a coordinated set of general circulation model experiments, which are subjected to time-varying SST forcing observed during 1946–88 in different parts of the world's oceans. It is demonstrated that tropical Pacific SST fluctuations associated with El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) episodes produce a strong extratropical response in the model atmosphere, whereas the atmospheric signal associated with midlatitude SST anomalies is less robust. Analysis of a 100-yr control experiment, which is conducted in the absence of any interannual SST forcing, indicates that a substantial fraction of the simulated atmospheric variability may be attributed to internal dynamica...

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