Arctic and east Asia winter climate variations associated with the eastern Atlantic pattern

Here aspects of circulation variability that are associated with these temperature changes are examined using the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis and ERA-Interim products. It is found that the Nordic-Siberia seesaw of meridional winds near 70 degrees N is associated with two-thirds of the variance of the Arctic winter mean T, possibly contributing to the cooling and warming trends.

It is suggested here that the seesaw accounts for much of the difference in Arctic amplification between observations and climate models. Growth of sea ice in winter is hindered by southerly winds over the Nordic region (0 degrees-60 degrees E). Through modulation of the wind seesaw, the eastern Atlantic (EA) pattern is found to be significantly associated with Arctic and East Asia winter climate variations.