Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The seasonally varying effect of the Tibetan Plateau on Northern Hemispheric blocking frequency and amplitude

  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Northern Hemisphere atmospheric blocking is a primary weather and climate system that accompanies extreme cold spells and heat waves. This study assesses effects of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the largest continental mountain belt, on the blocking frequency (BF) and amplitude (BA) with progressive TP uplift experiments from 0 to 100 % using a coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model. The TP uplift increases the annual-mean BF by 3 and 21 % over the Pacific and Atlantic basins, respectively. A particular focus is placed on the seasonally distinct mechanism in the effects of TP uplift on the boreal winter and summer blockings. During winter, the TP uplift increases the BF over the active centers of both ocean basins via amplifying the eddy kinetic energy of stationary waves. On the other hand, in summer, the TP uplift tends to shift the location of BF northward due to notable poleward displacement of the jet stream and transient eddy activities, particularly over the Atlantic. Compared to the considerable BF increase in both seasons, the amplification of BA due to the TP uplift is much stronger in winter than in summer, reaffirming the seasonally varying TP effect on the blocking. Further analyses reveal that in summer, the TP uplift modulates more effectively the jet displacement than its strength, leading more linear northward shift of jet and BF, especially over the Atlantic. This study will contribute to advances in simulation and prediction of atmospheric blocking events.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anstey JA et al (2013) Multi-model analysis of Northern Hemisphere winter blocking: model biases and the role of resolution. J Geophys Res 118:3956–3971. doi:10.1002/jgrd.50231

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes EA (2013) Revisiting the evidence linking Arctic amplification to extreme weather midlatitudes. Geophys Res Lett 40:4734–4739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barriopedro D, Garcia-Herrera R, Lupo AR, Hernandez E (2006) A climatology of Northern Hemispheric blocking. J Clim 19:1042–1063

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barriopedro D, Garcia-Herrera R, Trigo RM (2010) Application of blocking diagnosis methods to general circulation models. Part I: a novel detection scheme. Clim Dyn 35:1373–1391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berckmans J, Woollings T, Demory ME, Vidale PL, Roberts M (2013) Atmospheric blocking in a high resolution climate model: influences of mean state, orography and eddy forcing. Atmos Sci Let 14:34–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Broccoli AJ, Manabe S (1992) The effects of orography on midlatitude Northern Hemisphere dry climates. J Clim 5:1181–1201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cassou C, Terray L, Phillips AS (2005) Tropical Atlantic influence on European heat waves. J Clim 18:2805–2811

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charney JG, DeVore JG (1979) Multiple flow equilibria in the atmospheric and blocking. J Atmos Sci 36:1205–1216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen WD, Smith RB (1987) Blocking and deflection of air flow by the Alps. Mon Weather Rev 115:2578–2597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung HN, Zhou W, Mok HY, Wu MC (2012) Relationship between Ural-Siberian blocking and the East Asian winter monsoon in relation to the Arctic oscillation and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. J Clim 25:4242–4257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croci-Maspoli M, Schwierz C, Davies HC (2007a) Atmospheric blocking: space-time links to the NAO and PNA. Clim Dyn 29:713–725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croci-Maspoli M, Schwierz C, Davies HC (2007b) A multifaceted climatology of atmospheric blocking and its recent linear trend. J Clim 20:633–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davini P, Cagnazzo C, Gualdi S, Navarra A (2012) Bidimensional diagnostics, variability and trends of Northern Hemisphere blocking. J Clim 25:6496–6509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davini P, Cagnazzo C, Fogli PG, Manzini E, Gualdi S, Navarra A (2014) European blocking and Atlantic jet stream variability in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and the CMCC-CMS climate model. Clim Dyn 43:71–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diao Y, Li J, Luo D (2006) A new blocking index and its application: blocking action in the Northern Hemisphere. J Clim 19:4819–4839

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doblas-Reyes F, Casado M, Pastor M (2002) Sensitivity of the Northern Hemisphere blocking frequency to the detection index. J Geophys Res 107:4009. doi:10.1029/2000JD000290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dole R, Gordon N (1983) Persistent anomalies of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere wintertime circulation—geographical-distribution and regional persistence characteristics. Mon Weather Rev 111:1567–1586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dole R et al (2011) Was there a basis for anticipating the 2010 Russian heat wave? Geophys Res Lett 38:L06702. doi:10.1029/2010GL046582

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn-Sigouin E, Son SW (2013) Northern Hemisphere blocking frequency and duration in the CMIP5 models. J Geophys Res 118:1179–1188. doi:10.1002/jgrd.50143

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn-Sigouin E, Son SW, Lin H (2013) Evaluation of Northern Hemisphere blocking climatology in the Global Environment Multiscale (GEM) model. Mon Weather Rev 141:707–727

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egger J (1978) Dynamics of blocking highs. J Atmos Sci 35:1788–1801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eichelberger S, Hartmann DL (2007) Zonal Jet structure of the leading mode of variability. J Clim 20:5149–5163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frederiksen JS (1982) A unified three-dimensional instability theory of the onset of blocking and cyclogenesis. J Atmos Sci 39:969–987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green JSA (1977) The weather during July 1976: Some dynamical consideration of the drought. Weather 32:120–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Held IM, Ting M, Wang H (2002) Northern winter stationary waves: theory and modeling. J Clim 15:2125–2144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoskins BJ, Karoly DJ (1981) The steady linear response of a spherical atmosphere to thermal and orographic forcing. J Atmos Sci 38:1179–1196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanamitsu M et al (2002) NCEP-DOE AMIP-II reanalysis (R-2). Bull Am Meteorol Soc 83:1631–1643

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim SH, Ha KJ (2015) Two leading modes of Northern Hemisphere blocking variability in the boreal wintertime and their relationship with teleconnection patterns. Clim Dyn 44:2479–2491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitoh A (2002) Effects of large-scale mountains on surface climate—a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model study. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 80:1165–1181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitoh A (2004) Effects of mountain uplift on East Asian summer climate investigated by a coupled atmosphere–ocean GCM. J Clim 17:783–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitoh A (2007) ENSO modulation by mountain uplift. Clim Dyn 28:781–796

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee SS, Lee JY, Ha KJ, Wang B, Kitoh A, Kajikawa Y, Abe M (2013) Role of the Tibetan Plateau on the annual variation of mean atmospheric circulation and storm-track activity. J Clim 26:5270–5286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee JY, Wang B, Seo KH, Ha KJ, Kitoh A, Liu J (2015) Effects of Mountain uplift on global monsoon precipitation. Asia-Pacific J Atmos Sci 51:275–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masato G, Hoskins BJ, Woollings T (2013) Winter and summer Northern hemispheric blocking in CMIP5 models. J Clim 26:7044–7059

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McWilliams JC (1980) An application of equivalent modons to atmospheric blocking. Dyn Atmos Oceans 5:43–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metz W (1985) Wintertime blocking and mountain forcing of the zonally-averaged flow: a cross-spectral time series analysis of observed data. J Atoms Sci 42:1880–1892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura H, Nakamura M, Anderson JL (1997) The role of high- and low-frequency dynamics in blocking formation. Mon Weather Rev 125:2074–2093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park YJ, Ahn JB (2014) Characters of atmospheric circulation over East Asia associated with summer blocking. J Geophys Res 119:726–738. doi:10.1002/2013JD020688

    Google Scholar 

  • Park HS, Chiang JCH, Son SW (2010) The role of the Central Asian Mountains on the midwinter suppression of North Pacific storminess. J Atmos Sci 67:3706–3720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park HS, Xie SP, Son SW (2013) Poleward stationary eddy heat transport by the Tibetan Plateau and equatorward shift of westerlies during northern winter. J Atmos Sci 70:3288–3301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen GN, Kristjansson JE, Olafsson H (2005) The effect of upstream wind direction on atmospheric flow in the vicinity of a large mountain. Q J R Meterol Soc 131:1113–1128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rex DF (1950) Blocking action in the middle troposphere and its effect upon regional climate. II: The climatology of blocking action. Tellus 2:275–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shutts GJ (1983) The propagation of eddies in diffluent jetstreams: eddy vorticity forcing of blocking flow fields. Q J R Meteorol Soc 109:737–761

    Google Scholar 

  • Shutts GJ (1998) Idealized models of the pressure drag force on mesoscale mountain ridges. Contrib Atmos Phys 71:303–313

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillmann J, Mischa CM, Malaak K, Richard WK (2011) Extreme cold winter temperatures in Europe under the influence of North Atlantic atmospheric blocking. J Clim 24:5899–5913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Son SW, Ting M, Polvani LM (2009) The effect of topography on storm track intensity in a relatively simple general circulation model. J Atmos Sci 66:393–411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tibaldi S, Molteni F (1990) On the operational predictability of blocking. Tellus 42:343–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tibaldi S, Andrea FD, Tosi E, Roeckner E (1997) Climatology of Northern Hemisphere blocking in the ECHAM model. Clim Dyn 13:649–666

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trigo R, Trigo I, DaCamara C, Osborn T (2004) Climate impact of the European winter blocking episodes from the NCEP/NCAR reanalyses. Clim Dyn 23:17–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tung KK, Lindzen RS (1979) A theory of stationary long waves. Part I: a simple theory of blocking. Mon Weather Rev 107:714–734

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyrlis E, Hoskins B (2008) Aspects of a Northern hemishere atmosheric blocing climatolgy. J Atmos Sci 65:1638–1652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woollings T, Hannachi A, Hoskins B (2010) Variability of the North Atlantic eddy-driven jet stream. Q J R Meterol Soc 136:856–868

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu JY, Hartmann DL (1995) Orographic influences on the distribution and generation of atmospheric variability in a GCM. J Atmos Sci 52:2428–2443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yukimoto S et al (2001) The new Meteorological Research Institute coupled GCM (MRI-CGCM2)—model climate and variability. Pap Meteorol Geophys 51:47–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the GRL grant of the National Research Foundation (NRF) funded by the Korean Government (MEST 2011-0021927) and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (No. 2012R1A2A2A01008501). K.-S. Yun is supported by the 2015 Post-Doc. Development Program of Pusan National University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Climate Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735, Korea

    Kyung-Sook Yun, Kyung-Ja Ha & June-Yi Lee

  2. Division of Earth Environmental System, College of Natural Science, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea

    Ye-Won Seo & Kyung-Ja Ha

  3. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Akio Kitoh

  4. Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea

    Kyung-Ja Ha

Authors
  1. Kyung-Sook Yun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ye-Won Seo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kyung-Ja Ha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. June-Yi Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Akio Kitoh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kyung-Ja Ha.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yun, KS., Seo, YW., Ha, KJ. et al. The seasonally varying effect of the Tibetan Plateau on Northern Hemispheric blocking frequency and amplitude. Clim Dyn 47, 2527–2541 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-2981-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-2981-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation