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Review of Northern Winter 2010/11
Mike Blackburn National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading Seasonal Climate Discussion 15 April 2011
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Outline UK and Europe surface conditions
Global temperature (distribution and average) Large scale circulation & teleconnections Circulation change in mid-November Tropical Pacific – La Niña
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UK Mean Temperature anomaly
Nov 2010 Dec 2010 Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 Met Office
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UK Mean Temperature December: CET -0.7°C anomaly -5.3°C
coldest since 1890 2nd coldest on record (since 1659) Winter (DJF): December dominates CET 2nd coldest since 1996 (2009/10 colder) Met Office
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UK Precipitation anomaly (%)
Nov 2010 Dec 2010 Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 Met Office
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UK December 2010 Met Office Chief Scientist’s report to Sir John Beddington, March 2011
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European surface air temperature
November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 Mean temperature anomalies wrt average KNMI, ENSEMBLES E-OBS data
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European precipitation
November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 Anomaly [mm/month] wrt average KNMI, ENSEMBLES E-OBS data
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Alpine snow Scandinavia Lack of snow after New Year
Warm and dry conditions prevailed through Jan/Feb 2011 Scandinavia Cold + laying snow persisted throughout winter
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Global surface air temperature (land)
November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 KNMI, NCEP/CPC data Mean temperature anomalies wrt average
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Surface air temperature anomaly
DJF 2009/10 DJF 2010/11 NOAA ESRL
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Surface air temperature anomaly
December 2009 December 2010 NOAA ESRL
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Cold mid-latitudes, amid global warmth
“Global temperature is rising as fast in the past decade as in the prior two decades, despite year-to-year fluctuations associated with the El Niño-La Niña cycle of tropical ocean temperature”, Hansen et al (2010) Monthly comparison, 2010 vs. previous years 2010 global average Ts was warmest on record – GISS data Contribution from El Niño – La Niña cycle Cooler in December 2010 NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Hansen et al (2010)
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NAO - AO - Solar minimum Stratospheric water vapour
Stratospheric vortex QBO east Waves NAM latitude height NAO - Blocking AO - Planetary waves Importance of stratosphere increasingly recognised in last decade -> Include additional forcing processes in extended-range forecast models. Tropical Atlantic PNA Atlantic SST & sea ice Eurasian snow cover (October) El Niño
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Summary UK and European conditions
Global temperature (distribution and average) Large scale circulation & teleconnections Circulation change in mid-November Tropical Pacific – La Niña
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250hPa wind and Geopotential Height
Dec. Climatology December 2009 December 2010
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250hPa vector wind November 2010 December 2010 January 2011
February 2011 NOAA ESRL
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250hPa geopotential height anomaly
November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 NOAA ESRL
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Teleconnection patterns
North Atlantic Oscillation NAO Z500 Winter 2010/11 Arctic Oscillation AO Pmsl Pacific/North American PNA Z500 NOAA Climate Prediction Center
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Teleconnection patterns
Winter 2009/10 Winter 2010/11 NOAA Climate Prediction Center
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Blocking strength (Tibaldi & Monteni index)
Winter 2009/10 Winter 2010/11 NOAA Climate Prediction Center
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Jet Stream wind / Streamfunction anomaly
December 2009 December 2010
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Summary UK and European conditions
Global temperature (distribution and average) Large scale circulation & teleconnections Circulation change in mid-November Tropical Pacific – La Niña
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mid-November circulation change
Beware November monthly averages! Hint that Pacific (PNA) leads Atlantic (NAO) change NOAA Climate Prediction Center
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Surface air temperature – time evolution
01-30 November 2010 01-14 December 2010 01-15 November 2010 16-30 November 2010
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250hPa height – hemispheric planetary wave pattern:
weekly averages from early November to mid-December ECMWF analyses, processed at University of Reading
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250hPa streamfunction – global wave patterns:
weekly averages from through November 2010 ECMWF analyses, processed at University of Reading
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250hPa streamfunction – precursor pattern for negative NAO:
Woollings et al (2008) 250hPa meridional wind ECMWF analyses, processed at University of Reading
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Summary UK and European conditions
Global temperature (distribution and average) Large scale circulation & teleconnections Circulation change in mid-November Tropical Pacific – La Niña
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Niño region SST anomalies
NAO phase Early winter Late winter moderate El Niño + - La Niña NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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El Niño, 2009/10 SST anomaly DJF 09/10 OLR anomaly DJF 09/10
NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin NOAA ESRL
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La Niña, 2010/11 SST anomaly DJF 10/11 OLR anomaly DJF 10/11
Nino 3.4 / 4 SST similar to previous cold events, but earlier start? NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin NOAA ESRL
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Tropical SST evolution
NOAA Climate Prediction Center/NCEP
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2010 SST anomaly (NCEP reanalysis, ESRL)
DJF 09/10 Sept 2010 MAM 2010 Oct 2010 JJA 2010 Nov 2010 NOAA ESRL
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2010/11 SST anomaly (NCEP reanalysis, ESRL)
Sept 2010 Dec 2010 Oct 2010 Jan 2011 Nov 2010 Feb 2011 NOAA ESRL
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Tropical evolution NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
Atmospheric response to SSTs is strong (SOI - mainly Tahiti?) and OLR? NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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Tropical evolution NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
Trends in low level zonal winds?? NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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Tropical evolution: 5N-5S
NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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Tropical evolution: 5N-5S pentad data
NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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Tropical evolution: 5N-5S pentad data
Weak MJO activity except end of September. Relatively stationary convective and equatorial response to SST NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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OLR anomalies (monthly)
September 2010 December 2010 October 2010 January 2011 November 2010 February 2011 NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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200hPa streamfunction anomalies (monthly)
September 2010 December 2010 October 2010 January 2011 November 2010 February 2011 NOAA Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
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SST: comparison with previous La Niñas
NOAA ESRL
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ENSO evolution – previous events
SOI versus Nino 3.4 – DJF - main monsoon season KNMI Climate Explorer
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ENSO evolution – previous events
SOI versus Nino 3.4 – SON - pre-monsoon KNMI Climate Explorer
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Conclusions / Summary Second cold winter in Europe & across mid-latitudes …but warmer late winter in Europe Cold onset: mid-November circulation change …possible trigger from (tropical) Pacific Strong La Niña, throughout (northern) Autumn + Winter …large scale response varies through season Similarities to and differences from 2009/10 winter
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- questions? -
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2010 SST anomaly (NCEP reanalysis, ESRL)
Sept Oct Nov. 1-15 Nov Dec. 1-15 Dec NOAA ESRL
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