Abstract
Blocking is a large-sclae, mid-latitude atmospheric anticyclone that splits the westerly into two jets and has a profound effect on local and regional climates. This study examined the seasonal, interannual, and decadal variability of the Atlantic and Pacific blocking anticyclones in the Northern Hemisphere based on the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) reanalysis data between 1958 and 1999. The preferred blocking region during these forty-two years was located over the Atlantic. Most blocking anticyclones over the Atlantic occurred in spring, while most of those over the Pacific occurred in winter. Similar two-to four-year and eleven-year oscillations were found for both the Atlantic and Pacific blocks by using wavelet analysis. The dominant mode for the Pacific blocks is decadal variation, while for the Atlantic blocks the predominant one is interannual variation with a period of about three years. The frequencies of the Pacific and Atlantic blocks varied almost in phase on interannual time scales except during the period of 1965–1977, and frequencies were out of phase on decadal time scale throughout the forty-two years.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berggren, R., B. Bolin, and C. G. Rossby, 1949. An aerological study of zonal motion, its perturbations and breakdown. Tellus, 2: 14–37.
Elliott, R. D., and T. B. Smith, 1949. A study of the effects of large blocking highs on the general circulation in the Northern Hemisphere westerlies. J. Meteor., 6: 27–85.
Graham, N. E., 1994. Decadal-scale climate variability in the tropical and North Pacific during the 1970s and 1980s: observations and model results. Clim. Dyn., 10: 135–162.
Green, J. S. A., 1977. The weather during July 1976: some dynamical consideration of the drought. Weather, 32: 120–128.
Holopainen, E., and C. Fortelius, 1987. High-frequency transient eddies and blocking. J. Atmos. Sci., 44: 1632–1645.
Hovmöller, E., 1949. The trough-and-ridge diagram. Tellus, 2: 62–67.
Illari, L., 1984. A diagnostic study of the potential vorticity in a warm blocking anticyclone. J. Atmos. Sci., 41: 3518–3526.
Latif M., and T. P. Barnett, 1996. Decadal climate variability over the North Pacific and North America-dynamics and predictability. J. Clim., 9: 2407–2423.
Latif, M., and T. P. Barnett, 1994. Causes of decadal climate variability over the North Pacific and North America. Science, 266: 634–637.
Lejenäs, H., and H. Økland, 1983. Characteristics of Northern Hemisphere blocking as determined from a long time series of observational data. Tellus, 35A: 350–262.
Luo, D., 1999. Large-scale Envelope Rossby Solitons in the Atmosphere and Blocking Circulations. Chinese Meteorological Press, Beijing, pp. 113.
Luo, D., 2000a. Planetary-scale baroclinic envelope Rossby solitons in a two-layer model and their interaction with synoptic-scale eddies. Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 32: 27–74.
Luo, D., 2002b. Nonlinear Dynamics of Blocking. Chinese Meteorological Press, Beijing, pp. 248.
Luo, D., and Li, J., 2000c. Barotropic interaction between planetary and synoptic-scale waves during the life cycle of blocking. Advances in Atmos. Sci., 17: 649–670.
Luo, D., Huang, F., and Diao, Y., 2001. Interaction between antecedent planetary-scale envelope soliton blocking anticyclone and synoptic-scale eddies: Observations and theory. J. Geophys. Res., 106(D23): 31795–31815.
Lupo, A. R., and P. J. Smith, 1998. The interactions between a midlatitude blocking anticyclone and synopticscale cyclone that occurred during the summer season. Mon. Wea. Rev., 126: 502–515.
Lupo, A. R., and P. J. Smith, 1995. Climatological feature of blocking anticyclones in the north Hemisphere. Tellus, 47a: 439–456.
Malanotte-Rizzoli, P., and P. Malguzzi, 1987. Coherent structures in a baroclinic atmosphere. Part III: Block formation and eddy forcing. J. Atmos. Sci., 44: 2493–2505.
Miller, A. J., D. R. Cayan, and T. P. Barnett, 1994. Interdecadal variability of the Pacific Ocean: model response to observed heat flux and wind stress anomalies. Clim. Dyn., 9: 287–302.
Münnich, M., M. Latif, S. Venzke, and E. Maier-Reimer, 1998. Decadal oscillations in a simple coupled model. J. Clim., 12: 3309–3319.
Nakamura, H., M. Nakamura, and J. L. Anderson, 1997. The role of high- and low-frequency dynamics in blocking formation. Mon. Wea. Rev., 125: 2074–2093.
Nitta, T., and S. Yamada, 1989. Recent warming of tropical sea surface temperature and its relationship to northern hemisphere circulation. J. Meteorol. Soc. Jpn., 67: 375–383.
Quiroz, R. S., 1984. The climate of the 1983–1984 winter: a season of strong blocking and severe cold in North America. Mon. Wea. Rev., 112: 1894–1912.
Rex, D. F., 1950a. Blocking action in the middle troposphere and its effects upon regional climate. I. An aerological study of blocking action. Tellus, 2: 196–211.
Rex, D. F., 1950b. Blocking action in the middle troposphere and its effects upon regional climate. II. The climatology of blocking action. Tellus, 2: 275–301.
Torrence, C., and G. P. Compo, 1998. A Practical Guide to Wavelet Analysis. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 79: 61–78.
Tourre, Y. M., Y. Kushnir, and W. B. White, 1999. Evolution of interdecadal variability in SLP, SST and upper ocean temperatures over the Pacific Ocean. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 29: 1528–1541.
Trenberth, K. E., and J. W. Hurrel, 1994. Decadal atmosphere-ocean variations in the Pacific. Clim. Dyn., 9: 303–319.
Triedl, R. A., E. C. Birch, and P. Sajechi, 1981. Blocking action in the Northern Hemisphere: a climatological study. Atmos. Ocean, 19: 1–23.
White, E. B., and N. E. Clark, 1975. On the development of blocking ridge activity over the central North Pacific. J. Atmos. Sci., 32: 489–501.
Xu, W., T. P. Barnett, and M. Latif, 1998. Decadal variability in the North Pacific as simulated by a hybrid coupled model. J. Clim., 11: 297–311.
Zhang, R. H., and S. Levitus, 1997. Structure and cycle of decadal variability of upper ocean temperature in the North Pacific. J. Clim., 10: 710–727.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fei, H., Faxiu, Z. & Olson, P.J. Variations of the atlantic and pacific blocking anticyclones and their correlation in the Northern Hemisphere. J Ocean Univ. China 1, 38–44 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-002-0028-2
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-002-0028-2