American Geophysical Union Become an AGU Member
Subscribe to AGU Journals		 AGU Home AGU Publications

Read Full Article (file size: 263160 bytes)    Cited by

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L23704, doi:10.1029/2006GL027721, 2006

Regional climate impacts of the Southern Annular Mode

N. P. Gillett

Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK


T. D. Kell

Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK


P. D. Jones

Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK


Abstract

Previous work on the influence of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) on surface climate has focused mainly on individual countries. In this study we use station observations of temperature and rainfall to identify the influence of the SAM on land regions over the whole of the Southern Hemisphere. We demonstrate that the positive phase of the SAM is associated with a significant cooling over Antarctica and much of Australia, and a significant warming over the Antarctic Peninsula, Argentina, Tasmania and the south of New Zealand. The positive phase of the SAM is also associated with anomalously dry conditions over southern South America, New Zealand and Tasmania, due to the southward shift of the stormtrack; and to anomalously wet conditions over much of Australia and South Africa. These influences on populated regions of the Southern Hemisphere may have implications for weather and seasonal forecasting, and for future climate change.

Received 28 July 2006; accepted 20 October 2006; published 5 December 2006.

Keywords: Southern Annular Mode; SAM.

Index Terms: 1616 Global Change: Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513); 1620 Global Change: Climate dynamics (0429, 3309); 3305 Atmospheric Processes: Climate change and variability (1616, 1635, 3309, 4215, 4513); 3309 Atmospheric Processes: Climatology (1616, 1620, 3305, 4215, 8408); 3354 Atmospheric Processes: Precipitation (1854).

Read Full Article (file size: 263160 bytes)    Cited by

Citation: Gillett, N. P., T. D. Kell, and P. D. Jones (2006), Regional climate impacts of the Southern Annular Mode, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L23704, doi:10.1029/2006GL027721.