HR: 09:40h
AN: C11C-06 [Abstracts]
TI: Potential Linkages Between Spring Snow Cover and Atmospheric Circulation in the Northern Hemisphere,
1967-2004
AU: * Choi, G
EM: tribute@hanmail.net
AF: Rutgers University, Department of Geography
54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854
United States
AU: Robinson, D A
EM: drobins@rci.rutgers.edu
AF: Rutgers University, Department of Geography
54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854
United States
AU: Kim, J
EM: jkim@met.utah.edu
AF: University of Utah, Department of Meteorology
135 S 1460 E, Rm. 819 (WBB), Salt Lake City, UT 84112
United States
AB:
The temporal and spatial variations of spring snow cover and atmospheric circulation are examined over the Northern
Hemisphere for the period 1967-2004. Weekly snow cover anomalies derived from NOAA satellite visible imagery, and
geopotential height, wind, and temperature anomalies in the upper atmosphere (500hPa, 300hPa and 70hPa) are averaged for
1967-1975 (episode I), 1976-1985 (episode II), 1986-1995 (episode III), and 1996-2004 (episode IV). Vernal snow cover over
Northern Hemispheric lands shows a decreasing trend for the study period, especially during episode III, in contrast with
episode II, when more snow cover is observed. Spatially, central North America and Europe exhibit a significant decrease in
early spring snow cover extent during episode III. Differences of weekly anomalous geopotential height between the Arctic
(80-90 deg N) and middle latitudes (40-50 deg N) are of opposite phases between episode II and episode III. The locations of
polar jet streams and the circumpolar vortex in relation to anomalous snow covered events will be discussed for the entire
study period.
UR: http://climate.rutgers.edu/snowcover
DE: 1218 Mass balance (0762, 1223, 1631, 1836, 1843, 3010, 3322, 4532)
DE: 1616 Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513)
DE: 1827 Glaciology (0736, 0776, 1863)
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005