North Atlantic cloud cover response to the North Atlantic oscillation and relationship to surface temperature changes

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres Vol. 112; no. D7; pp. D07104 - n/a
• Main Authors: Previdi, Michael, Veron, Dana E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Geophysical Union 16-04-2007; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Arctic clouds; Atmospheric Composition and Structure; Atmospheric Processes; Climate variability; Cloud/radiation interaction; Clouds and cloud feedbacks; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Global Change; Marine; North Atlantic climate variability; North Atlantic Oscillation; Polar meteorology; Regional modeling; Northeast Atlantic; North Atlantic; Arctic region; Greenland; AN, North Atlantic; AN, North Atlantic, North Atlantic Oscillation; AN, Greenland; North Atlantic climate variability; Arctic clouds; North Atlantic Oscillation; High latitude; Atlantic Ocean; Regional scope; Surface temperature; Climate models; clouds; anomalies; North Atlantic oscillation; Atmospheric temperature; Atmospheric advection; Feedback; polar regions; Cloudiness; Radiative transfer; Forcing
• ISSN: 0148-0227; 2156-2202
• DOI: 10.1029/2006JD007516

Cloud cover changes over the high‐latitude North Atlantic during January associated with the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) are studied using the Polar MM5 regional climate model. The cloud response to the NAO is marked by an increase in cloudiness during the high phase over much of the North Atlantic east of Greenland and an overall decrease in cloudiness west of Greenland. These cloud changes are accompanied by surface cloud radiative forcing anomalies that are of the same sign as the model‐simulated surface air temperature (SAT) anomalies in most areas. NAO‐related cloud cover changes in January are therefore likely to represent a positive feedback on the SAT changes induced by anomalous atmospheric advection.