Impact of Extratropical Northeast Pacific SST on U.S. West Coast Precipitation

Abstract

AbstractThe rainfall over the U.S. West Coast is known to be highly influenced by large‐scale atmospheric circulation and tropical climate teleconnections. However, the role of North Pacific oceanic variability is less understood. Using high‐resolution regional atmospheric model simulations forced by sustained positive and negative phases of the extratropical Pacific Decadal Oscillation sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTa), we diagnose the precipitation changes over the U.S. West Coast during 2010–2020. We find that precipitation anomalies are up to 60% stronger (weaker) for the warm (cold) cases, especially over Northern and Central California during wintertime, and Baja California in the summertime. In both seasons, precipitation is predominantly modulated through changes in the water vapor flux, which are directed toward the coast in wintertime and away from the coast during summertime. These flux anomalies are primarily driven by large‐scale changes in the wind associated with the atmospheric adjustment to the strong ocean SSTa.