Impact of the 2002, Southern Hemisphere, stratospheric warming on the tropical cirrus clouds and convective activity

Abstract

Tropical cirrus cloud variation associated with the southern hemisphere stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) in September 2002 was investigated using data from MODIS/Terra. During the SSW, enhanced wave forcings induced upwelling in the tropical stratosphere, which further extended into the equatorial troposphere. This initial perturbation of the tropospheric upwelling developed in the southern tropical troposphere through increased mass‐ and water vapor convergence in the lower level leading to deep convection. Cirrus cloud was first formed by the low temperature due to upwelling associated with the SSW, and it persisted for a few weeks after the end of SSW due to the low temperature associated with the Kelvin‐wave response to a deep convection triggered by the SSW.