Meridional Eddy Sensible Heat Fluxes in the Extremes of the Pacific/North American Teleconnection Pattern

Abstract

Abstract The geographical distribution of meridional eddy sensible heat transport in the extremes of the Pacific/North American (PNA) teleconnection pattern is examined and compared to heat transport occurring in conjunction with other regional teleconnections. The heat fluxes are estimated using 700-mb air temperatures and geostrophic winds during 12 winter months when the PNA index reaches its highest values (large-amplitude standing ridge and trough pattern over North America) and during 12 months when it is lowest (relatively zonal flow across the continent). The standing wave fluxes are generally largest in the positive PNA phase, especially across latitudes 45°–55°N, although the flux between 60°–75°N is not as great as in the negative phase, when poleward heat transport is strong over northern Canada and near Iceland. The largest spatial heat flux variations in the extremes of the PNA occur in areas with long-term climatological flux maxima and relatively large long-term standard deviations. These ...