Abstract
We investigate the connections of the North Atlantic and Indian Ocean sectors with Iraq winter/summer temperature and precipitation. Canonical Correlation Analyses (CCAs) are performed in order to identify potential links between Iraq climate and the atmospheric circulation over these two regions. Regression maps of 200 hPa and 500 hPa geopotential height and sea level pressure fields on the time series derived through CCAs are constructed in order to infer the physical mechanisms connecting the North Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions with Iraq climate. The winter temperature in this country is linked with the North Atlantic Scandinavian pattern, whereas the winter precipitation is associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation. In the free atmosphere, the connection with Iraq temperature is provided by Rossby waves, while the winter precipitation is linked to a more zonal structure. At surface, the air advection is a relevant mechanism through which North Atlantic modes appear to affect Iraq climate.
Highlights
Temperature and precipitation are key parameters for Iraq climate
The results presented here provide a new perspective on the connections between North Atlantic and Indian Ocean sectors and Iraq temperature and precipitation, during boreal winter and summer
The associated physical mechanisms are investigated through regression maps
Summary
Temperature and precipitation are key parameters for Iraq climate. It is important to identify the large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns which connect them. Previous studies investigating the controls of the Middle East climate have been concentrated mainly on the influences of the dominant oceanic and atmospheric modes, like the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), during the winter and spring months, with less attention on other modes. NAO is the dominant atmospheric mode in the North Atlantic sector [1]. NAO phase leads to relatively cold (warm) conditions in central and northern Europe and to relatively warm (cold) conditions over southern Europe and the Mediterranean [2].
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