Pentad Evolution of Wintertime Impacts of the Madden–Julian Oscillation over the Contiguous United States

Abstract

Abstract Lagged pentad composites of surface air temperature and precipitation are analyzed for the winter season (December–February) to assess the influence of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on the climate of the contiguous United States. Composites are based on the Wheeler and Hendon MJO index as well as an index developed and maintained at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC), which is based on extended empirical orthogonal function analysis of upper-level velocity potential. Significant positive temperature anomalies develop in the eastern United States 5–20 days following Wheeler and Hendon MJO index phase 3, which corresponds to enhanced convection centered over the eastern Indian Ocean. At the same lag, positive precipitation anomalies are observed from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes region. Negative temperature anomalies appear in the central and eastern United States 10–20 days following Wheeler and Hendon MJO phase 7. These impacts are supported by an analysis of the evolution of 200-hPa geopotential height and zonal wind anomalies. Composites based on the CPC velocity potential MJO index generally yield similar results; however, they capture more cases since the index contains both interannual and subseasonal variability. There are some cases where the CPC index differs from that of WH in both MJO phase identification and its North American impacts, especially near the West Coast. This analysis suggests that MJO-related velocity potential anomalies can be used without the Wheeler and Hendon MJO index to predict MJO impacts.