Southeastern pacific blocking episodes and their effects on the South American weather

Abstract

Southeastern Pacific blocking episodes are studied using 17 years of reanalyzed daily data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The anomalous sea level pressure (SLP) within the area bounded by the longitudes of 130° W and 100° W and the latitudes of 50° S and 70° S is used as the base variable to determine periods with 7 or more sequential days with positive anomalies in this domain. Using these periods, composites are calculated for the SLP and its anomalies, 500-hPa geopotential height anomalies and the 250-hPa and 925-hPa wind vectors in the western southern hemisphere (SH). Composites for austral winter and summer exhibit atmospheric circulation features quite similar to those associated with the blocking episodes in the southeastern Pacific. The corresponding composite patterns of the precipitable water (Pw) and 925-hPa temperature anomalies for the South American sector are also discussed. For both seasons blocking episodes in the southeastern Pacific change the distributions of these thermodynamic variables over South America, in particular in its southern and southeastern regions by reducing (increasing) the Pw and low-level temperature in the southern South America (the central part of the continent). Therefore, monitoring the southeastern Pacific circulation patterns may lead to improved weather forecast for the South American sector.