Statistical regression analysis of response of northern mid and upper tropospheric circulation to winter Eurasian snow cover effects

Abstract

Response for anomalous circulation in relation to snow coverage is derived by use of regression coefficients in dealing with the Eurasian snow cover time series and northern mid and upper tropospheric height data. Results show that not only does the regression response pattern represent the correlation between snow coverage and circulation change but reflects the amplitude strength in correlation cores as well, with a greater amplitude of the circulation response in the mid troposphere and remarkable equivalent barotropy in the mid to upper levels, and that the response of winter—summer circulations to winter snow cover displays noticeable stationary planetary—scale wavetrain, leading to NEUP and NPNA patterns in winter, slightly changed forms in spring months and LEU and EANA in summer time. Also, the study demonstrates that the rasponse-produced wavetrain is marked by branch and propagates energy in a wave—front manner with the energy trapped at subtropical latitudes.