The seasonally varying effect of the Tibetan Plateau on Northern Hemispheric blocking frequency and amplitude

Abstract

The Northern Hemisphere atmospheric blocking is a primary weather and climate system that accompanies extreme cold spells and heat waves. This study assesses effects of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the largest continental mountain belt, on the blocking frequency (BF) and amplitude (BA) with progressive TP uplift experiments from 0 to 100 % using a coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model. The TP uplift increases the annual-mean BF by 3 and 21 % over the Pacific and Atlantic basins, respectively. A particular focus is placed on the seasonally distinct mechanism in the effects of TP uplift on the boreal winter and summer blockings. During winter, the TP uplift increases the BF over the active centers of both ocean basins via amplifying the eddy kinetic energy of stationary waves. On the other hand, in summer, the TP uplift tends to shift the location of BF northward due to notable poleward displacement of the jet stream and transient eddy activities, particularly over the Atlantic. Compared to the considerable BF increase in both seasons, the amplification of BA due to the TP uplift is much stronger in winter than in summer, reaffirming the seasonally varying TP effect on the blocking. Further analyses reveal that in summer, the TP uplift modulates more effectively the jet displacement than its strength, leading more linear northward shift of jet and BF, especially over the Atlantic. This study will contribute to advances in simulation and prediction of atmospheric blocking events.