Oceanic Jet Research Articles

Signature of the western boundary currents in local climate variability.

The western boundary currents are characterized by narrow, intense ocean jets and are among the most energetic phenomena in the world ocean. The importance of the western boundary currents to the mean climate is well established: they transport vast quantities of heat from the subtropics to the midlatitudes1, and they govern the structure of the climatological mean surface winds2-6, precipitation4-6 and extratropical storm tracks7-13. Their importance to climate variability is much less clear, as the tropospheric response to extratropical sea surface temperature (SST) variability is generally modest relative to the internal variability in the midlatitude atmosphere12-14. Here we exploit novel local analyses based on high-spatial-resolution data to demonstrate that SST variability in the western boundary currents has a more robust signature in climate variability than has been indicated in previous work. Our results indicate that warm SST anomalies in the major boundary currents of both hemispheres are associated with a distinct signature of locally enhanced precipitation and rising motion anomalies that extend throughout the depth of the troposphere. The tropospheric signature closely mirrors that of ocean dynamical processes in the boundary currents. Thus, the findings indicate a distinct and robust pathway through which extratropical ocean dynamical processes influence local climate variability. The observational relationships are also reproducible in Earth system model simulations but only when the simulations are run at high spatial resolution.

Spatio‐Temporal Super‐Resolution Data Assimilation (SRDA) Utilizing Deep Neural Networks With Domain Generalization

AbstractDeep learning has recently gained attention in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences for its potential to improve the accuracy of numerical simulations or to reduce computational costs. Super‐resolution is one such technique for high‐resolution inference from low‐resolution data. This paper proposes a new scheme, called four‐dimensional super‐resolution data assimilation (4D‐SRDA). This framework calculates the time evolution of a system from low‐resolution simulations using a physics‐based model, while a trained neural network simultaneously performs data assimilation and spatio‐temporal super‐resolution. The use of low‐resolution simulations without ensemble members reduces the computational cost of obtaining inferences at high spatio‐temporal resolution. In 4D‐SRDA, physics‐based simulations and neural‐network inferences are performed alternately, possibly causing a domain shift, that is, a statistical difference between the training and test data, especially in offline training. Domain shifts can reduce the accuracy of inference. To mitigate this risk, we developed super‐resolution mixup (SR‐mixup)–a data augmentation method for domain generalization. SR‐mixup creates a linear combination of randomly sampled inputs, resulting in synthetic data with a different distribution from the original data. The proposed methods were validated using an idealized barotropic ocean jet with supervised learning. The results suggest that the combination of 4D‐SRDA and SR‐mixup is effective for robust inference cycles. This study highlights the potential of super‐resolution and domain‐generalization techniques, in the field of data assimilation, especially for the integration of physics‐based and data‐driven models.

Ultra-chaos in a meandering jet flow

Understanding the trajectories of passive particles, such as drifters and/or pollutants in geophysical flows, is crucial due to the mostly chaotic nature of such flows. Recently, a novel concept, namely ultra-chaos, has been introduced, which exhibits statistics instability with respect to small disturbances, in contrast to a normal-chaos that has statistics stability. However, quite a few ultra-chaotic systems have been reported to date. This study aims to analyze the trajectories of passive drifters and/or pollutants in a meandering shear flow, with particular emphasis on the prevalence of ultra-chaotic motion. It is found that the ultra-chaotic behavior of passive drifters and/or pollutants is widespread in the ocean jet flow, representing a higher disorder in comparison to the conventional normal-chaos. Obviously, an ultra-chaotic motion of passive drifters and/or pollutants might greatly enhance their dissemination. These findings might deepen our understandings about chaotic motions in geophysical flows, and further confirms the wide existence of ultra-chaos as a new concept.

Skillful Multiyear Prediction of the Kuroshio and Gulf Stream Jets and Eddy Activity

AbstractThe Kuroshio and Gulf Stream (GS), Northern Hemisphere warm ocean currents, have narrow bands of intense jets and vigorous eddies. While the importance of them in regulating physical and biological ocean systems and climate has been increasingly recognized, the operational predictability of year‐to‐year variations in these jets and eddies has not been quantitatively assessed yet. Through a series of experiments using an eddy‐resolving dynamical ocean forecasting system, here we show that observed year‐to‐year variations in the intensities of the jets and eddies in the Kuroshio Extension and GS regions can be skillfully predicted up to a lead time of about 2 years. Sources of predictability mostly come from initial ocean memories, and variations in local atmospheric conditions play a secondary role. Our results demonstrate that the observed multiyear variations in ocean jets and eddies in these regions are operationally predictable when ocean models are properly initialized with sufficient spatial resolution.

Stronger decadal variability of the Kuroshio Extension under simulated future climate change

Understanding the behavior of western boundary current systems is crucial for predictions of biogeochemical cycles, fisheries, and basin-scale climate modes over the midlatitude oceans. Studies indicate that anthropogenic climate change induces structural changes in the Kuroshio Extension (KE) system, including a northward migration of its oceanic jet. However, changes in the KE temporal variability remain unclear. Using large ensembles of a global coupled climate model, we show that in response to increasing greenhouse gases, the time scale of KE sea surface height (SSH) shifts from interannual scales toward decadal and longer scales. We attribute this increased low-frequency KE variability to enhanced mid-latitude oceanic Rossby wave activity induced by regional and remote atmospheric forcing, due to a poleward shift of midlatitude surface westerly with climatology and an increase in the tropical precipitation activity, which lead to stronger atmospheric teleconnections from El Niño to the midlatitude Pacific and the KE region. Greenhouse warming leads to both a positive (elongated) KE state that restricts ocean perturbations (e.g., eddy activity) and stronger wind-driven KE fluctuations, which enhances the contributions of decadal KE modulations relative to short-time scale intrinsic oceanic KE variations. Our spectral analyses suggest that anthropogenic forcing may alter the future predictability of the KE system.

Oil droplets dispersion under a deep-water plunging breaker: Experimental measurements and numerical modeling

Abstract (1141370) Wave tank experiments were performed to measure the droplets size distribution under the plunging breaking wave. A deep-water plunging breaker of height 20 cm was generated using the dispersive focusing method, and a shadowgraph camera was used to take images of droplets and bubbles of different sizes. For droplets smaller than the 1000 microns, the number-based DSD matched the DS correlation (Delvigne and Sweeney 1988), which gives N(d) ~ d−2.3, but N(d) ~ d−9.7 for diameters larger than 1000 microns. A numerical method was designed to study the oil dispersion under breaking waves by coupling the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) with the Lagrangian particle tracking code (NEMO3D) and population balance model (VDROP). The wave hydrodynamics was reproduced using the Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes approach within a commercial CFD code ANSYS Fluent. The obtained wave hydrodynamics was then used as inputs for the NEM3D code and VDROP model. The numerical results show reasonable agreement with our experimental observation. The approach adopted to produce the DSD reduces the empiricism of the DS correlation, as the approach uses oil properties and measurable wave properties. The proposed numerical method was ready to be used in other scenarios of oil spills (i.e., oil jets in deep oceans and oil dispersion in riverine systems). It could also be potentially used in large scale forecast and hindcast simulations for oil spill response and research.

Estimation of the Precipitable Water and Water Vapor Fluxes in the Coastal and Inland Cities of China Using MAX-DOAS

Water vapor transport affects regional precipitation and climate change. The measurement of precipitable water (PW) and water vapor flux (WVF) is of great importance for the study of precipitation and water vapor transport. This study presented a new method of computing PW and estimating WVF using the water vapor vertical column density (VCD) and profile retrieved from multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS), combined with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA5 wind profiles. We applied our method to MAX-DOAS observations in the coastal (Qingdao) and inland (Xi’an) cities of China from June 2019 to May 2020 and compared the results to the ERA5 reanalysis datasets. Good agreement with ERA5 datasets was found; the correlation coefficient (r) of the PW and the zonal and meridional WVFs were r ≥ 0.92, r = 0.77, and r ≥ 0.89, respectively. The comparison results showed the feasibility and reliability of estimating PW and WVF using MAX-DOAS. Then, we analyzed the seasonal and diurnal climatology of the PW and WVFs in Qingdao and Xi’an. The results indicated that the seasonal and diurnal variations of the PW in the two cities were similar. The zonal water vapor transport of the two cities mainly involved eastward transport, Qingdao’s meridional water vapor mainly involved southward transport, and that of Xi’an mainly involved northward transport. The WVFs of the two cities were higher in the afternoon than in the morning, which may be related to wind speed. The results also indicated that the WVF transmitting belts appeared at around 2 and 1.4 km above the surface in Qingdao and around 2.8, 2.6, 1.6, and 1.0 km above the surface in Xi’an. Before precipitation, the WVF transmitting belt moved from near the ground to a high level, reaching its maximum at about 2 km, and the PW and meridional vertically integrated WVF increased. Finally, the sources and transports of water vapor during continuous precipitation and torrential rain were analyzed according to a 24 h backward trajectory. The air mass from the southeast accounted for more than 84% during continuous precipitation in Xi’an, while the air mass from the ocean accounted for more than 75% during torrential rain in Qingdao and was accompanied by a high-level ocean jet stream. As an optical remote sensing instrument, MAX-DOAS has the advantages of high spatiotemporal resolution, low cost, and easy maintenance. The application of MAX-DOAS to meteorological remote sensing provides a better method for evaluating the PW and WVF.

Barotropic and Baroclinic Inverse Kinetic Energy Cascade in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current

AbstractStratified geostrophic turbulence theory predicts an inverse energy cascade for the barotropic (BT) mode. Satellite altimetry has revealed a net inverse cascade in the baroclinic (BC) mode. Here the spatial variabilities of BT and BC kinetic energy fluxes in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) were investigated using ECCO2 data, which synthesize satellite data and in situ measurements with an eddy-permitting general circulation model containing realistic bathymetry and wind forcing. The BT and BC inverse kinetic energy cascades both reveal complex spatial variations that could not be explained fully by classical arguments. For example, the BC injection scales match better with most unstable scales than with the first-mode deformation scales, but the opposite is true for the BT mode. In addition, the BT and BC arrest scales do not follow the Rhines scale well in terms of spatial variation, but show better consistency with their own energy-containing scales. The reverse cascade of the BT and BC modes was found related to their EKE, and better correlation was found between the BT inverse cascade and barotropization. Speculations of the findings were proposed; however, further observations and modeling experiments are needed to test these interpretations. Spectral flux anisotropy exhibits a feature associated with oceanic jets that is consistent with classical expectations. Specifically, the spectral flux along the along-stream direction remains negative at scales up to that of the studied domain (~2000 km), while that in the perpendicular direction becomes positive close to the scale of the width of a typical jet.

Wintertime Southern Hemisphere Jet Streams Shaped by Interaction of Transient Eddies with Antarctic Orography

AbstractThe wintertime Southern Hemisphere extratropical circulation exhibits considerable zonal asymmetries. We investigate the roles of various surface boundary conditions in shaping the mean state using a semi-realistic, atmosphere-only climate model. We find, in agreement with previous literature, that tropical sea surface temperature (SST) patterns are an important contributor to the mean state, while midlatitude SSTs and sea ice extent play a smaller role. Our main finding is that Antarctic orography has a first-order effect on the structure of the midlatitude circulation. In the absence of Antarctic orography, equatorward eddy momentum fluxes associated with the orography are removed and hence convergence of eddy momentum in midlatitudes is reduced. This weakens the Indian Ocean jet, making Rossby wave propagation downstream to the South Pacific less favorable. Consequently, the flow stagnates over the mid- to high-latitude South Pacific and the characteristic split jet pattern is destroyed. Removing Antarctic orography also results in a substantial warming over East Antarctica partly because transient eddies are able to penetrate farther poleward, enhancing poleward heat transport. However, experiments in which a high-latitude cooling is applied indicate that these temperature changes are not the primary driver of circulation changes in the midlatitudes. Instead, we invoke a simple barotropic mechanism in which the orographic slope creates an effective potential vorticity gradient that alters the eddy momentum flux.

Atmospheric-Driven and Intrinsic Interannual-to-Decadal Variability in the Kuroshio Extension Jet and Eddy Activities

To investigate influences of oceanic intrinsic/internal variability and its interannual-to-decadal modulations on the Kuroshio Extension (KE) jet speed and associated eddy activity, a ten-member ensemble integration of an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model forced by 1965-2016 atmospheric reanalysis is conducted. We found a distinct time-scale dependence in the ratio of forced and intrinsic variability of the KE jet speed. On decadal time scale, the ratio of the magnitude of intrinsic variability to that of atmospheric-driven variability is 0.69, suggesting it is largely atmospheric-driven. In contrast, on interannual time scales, the KE jet speed has large ensemble spread, indicating that it is strongly affected by intrinsic variability and has substantial uncertainty. For eddy activity, ratios of variability in ensemble average and spread also depend on region. In the downstream KE [32°-38°N, 153°-165°E], variability in the ensemble average eddy activity dominates (1.5 times) over rms of its ensemble spread on decadal time scale, and is positively correlated with current speed. Ensemble mean eddy activity in the downstream KE region is correlated (r=0.59) with ensemble mean current speed variability in the central North Pacific 4 years earlier, consistent with westward propagation of wind-driven jet speed anomalies. This linkage is robust even for each ensemble member with the significant lagged correlation also found in seven out of ten ensemble members, suggesting possibility of prediction of the eddy activity. In contrast, eddy activity in the upstream KE [32°-38°N, 141°-153°E] shows very large intrinsic and limited atmospheric-driven variability with a ratio of the former to the latter of 1.96. These results suggest intrinsic variability needs to be considered in interannual variability of strong ocean jet. The dependence of these findings to the model specificities need to be further explored.

Tilted drifting jets over a zonally sloped topography: effects of vanishing eddy viscosity

Oceanic multiple jets are seen to possess spatio-temporal variability imposed by varying bottom topography resulting in jets that can drift and merge. The dynamics of multiple jets over a topographic zonal slope is studied in a two-layer quasi-geostrophic model. The jets tilt from the zonal direction and drift meridionally. In addition to the tilted jets, other large-scale spatial patterns are observed, which are extracted using the principal component analysis. The variances of these patterns are strongly influenced by the values of eddy viscosity and bottom friction parameters. The contribution of the tilted jets to the full flow field decreases with decreasing friction and viscosity parameters, and purely zonal large-scale modes, propagating in the meridional direction, populate the flow field. Linear stability analysis and two-dimensional kinetic-energy spectrum analysis suggest that the zonal modes gain energy from ambient eddies as well as from the tilted jets through nonlinear interactions. However, viscous dissipation and bottom friction tend to suppress the nonlinear interactions, which results in the inhibition of the upscale energy transfer from eddies to the zonal modes. These simulations suggest that, in the presence of topography, alternating jet patterns may be sustained through interactions among various large-scale modes. This is different from the classical zonal jet formation arguments, in which direct eddy forcing maintains the jets.

Decadal predictability of late winter precipitation in western Europe through an ocean–jet stream connection

The characteristics of the North Atlantic jet stream play a key role in the weather and climate of western Europe. Although much of the year-to-year variability in the jet stream arises from internal atmospheric processes that are inherently unpredictable on timescales beyond a few days to weeks, any low-frequency variability or long-term trends that can be considered forced by slowly varying boundary conditions offer the potential for extended range predictability of climatological conditions in western Europe. Here we demonstrate that station-based precipitation observations have displayed pronounced multidecadal variability over the past century in western Europe during the late winter. We then use these precipitation observations as an independent verification of the multidecadal Atlantic jet stream variability found in reanalysis products. Both signals are highly correlated with sea surface temperature variability in the North Atlantic that is well predicted in initialized decadal prediction experiments with a coupled general circulation model. Combining the model-based predictions of the sea surface temperature with the observed relationship between precipitation and sea surface temperature, we show that there is great potential for skilful predictions of the forthcoming decadal average of March precipitation in western Europe, with hindcasts for the UK and Portugal yielding anomaly correlation coefficients of 0.82 and 0.69, respectively. Decadal averages of March precipitation in western Europe can be predicted by exploiting links with the jet stream and ocean along with skilful predictions of sea surface temperatures, according to an analysis of observations and reanalysis products.

Sensitivity of the Near‐Shore Oceanic Circulation Off Central Chile to Coastal Wind Profiles Characteristics

AbstractIn Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS), the upwelling favorable wind speeds decrease toward the coast in the so‐called wind drop‐off coastal strip, which has been shown to be influential on the coastal upwelling dynamics, particularly in terms of the relative contributions of Ekman drift and Ekman suction to coastal upwelling. Currently, the wind drop‐off length scale is not properly resolved by the atmospheric forcing of regional ocean models in EBUS, featuring a smoother cross‐shore wind profile that results in stronger near‐shore speeds that could partly explain the coastal cold bias often found in those model simulations. Here, as a case study for the upwelling system off Central Chile, the sensitivity of upwelling dynamics to the coastal wind reduction is investigated using a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Coastal wind profiles at different resolutions are first generated using a regional atmospheric model, validated from altimeter data, and then used to correct the coarse atmospheric wind forcing used for sensitivity experiments with ROMS. It is shown that the wind drop‐off correction induces a reduction in the oceanic coastal jet intensity, a stronger poleward undercurrent and a coherent offshore Ekman drift. It also yields a significant reduction of the cold bias along the coast compared to the simulation with “uncorrected” winds. Such reduction cannot be solely explained by the reduced Ekman transport only partially compensated by increase in Ekman suction. The analysis of the surface heat budget reveals in fact that an important contributor to the cooling reduction along the coast in the presence of coastal wind drop‐off is the heat flux term mediated by the reduction in the mixed‐layer depth. Overall, our results illustrate the nonlinear response of the upwelling dynamics to the coastal wind profiles in this region.

A magnetically driven equatorial jet in Europa’s ocean

During recent decades, data from space missions have provided strong evidence of deep liquid oceans underneath a thin outer icy crust on several moons of Jupiter, particularly Europa. But these observations have also raised many unanswered questions regarding the oceanic motions generated under the ice, or the mechanisms leading to the geological features observed on Europa. By means of direct numerical simulations of Europa's interior, we show here that Jupiter's magnetic field generates a retrograde oceanic jet at the equator, which may influence the global dynamics of Europa's ocean and contribute to the formation of some of its surface features by applying a unidirectional torque on Europa's ice shell.

Role of Eddies in the Maintenance of Multiple Jets Embedded in Eastward and Westward Baroclinic Shears

Multiple zonal jets observed in many parts of the global ocean are often embedded in large-scale eastward and westward vertically sheared background flows. Properties of the jets and ambient eddies, as well as their dynamic interactions, are found to be different between eastward and westward shears. However, the impact of these differences on overall eddy dynamics remains poorly understood and is the main subject of this study. The roles of eddy relative vorticity and buoyancy fluxes in the maintenance of oceanic zonal jets are studied in a two-layer quasigeostrophic model. Both eastward and westward uniform, zonal vertically sheared cases are considered in the study. It is shown that, despite the differences in eddy structure and local characteristics, the fundamental dynamics are essentially the same in both cases: the relative-vorticity fluxes force the jets in the entire fluid column, and the eddy-buoyancy fluxes transfer momentum from the top to the bottom layer, where it is balanced by bottom friction. It is also observed that the jets gain more energy via Reynolds stress work in the layer having a positive gradient in the background potential vorticity, and this is qualitatively explained by a simple reasoning based on Rossby wave group velocity.

A mechanism for jet drift over topography

The dynamics of multiple alternating oceanic jets has been studied in the presence of a simple bottom topography with constant slope in the zonal direction. A baroclinic quasi-geostrophic model forced with a horizontally uniform and vertically sheared background flow generates mesoscale eddies and jets that are tilted from the zonal direction and drift with constant speed. The governing dynamical equations are rewritten in a tilted frame of reference moving with the jets, and the cross-jet time-mean profiles of the linear and nonlinear stress terms are analysed. Here, the linear stress terms are present because of the zonally asymmetric topography. It is demonstrated that the linear dynamics controls the drift mechanism. Also, it is found that the drifting jets are directly forced by the imposed vertical shear, whereas the eddies oppose the jets, although this is limited to continuously forced dissipative systems. This role of the eddies is opposite to the one in the classical baroclinic model of stationary, zonally symmetric multiple jets. This is expected to be more generic in the ocean, which is zonally asymmetric nearly everywhere.

Mid-troposphere transport of Middle-East dust over the Arabian Sea and its effect on rainwater composition and sensitive ecosystems over India

The importance of mineral dust and aerosols in the transfer of bio-essential elements to terrestrial and marine ecosystems far removed from the source region is well known. Aerosol concentrations measured at the surface over the west coast of India during the SW monsoon period (June to September) are usually very low as pristine maritime air from the Southern Indian Ocean blows over this region. However, we find very high levels of mineral dust and dust derived nutrients in rainwater collected during the SW monsoon period. We show that the dry, warm and dusty Red Sea Wind and Shamal Wind from the Middle-East override the moist oceanic Low-Level Jet (Findlater Jet) of the SW monsoon and transport large quantities of dust at heights between 2 km and 5 km over the Indian Peninsula. A substantial portion is the desert dust is scavenged and wet-deposited over the Western Ghats of India where it neutralizes the acidity of rainwater and provides substantial amounts of nutrients that have the potential to impact sensitive ecosystems in this region. After the Red Sea and Shamal Winds subside in September, the alkaline rainwater reverts to the acidic range due to soluble ions derived from local carbonaceous aerosols.

Interaction between a surface quasi-geostrophic buoyancy anomaly jet and internal vortices

This paper addresses the dynamical coupling of the ocean’s surface and the ocean’s interior. In particular, we investigate the dynamics of an oceanic surface jet and its interaction with vortices at depth. The jet is induced by buoyancy (density) anomalies at the surface. We first focus on the jet alone. The linear stability indicates there are two modes of instability: the sinuous and the varicose modes. When a vortex in present below the jet, it interacts with it. The velocity field induced by the vortex perturbs the jet and triggers its destabilisation. The jet also influences the vortex by pushing it under a region of co-operative shear. Strong jets may also partially shear out the vortex. We also investigate the interaction between a surface jet and a vortex dipole in the interior. Again, strong jets may partially shear out the vortex structure. The jet also modifies the trajectory of the dipole. Dipoles travelling towards the jet at shallow incidence angles may be reflected by the jet. Vortices travelling at moderate incidence angles normally cross below the jet. This is related to the displacement of the two vortices of the dipole by the shear induced by the jet. Intense jets may also destabilise early and form streets of billows. These billows can pair with the vortices and separate the dipole.

Jet–Topography Interactions Affect Energy Pathways to the Deep Southern Ocean

AbstractIn the Southern Ocean, strong eastward ocean jets interact with large topographic features, generating eddies that feed back onto the mean flow. Deep-reaching eddies interact with topography, where turbulent dissipation and generation of internal lee waves play an important role in the ocean’s energy budget. However, eddy effects in the deep ocean are difficult to observe and poorly characterized. This study investigates the energy contained in eddies at depth, when an ocean jet encounters topography. This study uses a two-layer ocean model in which an imposed unstable jet encounters a topographic obstacle (either a seamount or a meridional ridge) in a configuration relevant to an Antarctic Circumpolar Current frontal jet. The authors find that the presence of topography increases the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) at depth but that the dominant processes generating this deep EKE depend on the shape and height of the obstacle as well as on the baroclinicity of the jet before it encounters topography. In cases with high topography, horizontal shear instability is the dominant source of deep EKE, while a flat bottom or a strongly sheared inflow leads to deep EKE being generated primarily through baroclinic instability. These results suggest that the deep EKE is set by an interplay between the inflowing jet properties and topography and imply that the response of deep EKE to changes in the Southern Ocean circulation is likely to vary across locations depending on the topography characteristics.

Moisture sources and pathways associated with the spatial variability of seasonal extreme precipitation over Canada

Nine regions with spatially coherent seasonal 3-day total precipitation extremes across Canada were identified using a clustering method that is compliant to the extreme value theory. Using storm back-trajectory analyses, we then identified possible moisture sources and pathways that are conducive to occurrences of seasonal extreme precipitation events in four seasons for the nine regions identified. Moisture pathways for all extreme precipitation events were clustered to nine dominant moisture pathway patterns using the self-organizing map method. Results show that horizontal moisture pathway patterns and their occurrences were not evidently different between seasons. However, warm (summer and fall) and cold (winter and spring) seasons show considerable differences in the spreading of moisture sources in all nine regions, even though many sources do not frequently contribute to extreme precipitation events. In all four seasons, terrestrial evapotranspiration had provided major moisture sources to many extreme precipitation events occurred in inland regions. Central Canada had received more widespread moisture sources over surrounding oceans of North America than western and eastern Canada, because of more diverse moisture pathway patterns for central Canada that transport moisture from all surrounding oceans to central Canada. Extreme precipitation in southwestern Canada mainly resulted from atmospheric rivers over the North Pacific Ocean. For northwestern Canada, moisture pathway patterns were from the northern Pacific, Arctic and northern Atlantic oceans, even though more than 78% of trajectories for northwestern Canada were from the North Pacific. Westerlies from the North Pacific Ocean and northern polar jet streams controlled dominant pathways to central and eastern Canada. More extreme precipitation events over Canada were fed by the Arctic Ocean in warm than in cold seasons.