NORTHERLY WINDSTORMS IN ICELAND

• Main Authors: Trausti Jónsson, Haraldur Ólafsson
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Greenland; Iceland; International Polar Year; IPY; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.550.9174; http://www.map.meteoswiss.ch/map-doc/icam2005/pdf/poster-sesion-d/D40.pdf

Abstract: The dynamics and frequency of northerly windstorms over Iceland in current and possible future climate are discussed. These storms are relatively frequent in Iceland in the spring and in the autumn and they are also frequent during periods when there is much sea ice in the waters to the east of Greenland. Unlike most of the southerly windstorms in Iceland and many windstorms in W-Europe, many of the northerly windstorms are characterized by a low level-jet and a reverse vertical windshear in the lower troposphere. The spring-time northerly windstorms coincide with the period of maximum extent of the sea-ice north of Iceland and the frequency of these windstorms is reduced dramatically in a simulation of future climate. The windstorms are discussed in relation to blocking of cold airmasses at the east coast of Greenland. A further study of the impact of the sea-ice and Greenland on meso- and synoptic scale strong winds and the wind climate is planned during the International Polar Year (IPY)