Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions
The cold air outbreaks in the northern parts of India exert significant impacts on human health, energy, agriculture and transportation. In this study, we investigate the synoptic dynamics of cold waves and their linkages to large scale circulations for the winter period from 1982 to2020. Cold waves...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c57ca5285e4948abad0cfe0112deee3d 2024-02-11T10:01:11+01:00 Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions K.S. Athira Raju Attada V. Brahmananda Rao 2024-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2024.100641 https://doaj.org/article/c57ca5285e4948abad0cfe0112deee3d EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094724000021 https://doaj.org/toc/2212-0947 2212-0947 doi:10.1016/j.wace.2024.100641 https://doaj.org/article/c57ca5285e4948abad0cfe0112deee3d Weather and Climate Extremes, Vol 43, Iss , Pp 100641- (2024) Cold waves North India Siberian high Ural blocking La Niña Quasi-resonant amplification Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2024.100641 2024-01-21T01:40:08Z The cold air outbreaks in the northern parts of India exert significant impacts on human health, energy, agriculture and transportation. In this study, we investigate the synoptic dynamics of cold waves and their linkages to large scale circulations for the winter period from 1982 to2020. Cold waves are classified into normal and intense (NCWs and ICWs) based on intensity and we examine the underlying mechanisms of formation and their atmospheric drivers. Notably, the spatial extent of the ICWs is almost double than that of normal ones thereby having the potential to affect a wider population. The NCWs are often influenced by western disturbances, leading to the inflow of cold air from Siberia (a region of shallow high). In contrast, ICWs are mostly linked to the presence of an omega block over the Ural-Siberian region. The downstream portion of the Ural block favours the inflow of cold northerlies into north India, leading to cold air advection and extreme cold wave conditions. The influence of Arctic warming for ICWs is further confirmed through a prominent Quasi-Resonant Amplification (QRA) fingerprint. Furthermore, La Niña condition seems to play a crucial role in triggering ICWs over north India. During La Niña, the prominent low level cyclonic anomaly helps in advecting the cold air from the higher latitudes into the country. The frequency as well as the duration of cold wave events are also found to be higher in La Niña years compared to El Niño and neutral years. The trend analysis of cold wave events over north India reveals a significant decrease in the frequency, duration and intensity during the analysis period due to a combination of various factors such as rising winter minimum temperatures (due to global warming), decreasing number of synoptic winter weather systems and Arctic amplification. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Global warming Human health Siberia Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Weather and Climate Extremes 43 100641 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Cold waves North India Siberian high Ural blocking La Niña Quasi-resonant amplification Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
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Cold waves North India Siberian high Ural blocking La Niña Quasi-resonant amplification Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 K.S. Athira Raju Attada V. Brahmananda Rao Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
topic_facet |
Cold waves North India Siberian high Ural blocking La Niña Quasi-resonant amplification Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
description |
The cold air outbreaks in the northern parts of India exert significant impacts on human health, energy, agriculture and transportation. In this study, we investigate the synoptic dynamics of cold waves and their linkages to large scale circulations for the winter period from 1982 to2020. Cold waves are classified into normal and intense (NCWs and ICWs) based on intensity and we examine the underlying mechanisms of formation and their atmospheric drivers. Notably, the spatial extent of the ICWs is almost double than that of normal ones thereby having the potential to affect a wider population. The NCWs are often influenced by western disturbances, leading to the inflow of cold air from Siberia (a region of shallow high). In contrast, ICWs are mostly linked to the presence of an omega block over the Ural-Siberian region. The downstream portion of the Ural block favours the inflow of cold northerlies into north India, leading to cold air advection and extreme cold wave conditions. The influence of Arctic warming for ICWs is further confirmed through a prominent Quasi-Resonant Amplification (QRA) fingerprint. Furthermore, La Niña condition seems to play a crucial role in triggering ICWs over north India. During La Niña, the prominent low level cyclonic anomaly helps in advecting the cold air from the higher latitudes into the country. The frequency as well as the duration of cold wave events are also found to be higher in La Niña years compared to El Niño and neutral years. The trend analysis of cold wave events over north India reveals a significant decrease in the frequency, duration and intensity during the analysis period due to a combination of various factors such as rising winter minimum temperatures (due to global warming), decreasing number of synoptic winter weather systems and Arctic amplification. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
K.S. Athira Raju Attada V. Brahmananda Rao |
author_facet |
K.S. Athira Raju Attada V. Brahmananda Rao |
author_sort |
K.S. Athira |
title |
Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
title_short |
Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
title_full |
Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
title_fullStr |
Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north India: Underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
title_sort |
synoptic dynamics of cold waves over north india: underlying mechanisms of distinct cold wave conditions |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2024.100641 https://doaj.org/article/c57ca5285e4948abad0cfe0112deee3d |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Global warming Human health Siberia |
genre_facet |
Arctic Global warming Human health Siberia |
op_source |
Weather and Climate Extremes, Vol 43, Iss , Pp 100641- (2024) |
op_relation |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094724000021 https://doaj.org/toc/2212-0947 2212-0947 doi:10.1016/j.wace.2024.100641 https://doaj.org/article/c57ca5285e4948abad0cfe0112deee3d |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2024.100641 |
container_title |
Weather and Climate Extremes |
container_volume |
43 |
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100641 |
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1790596941439041536 |