North Atlantic and Indian Ocean links with Iraq Climate

• Published in: Atmosphere
• Main Authors: Jasim Al-Khalidi, Mihai Dima, Petru Vaideanu, Sabina Stefan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017
• Subjects: Iraq climate; Canonical Correlation Analysis; sea level pressure; geopotential height; Scandinavian mode; North Atlantic Oscillation; Indian Ocean; regression analysis; Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; Indian; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos8120235; https://doaj.org/article/c66cd17459ed4bd6b5f0497e231b3823

We investigate the connections of the North Atlantic and Indian Ocean sectors with Iraq winter/summer temperature and precipitation. Canonical Correlation Analyses (CCAs) are performed in order to identify potential links between Iraq climate and the atmospheric circulation over these two regions. Regression maps of 200 hPa and 500 hPa geopotential height and sea level pressure fields on the time series derived through CCAs are constructed in order to infer the physical mechanisms connecting the North Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions with Iraq climate. The winter temperature in this country is linked with the North Atlantic Scandinavian pattern, whereas the winter precipitation is associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation. In the free atmosphere, the connection with Iraq temperature is provided by Rossby waves, while the winter precipitation is linked to a more zonal structure. At surface, the air advection is a relevant mechanism through which North Atlantic modes appear to affect Iraq climate.