The complex behavior of El Niño winter 2015-2016

This paper examines the outstanding characteristics of the strong 2015-2016 El Nino (EN) winter and its impact over the European region through the stratosphere. Despite being classified as a strong eastern Pacific (EP) EN event, our analysis reveals an anomalous behavior, with some signatures that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Palmeiro Nuñez, Froila María, Iza San Juan, Maddalen, Barriopedro Cepero, David, Calvo Fernández, Natalia, García Herrera, Ricardo
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union 2017
Subjects:
Astrofísica
Astronomía
Greenland
Midwinter
Pacific
aleutian low
Online Access:https://eprints.ucm.es/id/eprint/43116/
https://eprints.ucm.es/id/eprint/43116/1/calvofernandez38libre%28embargar%20hasta%201-10-2017%29.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL072920
Description
Summary:This paper examines the outstanding characteristics of the strong 2015-2016 El Nino (EN) winter and its impact over the European region through the stratosphere. Despite being classified as a strong eastern Pacific (EP) EN event, our analysis reveals an anomalous behavior, with some signatures that are more typical of central Pacific (CP) EN events instead. They include (i) a record-breaking value of the CP index, (ii) a stronger polar vortex in early and midwinter, due to reduced upward wave activity and a weakened Aleutian low, and (iii) the occurrence of one of the earliest stratospheric final warmings (SFWs) on record, which are more prone to occur during CP-EN. Following the SFW, a stratospheric influence on the Euro-Atlantic sector is reported in spring, with persistent Greenland blocking resulting in extreme precipitation over some southern European regions. Results highlight the importance of considering early SFWs as mediators of El Nino teleconnections.

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