The impact of SST-forced and unforced teleconnections on 2015/16 El Nino winter precipitation over the western United States.

ABSTRACT: The factors impacting western U.S. winter precipitation during the 2015/16 El Niño are investigated using the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2) data, and simulations with the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) atmospheric general circulation model forced with specified sea surface temperatures (SSTs). Results reveal that the simulated response to the tropical Pacific SST associated with the 2015/16 El Niño was to produce wetter than normal conditions over much of the west coast including California - a result at odds with the negative precipitation anomalies observed over much of the Southwestern U.S. It is shown that two factors acted to partly counter the canonical ENSO response in that region. First, a potentially predicta

SUBMITTER: Lim YK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6121706 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature