biostudies-literatureUnknown11(47)Chen JBering Sea winter sea ice (BSWI), vital for regional climate, ecosystem, and livelihoods, is significantly influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Here, we identify a shift in the ENSO-BSWI relationship. Pre-mid-1990s, traditional eastern Pacific ENSO dominated, driving a positive ENSO-BSWI linkage; post-mid-1990s, more frequent central Pacific (CP) ENSO events reversed this relationship to negative. Observations and model experiments show that CP El Niño coupled with positive-phase North Pacific meridional mode (NPMM) redirects poleward-propagating Rossby wave trains, enhancing Bering Sea southerlies. This suppresses ice advection, intensifies warm air intrusion, and reduces BSWI. Strengthened CP ENSO-NPMM coupling and heightened NPMM variability amplify this teleconnection, inScience advanceseady2329https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12629142biostudies-literatureENSO's changing grip on Bering Sea ice: The emerging control of the North Pacific meridional mode.PMC12629142Liu JChen JHe ZWang CYu JYWang XZhang LChen SfalseENSO's changing grip on Bering Sea ice: The emerging control of the North Pacific meridional mode.Bering Sea winter sea ice (BSWI), vital for regional climate, ecosystem, and livelihoods, is significantly influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Here, we identify a shift in the ENSO-BSWI relationship. Pre-mid-1990s, traditional eastern Pacific ENSO dominated, driving a positive ENSO-BSWI linkage; post-mid-1990s, more frequent central Pacific (CP) ENSO events reversed this relationship to negative. Observations and model experiments show that CP El Niño coupled with positive-phase North Pacific meridional mode (NPMM) redirects poleward-propagating Rossby wave trains, enhancing Bering Sea southerlies. This suppresses ice advection, intensifies warm air intrusion, and reduces BSWI. Strengthened CP ENSO-NPMM coupling and heightened NPMM variability amplify this teleconnection, in2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Nov2026-06-05T17:27:27.557Z2026-05-19T03:12:00.763ZS-EPMC126291424125950110.1126/sciadv.ady2329