Unit 23

Teleconnections

This unit introduces teleconnections as a mechanism where hydrometeorological conditions at one place may affect and impact hydrometeorological conditions in far away regions. The term “teleconnection  pattern” refers to recurring, persistent, large-scale circulation anomalies.  These  teleconnection  patterns are   preferred modes of low-frequency, i.e.   temporal   variability on the long time scale.  Teleconnections arte of hydrometeorological interest because they may cause droughts and floods.

NAO winter time
NAO winter time. From: COMET (2018)

Goals

The goal of this unit is to introduce   the major teleconnections affecting the hydroclimate on Earth including indices to identify them.

After successful completion of this unit students will be able to

  • Calculate various hydrometeorologically relevant climate indices
  • Discuss teleconnections that cause droughts and floods in which regions.
  • Explain how teleconnections work (Graduate students)

El Nino weather pattern. From COMET (2018)Students’ tasks

  1. Read Dingman’s Chapter  1.9 to 1.9.2.2 (included), 2.1.6 to  2.1.6.4 (included),  2.2.8.2   to  2.2.8.3 (included)
  2. Read the following  Climate Prediction Center page on teleconnection,  NAO, East Atlantic pattern EA,

    East Atlantic / Western Russia pattern  (EATL / WRUS) aka Eurasia-2,  Scandinavian pattern  (SCAND) aka Eurasia-1,  Polar / Eurasia pattern, West Pacific pattern  (WP),  East Pacific – North Pacific pattern  (EP-NP), Pacific / North American pattern  (PNA), Tropical / Northern Hemisphere pattern  (TNH),  Pacific Transition pattern  (PT)

  3. Watch these movies on the explanation of teleconnection and El Nino, teleconnections and La Nina,   Madden-Julian Oscillation
  4. Graduate students: Watch this simulation of the MJO
  5. Take notes and fill out the questionnaire
  6. Down load the unit 23 excel spread sheet and solve the Unit 23 applications  tasks   assigned at your class level and submit your results prior to the deadline.

Supplemental material

Listing of all major climate indices  including definition and how to determine them.

Monthly tabulated indices  for all teleconnection pattern amplitudes dating back to 1950.

ASOS temperature departure

Cool link with tons of climate indices calculations

https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/teleconnections.php

Play the Unit 23 jeopardy

Self-assessment via jeopardy

Acknowledgements

The source of the movie material is the COMET ® Website at https://meted.ucar.edu/ of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), sponsored in part through cooperative agreement(s) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) ©1997-2010 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. All Rights Reserved.

© 2019 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved