How do you explain the North Atlantic Oscillation? (2009, Barry and Chorley)
— ANSWER The North Atlantic oscillation is a change in the difference in
pressure between the Azores High (40N) and the Icelandic Low (65N), which
makes both of them stronger or weaker.
When they are both strong, the NAO is in a good phase. It is in the negative
phase when both are weak.
What is the NAO (Vallis 2011)? An internal mode of climate change that
happens over a wide range of time periods in the North Atlantic.
Not only does it cause monthly variation, but its mean state stays the same over
decades.
30% of the change in the North Atlantic is controlled by
It controls where the jet goes and how strong it is.
When does the NAO show itself most strongly? — ANSWER The strongest jet
is in the winter (Barry, Chorley 2009), when the temperature difference is the
biggest.
In what ways does the NAO affect things more or less than El Nino? —
ANSWER Less
With what does the positive part of the NAO go? — ANSWER That's more in
the Azores.
The low in Iceland is lower.
The west winds are stronger.
, The jet is stronger and leans more to the north, bringing warm, wet weather
systems to northern Europe. This makes it warmer and rainier, and it also makes
storms stronger.
The UK has more wind and rain.
As warm air moves northward, the weather in the UK is mild.
It is dry in Spain right now (Met Office, Vallis 2011).
What does the low phase of the NAO have to do with? The high in the Azores
is not strong.
The Icelandic low is not very deep.
Because the pressure difference isn't as strong, the storm tracks are moving
further south. This means that it's cooler in northern Europe because less heat is
moving north, and it's wilder and wetter in southern Europe.
It's clear and still in the UK
UK is cold and dry
Spain has been getting wet (Met office, Vallis 2011).
What is the most likely main reason for NAO, according to Uppenbrinke
(1999)? Most likely to come from processes in the atmosphere, which
determine its location and shape.
What is going to control how much the NAO changes from decade to decade?
(Inkster 1997) - ANSWER: Ocean gyres that are caused by winds could help
connect the system to the ocean. This connection is likely to keep the system's
decadal instability in check (Dickson 1997).
In the UK in 2009/10, what was the NAO index? What was the average
temperature below? - ANSWER: -1.85 degrees below the mean temperature
from 1971 to 2000
— ANSWER The North Atlantic oscillation is a change in the difference in
pressure between the Azores High (40N) and the Icelandic Low (65N), which
makes both of them stronger or weaker.
When they are both strong, the NAO is in a good phase. It is in the negative
phase when both are weak.
What is the NAO (Vallis 2011)? An internal mode of climate change that
happens over a wide range of time periods in the North Atlantic.
Not only does it cause monthly variation, but its mean state stays the same over
decades.
30% of the change in the North Atlantic is controlled by
It controls where the jet goes and how strong it is.
When does the NAO show itself most strongly? — ANSWER The strongest jet
is in the winter (Barry, Chorley 2009), when the temperature difference is the
biggest.
In what ways does the NAO affect things more or less than El Nino? —
ANSWER Less
With what does the positive part of the NAO go? — ANSWER That's more in
the Azores.
The low in Iceland is lower.
The west winds are stronger.
, The jet is stronger and leans more to the north, bringing warm, wet weather
systems to northern Europe. This makes it warmer and rainier, and it also makes
storms stronger.
The UK has more wind and rain.
As warm air moves northward, the weather in the UK is mild.
It is dry in Spain right now (Met Office, Vallis 2011).
What does the low phase of the NAO have to do with? The high in the Azores
is not strong.
The Icelandic low is not very deep.
Because the pressure difference isn't as strong, the storm tracks are moving
further south. This means that it's cooler in northern Europe because less heat is
moving north, and it's wilder and wetter in southern Europe.
It's clear and still in the UK
UK is cold and dry
Spain has been getting wet (Met office, Vallis 2011).
What is the most likely main reason for NAO, according to Uppenbrinke
(1999)? Most likely to come from processes in the atmosphere, which
determine its location and shape.
What is going to control how much the NAO changes from decade to decade?
(Inkster 1997) - ANSWER: Ocean gyres that are caused by winds could help
connect the system to the ocean. This connection is likely to keep the system's
decadal instability in check (Dickson 1997).
In the UK in 2009/10, what was the NAO index? What was the average
temperature below? - ANSWER: -1.85 degrees below the mean temperature
from 1971 to 2000
