Climatic variations in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific in the 1990s: a comparative study

The study is based on the results of the analysis of spatial and temporal features of winter sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) variations in the Nor th Atlantic and the Nor th Pacific during the past four decades. Several large-scale regions with coherent SSTA fluctuations within each region were defined in both oceans. SSTA variations in these regions are strongly related to the well-known atmospheric teleconnection patterns in the Nor thern Hemisphere. Four distinct decadal climatic regimes were identified in the Nor th Atlantic during the period 1957-2000. The last regime, established in 1989, continued through the 1990s. In the No r th Pacific, the climatic regime established in the second half o f the 1970s continued until 1998-1999. The 1990-1999 decade was the warmest in both oceans compared with the previous three decades. Climatic variations in the No r th Atlantic during the past 40 years were characterized by the second, interdecadal, mode of variability associated with a gradual northeastward warming of surface waters. In the Nor th Pacific this mode was not so clear, though some signs of the northeastward spreading o f warming were noted in the 1980s and 1990s.

Article from Marine Science Symposia Vol. 219 - "Hydrobiological variability in the ICES Area, 1990-1999", symposium held in Edinburgh, 8-10 August 2001. To access  the remaining articles please click on the keyword "MSS Vol. 219".