Changes in Cyclone Characteristics in Response to Modified SSTs

Abstract

he impact of changes in sea surface temperature (SST) on the statistics of extratropical cyclones is investigated. The cyclones were identified in an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) using an objective Lagrangian tracking algorithm, applied to the 850-hPa relative vorticity. The statistics were generated for several 20-yr simulations, in which the SSTs were warmed or cooled by 2 K in latitudinal bands. The response was studied in both hemispheres, during summer and winter.Changes in the position of the storm tracks are largely consistent with those seen in previous studies. Increasing SSTs uniformly or increasing the midlatitude SST gradient results in a poleward shift in the storm tracks, with the clearest trends seen in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Here it is demonstrated that the SST modifications alter the cyclone characteristics as well. When the warming includes the low latitudes and/or the midlatitude gradient is increased, there are more short-lived cyclones. These are also on average more intense and translate faster, both poleward and eastward.The poleward displacement is correlated with cyclone intensity, so that stronger cyclones translate to higher latitudes. This is suggestive of vortex self-advection in the presence of a mean potential vorticity (PV) gradient. The increased eastward translation is correlated with the depth-averaged zonal velocity, and so is likely related to an increase in the steering-level velocity. These changes in cyclone translation probably contribute to the changes in the storm tracks seen previously.