A joint statistical and dynamical assessment of atmospheric response to North Pacific Oceanic variability in CCSM3

Abstract

Atmospheric response to North Pacific oceanic variability is assessed in Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3) using two statistical methods and one dynamical method. All methods identify an equivalent barotropic low response to a warmer sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly in the Kuroshio Extension region (KOE) during early-midwinter. While all three methods capture the major features of the response, the generalized equilibrium feedback assessment method (GEFA) isolates the impact of KOE SST from a complex context, and thus makes itself an excellent choice for similar practice. © 2008 American Meteorological Society.