Explanipedia

Changes in atmospheric circulation amplify extreme snowfall fueled by Arctic sea ice loss over high-latitude land Open

Yubo Liu, Qiuhong Tang, L. Ruby Leung, Deliang Chen, Jennifer A. Francis , et al. · 2025

Cold-air outbreaks in the continental US: Connections with stratospheric variations Open

Laurie Agel, Judah Cohen, Mathew Barlow, Karl Pfeiffer, Jennifer A. Francis , et al. · 2025

Mid-latitude Northern Hemisphere extreme cold events continue to occur despite overall winter warming trends. These events have been linked to weakened stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) states. In this study, we analyze both the upper and l…

Influence of high-latitude blocking and the northern stratospheric polar vortex on cold-air outbreaks under Arctic amplification of global warming Open

Edward Hanna, Jennifer A. Francis, Muyin Wang, James E. Overland, Judah Cohen , et al. · 2024

It is widely accepted that Arctic amplification (AA)—enhanced Arctic warming relative to global warming—will increasingly moderate cold-air outbreaks (CAOs) to the midlatitudes. Yet, some recent studies also argue that AA over the last thr…

Anomalous Arctic warming linked with severe winter weather in Northern Hemisphere continents Open

Judah Cohen, Jennifer A. Francis, Karl Pfeiffer · 2024

We have extended a recently developed metric that ingests United States station data—the accumulated winter season severity index—to a global indicator based on temperature and snowfall from reanalysis output. The expanded index is analyze…

The disproportionate impact of enhanced evaporation from melting arctic sea ice on cold-season land precipitation trends Open

Yubo Liu, Qiuhong Tang, Chi Zhang, Deliang Chen, Jennifer A. Francis , et al. · 2024

Anomalous Arctic Warming Linked with Severe Winter Weather in Northern Hemisphere Continents Open

Judah Cohen, Jennifer A. Francis, Karl Pfeiffer · 2024

We have extended a recently developed index of accumulated winter season severity index (AWSSI), originally based on temperature and snowfall observations from weather stations in the United States only, to the entire Northern Hemisphere u…

Weather whiplash events in Europe and North Atlantic assessed as continental-scale atmospheric regime shifts Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Natasa Skific, Zachary Zobel · 2023

The term “weather whiplash” describes abrupt transitions from one persistent weather regime to another substantially different one, such as from a frigid cold spell to anomalous warmth. Weather whiplash events (WWEs) are often highly disru…

Measuring “Weather Whiplash” Events in North America: A New Large‐Scale Regime Approach Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Natasa Skific, Steven Vavrus, Judah Cohen · 2022

The term “weather whiplash” was recently coined to describe abrupt swings in weather conditions from one extreme to another, such as from a prolonged, frigid cold spell to anomalous warmth or from drought to heavy precipitation. These even…

A recent weakening of winter temperature association between Arctic and Asia Open

Bingyi Wu, Zhenkun Li, Jennifer A. Francis, Shuoyi Ding · 2022

Arctic warming and its association with the mid-latitudes has been a hot topic over the past two decades. Although many studies have explored these issues, it is not clear how their linkage has changed over time. The results show that wint…

How do intermittency and simultaneous processes obfuscate the Arctic influence on midlatitude winter extreme weather events? Open

James E. Overland, Thomas J. Ballinger, Judah Cohen, Jennifer A. Francis, Edward Hanna , et al. · 2021

Pronounced changes in the Arctic environment add a new potential driver of anomalous weather patterns in midlatitudes that affect billions of people. Recent studies of these Arctic/midlatitude weather linkages, however, state inconsistent …

How is rapid Arctic warming influencing weather patterns in lower latitudes? Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Stephen J. Vavrus · 2021

In recent decades, the pace of Arctic warming was at least double that of the globe. A growing body of research suggests this differential warming may increase the frequency of extreme weather even...

How are reduced Arctic sea ice and increased Greenland melting connected? Open

Jennifer A. Francis, T. A. Scambos, Marco Tedesco · 2021

Greenland’s ice sheet is melting at an accelerating pace, augmenting sea-level rise and altering ocean currents and weather patterns in the Atlantic and beyond.In only a few decades, half of the su...

Arctic meltdown and unruly tropical storms: are they connected? Open

Jennifer A. Francis · 2021

Most scientists expect that hurricanes will become more dangerous as greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere, but what does the faraway Arctic have to do with tropical storms? A lot, it turns o...

Wind amplifies the polar sea ice retreat Open

Ramdane Alkama, Ernest N. Koffi, Stephen J. Vavrus, T. Diehl, Jennifer A. Francis , et al. · 2020

The rapid polar sea ice retreat and its drivers are challenging and still unresolved questions in climate change research. In particular, the relationship between near-surface wind speed and sea ice extent remains unclear for two main reas…

Why has no new record-minimum Arctic sea-ice extent occurred since September 2012? Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Bingyi Wu · 2020

One of the clearest indicators of human-caused climate change is the rapid decline in Arctic sea ice. The summer minimum coverage is now approximately half of its extent only 40 yr ago. Four records in the minimum extent were broken since …

Increased persistence of large-scale circulation regimes over Asia in the era of amplified Arctic warming, past and future Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Natasa Skific, Stephen J. Vavrus · 2020

What ancient climates tell us about high carbon dioxide concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere Open

Martín J. Siegert, Alan M. Haywood, Daniel J. Lunt, Tina van de Flierdt, Jennifer A. Francis · 2020

This briefing discusses the last time our planet had the same levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as it does today, and what environmental conditions were like then. Studying the geology from this and earlier periods tells us that g…

CORRIGENDUM Open

Bingyi Wu, Jennifer A. Francis · 2020

© 2020 American Meteorological Society. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).Corresponding author: Bingyi Wu, [email protected]…

Divergent consensuses on Arctic amplification influence on midlatitude severe winter weather Open

Judah Cohen, Xiangdong Zhang, Jennifer A. Francis, Thomas Jung, R. Kwok , et al. · 2019

Effects of the tropospheric large‐scale circulation on European winter temperatures during the period of amplified Arctic warming Open

Timo Vihma, Rune Grand Graversen, Linling Chen, Dörthe Handorf, Natasa Skific , et al. · 2019

We investigate factors influencing European winter (DJFM) air temperatures for the period 1979–2015 with the focus on changes during the recent period of rapid Arctic warming (1998–2015). We employ meteorological reanalyses analysed with a…

Summer Arctic Cold Anomaly Dynamically Linked to East Asian Heat Waves Open

Bingyi Wu, Jennifer A. Francis · 2018

During recent years, the rapidly warming Arctic and its impact on winter weather and climate variability in the mid- and low latitudes have been the focus of many research efforts. In contrast, anomalous cool Arctic summers and their impac…

North American Weather Regimes Are Becoming More Persistent: Is Arctic Amplification a Factor? Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Natasa Skific, S. J. Vavrus · 2018

Rapid Arctic warming is hypothesized to favor an increased persistence of regional weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere (Francis & Vavrus, 2012). Persistent conditions can lead to drought, heat waves, prolonged cold spells, and stor…

Summers with low Arctic sea ice linked to persistence of spring atmospheric circulation patterns Open

Marie‐Luise Kapsch, Natasa Skific, Rune Grand Graversen, Michael Tjernström, Jennifer A. Francis · 2018

The declining trend of Arctic September sea ice constitutes a significant change in the Arctic climate system. Large year-to-year variations are superimposed on this sea-ice trend, with the largest variability observed in the eastern Arcti…

Warm Arctic episodes linked with increased frequency of extreme winter weather in the United States Open

Judah Cohen, Karl Pfeiffer, Jennifer A. Francis · 2018

Arctic change and possible influence on mid-latitude climate and weather: A US CLIVAR White Paper Open

Judah Cohen, Xiangdong Zhang, Jennifer A. Francis, Thomas Jung, R. Kwok , et al. · 2018

An important goal of the workshop was achieved: to hasten progress towards consensus understanding and identification of knowledge gaps. Based on the workshop findings, we identify specific opportunities to utilize observations and models,…

Amplified Arctic warming and mid‐latitude weather: new perspectives on emerging connections Open

Jennifer A. Francis, Stephen J. Vavrus, Judah Cohen · 2017

The Arctic is warming and melting at alarming rates. Within the lifetime of a Millennial, the volume of ice floating on the Arctic Ocean has declined by at least half. The pace of Arctic warming is two‐to‐three times that of the globe; thi…

Changes in North American Atmospheric Circulation and Extreme Weather: Influence of Arctic Amplification and Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover Open

Stephen J. Vavrus, Fuyao Wang, Jonathan E. Martin, Jennifer A. Francis, Yannick Peings , et al. · 2017

This study tests the hypothesis that Arctic amplification (AA) of global warming remotely affects midlatitudes by promoting a weaker, wavier atmospheric circulation conducive to extreme weather. The investigation is based on the late twent…

Winter 2015/16: A Turning Point in ENSO-Based Seasonal Forecasts Open

Judah Cohen, Karl Pfeiffer, Jennifer A. Francis · 2017

A 5 C Arctic in a 2 C World Open

Peter Schlösser, Stephanie Pfirman, Rafe Pomerance, M. Williams, Brad Ack , et al. · 2016

The Columbia Climate Center, in partnership with World Wildlife Fund, Woods Hole Research Center, and Arctic 21, held a workshop titled A 5 C Arctic in a 2 C World on July 20 and 21, 2016. The workshop was co-sponsored by the International…

Summer Arctic dipole wind pattern affects the winter Siberian High Open

Bingyi Wu, Kun Yang, Jennifer A. Francis · 2016

This study investigates the relationship between the summer [June–July–August (JJA)] Arctic dipole wind pattern and the following winter [December–January–February (DJF)] Siberian High. It is found that the summer Arctic dipole wind patter…

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