Quasi-biennial oscillation
The quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) is a
Theory
In 1883, the
Effects
Effects of the QBO include mixing of stratospheric
Observation of the QBO with weather balloons
The Free University of Berlin supplies a QBO data set that comprises radiosonde observations from Canton Island, Gan, and Singapore. The plot below shows the QBO during the 1980s.
Recent observations
The first significant observed deviation from the normal QBO since its discovery in early 1950s was noted beginning in February 2016, when the transition to easterly winds was disrupted by a new band of westerly winds that formed unexpectedly. The lack of a reliable QBO cycle deprives forecasters of a valuable tool. Since the QBO has a strong influence on the North Atlantic Oscillation and thereby north European weather, scientists speculated that the coming winter could be warmer and stormier in that region.[9][10][11] NASA scientists have been researching to test if the extremely strong 2014–2016 El Niño, climate change, or some other factor might be involved. They are trying to determine whether this is more of a once-in-a-generation event or a sign of the changing climate.[12]
See also
References
- ISBN 9781449655914.
- ^ Graystone, P. (1959). "Meteorological office discussion on tropical meteorology". Met. Mag. 88: 117.
- .
- S2CID 129296437.
- S2CID 28289267.
- ^ Ebdon, R.A. (1975). "The quasi-biennial oscillation and its association with tropospheric circulation patterns". Met. Mag. 104: 282–297.
- .
- .
- . Retrieved 2016-09-09.
- S2CID 132411820.
- S2CID 44671549.
- ^ Lynch, Patrick (2 September 2016), A Strange Thing Happened in the Stratosphere
Further reading
- Andrews, David G.; Holton, James R.; Leovy, Conway B. (1987). Middle Atmosphere Dynamics. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-058576-2.
- Baldwin, M.P.; Gray, L.J.; Dunkerton, T.J.; Hamilton, K.; Haynes, P.H.; Randel, W.J.; Holton, J.R.; Alexander, M.J.; Hirota, I.; Horinouchi, T.; Jones, D.B.A. (2001). "The quasi-biennial oscillation". Rev. Geophys. 39 (2): 179–229. S2CID 16727059.