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Article

Interdecadal Change of Ural Blocking Highs and Its Atmospheric Cause in Winter during 1979–2018

1
College of Meteorology, Lanzhou Resources & Environment Voc-Tech University, Lanzhou 730021, China
2
College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
3
Key Laboratory of Climate Resource Development and Disaster Prevention of Gansu Province, Research and Development Center of Earth System Model (RDCM), College of Atmospheric Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Atmosphere 2022, 13(9), 1530; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091530
Submission received: 18 August 2022 / Revised: 15 September 2022 / Accepted: 16 September 2022 / Published: 19 September 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atmospheric Blocking and Weather Extremes)

Abstract

The Ural blocking (UB) high is a weather system closely related to the cold air process during winter, which could trigger extreme cold events in East Asia. By retrieving five single blocking indexes, including accumulation frequency, central latitude, blocking intensity, mean duration and north rim, it is found that the UB in winter occurs more frequently, grows stronger, lasts longer and is located more northward after 2002, compared with 1985–2001. In order to describe the UB comprehensively, a new comprehensive blocking index (CBI) is developed based on the above five blocking indexes. The CBI can also reflect the interdecadal change of UB synthetically. Analysis on the corresponding atmospheric circulation shows that the relationship between the UB and atmospheric circulation, such as the polar vortex and jet, is closer in 2002–2018 than in 1985–2001. Compared with the atmospheric circulation in 1985–2001, the most prominent feature in 2002–2018 is that the intensity of the polar vortex is weaker at 100 hPa, and that the subtropical jet moves northward. Meanwhile, the East Asian trough downstream of the Urals deepens at 500 hPa and the Siberian high strengthens, indicating that the East Asia winter monsoon is stronger during 2002–2018. Further analysis on atmospheric waves and baroclinicity demonstrates that the meridional circulation of planetary waves strengthens, especially the 2-waves, which may increase the frequency of the UB and shift its location northward after 2002. Additionally, the baroclinicity (T/y) in the mid-high latitudes is weakened during winter since 2002, which is also beneficial for the establishment of meridional circulation, causing a stronger intensity and longer duration of the UB.
Keywords: Ural blocking high; blocking index; interdecadal change; planetary waves; baroclinicity Ural blocking high; blocking index; interdecadal change; planetary waves; baroclinicity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Lu, Y.; Li, Y.; Xia, Q.; Yang, Q.; Wang, C. Interdecadal Change of Ural Blocking Highs and Its Atmospheric Cause in Winter during 1979–2018. Atmosphere 2022, 13, 1530. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091530

AMA Style

Lu Y, Li Y, Xia Q, Yang Q, Wang C. Interdecadal Change of Ural Blocking Highs and Its Atmospheric Cause in Winter during 1979–2018. Atmosphere. 2022; 13(9):1530. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091530

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lu, Yao, Yan Li, Quan Xia, Qingyi Yang, and Chenghai Wang. 2022. "Interdecadal Change of Ural Blocking Highs and Its Atmospheric Cause in Winter during 1979–2018" Atmosphere 13, no. 9: 1530. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091530

APA Style

Lu, Y., Li, Y., Xia, Q., Yang, Q., & Wang, C. (2022). Interdecadal Change of Ural Blocking Highs and Its Atmospheric Cause in Winter during 1979–2018. Atmosphere, 13(9), 1530. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091530

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