Research on Temperature Extremes and Atmospheric Circulation

Dear Colleagues,

The growing frequency and amplitude of temperature extremes—including heatwaves, cold spells, and record thermal anomalies—have attracted considerable attention due to their profound impacts on ecosystems, public health, energy networks, and infrastructure. This Special Issue highlights the physical connections and dynamic interactions between temperature extremes and large-scale atmospheric circulation processes such as jet streams, Rossby waves, atmospheric blocking, monsoons, and interactions between tropical and extratropical systems.

This Special Issue aims to deepen scientific understanding of the linkages between temperature extremes and atmospheric circulation. We welcome studies exploring the mechanisms, variability, and projections of extreme temperature events—especially those investigating the role of circulation features such as blocking patterns, teleconnection modes, and planetary wave dynamics. We also invite contributions that leverage observational datasets, reanalysis products, numerical simulations, or machine learning techniques to analyze the origin and evolution of temperature extremes.

Recommended topics are as follows:

• Dynamics and drivers of temperature extremes (e.g., heatwaves and cold spells).
• Atmospheric blocking and its contribution to persistent temperature anomalies.
• Influence of jet stream variability on regional temperature extremes.
• Teleconnections (e.g., ENSO, NAO, AO, and MJO) and their relationships to extreme temperatures.
• Rossby wave breaking and its effects on thermal extremes.
• Tropical–extratropical interactions in shaping temperature patterns.
• Evaluation of climate model performance in simulating temperature extremes and circulation biases.
• Attribution of recent temperature extremes to circulation anomalies and climate change.
• Sub-seasonal to seasonal predictability of temperature extremes.
• Machine learning and data-driven methods for studying circulation–extreme temperature relationships.
• Regional and continental case studies linking temperature extremes with atmospheric circulation.
• Urban heat extremes and their modulation by synoptic-scale atmospheric patterns.

We seek original research papers, review articles, and methodological advancements that examine the dynamics, variability, drivers, predictability, and long-term trends of temperature extremes in relation to atmospheric circulation across a range of spatial and temporal scales. We particularly encourage submissions focused on regional case studies, climate model evaluations, remote sensing techniques, and the influence of anthropogenic climate change.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Agnieszka Krzyżewska
Prof. Dr. Jamie Dyer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.