Interactions between Global SST Anomalies and the Midlatitude Atmospheric Circulation

On account of the large thermal capacity of seawater and the slowly varying oceanic currents, the surface conditions of the world’s oceans typically fluctuate on timescales that are much longer than those of the atmosphere. Meteorologists have long regarded the surface properties of the oceans (in particular, sea surface temperature, or SST) as a prime candidate for inciting low-frequency atmospheric changes. Considerable efforts have been expended to delineate the influence of air–sea interactions on atmospheric variability at different geographical sites. It is now generally recognized that the linkage between oceanic and atmospheric fluctuations is not only an important building block for constructing a comprehensive knowledge base of the climate system, but also has far-reaching practical implications, particularly in the realm of extended-range prediction of weather and climate. In this article, we offer a brief survey of the recent advances in our understanding of the relationships between SST anomalies and the atmospheric circulation in various locations. We shall focus on meteorological variations in the midlatitudes and evaluate different scenarios linking atmospheric responses to forcing by local or remote SST changes. The pathways through which the air–sea coupling acts in the opposite direction, that is, with the atmosphere driving the ocean, are also explored. For the sake of uniformity and organizational simplicity, the main themes will Interactions between Global SST Anomalies and the Midlatitude Atmospheric Circulation