A Positive Zonal Wind Feedback on Sudden Stratospheric Warming Development Revealed by CESM2 (WACCM6) Reforecasts

Sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) are an extreme weather event with impacts on the ionosphere and on tropospheric weather and predictability. The mechanisms governing their formation remain elusive, despite their deterministic predictability at nearly 2 weeks. This study uses high resolution CESM2 (WACCM6) subseasonal reforecasts to examine the dynamics that differentiate successful and unsuccessful SSW predictions. Successful reforecasts are generally initialized with a weaker stratospheric jet. However, the basic relationships between jet deceleration, wave drag, and the residual mean angular momentum flux do not fundamentally differ between successful and unsuccessful reforecasts. Instead, the projection of the residual circulation onto a weakened jet produces a weaker angular momentum flux, which leads to a more rapid erosion of the jet as the residual circulation cannot effectively balance the sustained wave drag. This information could be used to develop forecasting practices that could probe the likelihood of SSWs at longer timescales.

Automated summary

The study revealed that successful SSW predictions are generally initialized with a weaker stratospheric jet, while unsuccessful predictions are the opposite. The difference lies in the projection of the residual circulation onto a weakened jet, resulting in a weaker angular momentum flux and more rapid erosion of the jet.