Storm tracks and zonal mean flow variability: a comparison between observed and simulated data

A statistical technique is used to analyze the relation between monthly mean zonal flow and storm tracks activity in the observations and numerical simulations (ECHAM4 model). The singular value decomposition technique (SVD) has been used to correlate storm tracks and monthly mean wintertime anomaly fields. The analysis has been performed on data from January 1980 to December 1989 (NMC analyses) and on an ensemble of AGCM simulations with prescribed SST for the same period, separately in the Euro-Atlantic and Pacific sectors. We found good correlation between storm tracks activity and zonal flow in both regions. In both data and simulations the dominant SVD modes show that the storm tracks spatial displacement is in conjunction with jet shifts in the same direction. Our analysis suggests that the model is highly sensitive to the equatorial ocean forcing. Although the model produces an excessive response to El Nino and La Nina phases, it shows good capability of simulating the dynamical connection between storm tracks and jet.