For more on the stratosphere, click on the 'Stratosphere Temperatures' category in the right column.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Arctic Oscillation
Stratospheric cooling results in counterclockwise circulation around the North Pole (the Arctic Oscillation) to strengthen in winter, its positive phase, acting to keep the polar jet stream north of the 45th parallel. In its positive phase, the AO results in warmer winters in the US, Scandinavia, and Russia.