Arctic–midlatitude–tropics interactions in January 2020: linkages to precipitation extremes over Indian region

Abstract

The prolonged positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and associated quasi-stationary equivalent barotropic Euro-Atlantic blocking high (EABH) and the Siberian high (SH) existed during January 2020. The presence of the persistent quasi-stationary barotropic high resulted in higher (lower) than normal surface temperatures in most parts of northern (southern) Eurasia. The large-scale analysis suggests the detouring of the mid-latitudinal westerlies from EABH and the formation of the west–east trough from East Atlantic to Northwest Pacific across North Africa, the Middle East, North India and China. The convergence of the moisture and positive convection anomalies along the region of the trough is perceived from the analysis. In the backdrop of this large-scale circulation anomalies, higher than normal precipitation was received in most of the central and north Indian regions with thunderstorms/hailstorm events. The variations in the AO index (AOI) and EABH were found to be in concurrence with the precipitation anomalies over the Indian region. The detailed analysis of a selected thunderstorm/hailstorm case suggests that the lowering of the 0 °C isotherm due to the intrusion of mid-latitudinal westerlies and the development of atmospheric instability with moisture supply from the adjacent seas facilitated the occurrence of the thunderstorms/Hailstorm events during January 2020.