Huanping Huang’s work uncovers the impacts of Atlantic warming on global tropical cyclones

The Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) refers to a multidecadal variation in North Atlantic sea surface temperatures (SSTs). It is a useful predictor for North Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs). Yet how AMV influences TC activity on a global scale remains poorly understood. 

To address the question, Dr. Huanping Huang and his colleagues analyzed two sets of idealized climate model simulations which differ from each other by either adding or subtracting AMV anomalies from the mean SST conditions over the North Atlantic. They discover that relative to cold SST anomaly of AMV (AMV–), warm SST anomaly of AMV (AMV+) produces much more frequent TCs (including those making landfalls) over the North Atlantic. By contrast, AMV+ causes less frequent TCs across the western North Pacific and South Pacific. The physical mechanisms responsible for the TC contrast are also revealed. More information can be found in the article published on Geophysical Research Letters.