Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023

Abstract Contrasting the extensive research on summer atmospheric rivers (ARs) in the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), winter AR impacts are less understood. This study examines a unique warming event from 1 to 3 July 2023, using in situ winter observations and ERA5 reanalysis. On 2 July, Frei station expe...

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Main Authors: D. Bozkurt, J. F. Carrasco, R. R. Cordero, F. Fernandoy, A. Gómez‐Contreras, B. Carrillo, B. Guan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108391
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author D. Bozkurt
J. F. Carrasco
R. R. Cordero
F. Fernandoy
A. Gómez‐Contreras
B. Carrillo
B. Guan
author_facet D. Bozkurt
J. F. Carrasco
R. R. Cordero
F. Fernandoy
A. Gómez‐Contreras
B. Carrillo
B. Guan
author_sort D. Bozkurt
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Contrasting the extensive research on summer atmospheric rivers (ARs) in the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), winter AR impacts are less understood. This study examines a unique warming event from 1 to 3 July 2023, using in situ winter observations and ERA5 reanalysis. On 2 July, Frei station experienced an extreme warm event with a temperature of 2.7°C and a significant rise in the freezing level, coinciding with winter rainfall. A pressure dipole pattern over the AP, with contrasting circulations over Bellingshausen and Weddell Seas, facilitated an AR, carrying warm, humid air initially from South America/Atlantic and then the southeast Pacific. This shift resulted in anomalous water stable isotope composition in precipitation. Trends suggest a strengthening winter pressure dipole, associated with increased AR frequency and higher temperatures in northern AP. These findings highlight the importance of winter observations in exploring AR impacts, bridging knowledge gaps about winter AR behaviors.
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institution OA Journals
issn 0094-8276
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language English
publishDate 2024-07-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-9db1c8c7c4e049dab957e850ce5f42952025-08-20T02:04:21ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-07-015113n/an/a10.1029/2024GL108391Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023D. Bozkurt0J. F. Carrasco1R. R. Cordero2F. Fernandoy3A. Gómez‐Contreras4B. Carrillo5B. Guan6Departamento de Meteorología Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso ChileCentro de Investigación Gaia Antártica Universidad de Magallanes Punta Arenas ChileDepartamento de Física Universidad de Santiago de Chile Santiago ChileFacultad de Ingeniería Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello Viña del Mar ChileDepartamento de Geofísica Universidad de Chile Santiago ChileCentro de Investigación Gaia Antártica Universidad de Magallanes Punta Arenas ChileJoint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles CA USAAbstract Contrasting the extensive research on summer atmospheric rivers (ARs) in the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), winter AR impacts are less understood. This study examines a unique warming event from 1 to 3 July 2023, using in situ winter observations and ERA5 reanalysis. On 2 July, Frei station experienced an extreme warm event with a temperature of 2.7°C and a significant rise in the freezing level, coinciding with winter rainfall. A pressure dipole pattern over the AP, with contrasting circulations over Bellingshausen and Weddell Seas, facilitated an AR, carrying warm, humid air initially from South America/Atlantic and then the southeast Pacific. This shift resulted in anomalous water stable isotope composition in precipitation. Trends suggest a strengthening winter pressure dipole, associated with increased AR frequency and higher temperatures in northern AP. These findings highlight the importance of winter observations in exploring AR impacts, bridging knowledge gaps about winter AR behaviors.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108391atmospheric riverwarm eventsclimate extremesAntarcticarainfallmoisture transport
spellingShingle D. Bozkurt
J. F. Carrasco
R. R. Cordero
F. Fernandoy
A. Gómez‐Contreras
B. Carrillo
B. Guan
Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023
Geophysical Research Letters
atmospheric river
warm events
climate extremes
Antarctica
rainfall
moisture transport
title Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023
title_full Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023
title_fullStr Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023
title_full_unstemmed Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023
title_short Atmospheric River Brings Warmth and Rainfall to the Northern Antarctic Peninsula During the Mid‐Austral Winter of 2023
title_sort atmospheric river brings warmth and rainfall to the northern antarctic peninsula during the mid austral winter of 2023
topic atmospheric river
warm events
climate extremes
Antarctica
rainfall
moisture transport
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108391
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