Combined impact of the cold vortex and atmospheric blocking on cold outbreaks over East Asia and the potential for short-range prediction of such occurrences

Abstract

This study explores the consequences of independent and combined effects of blockings on the northeast Asian cold vortex (NACV), and corresponding cold outbreaks over East Asia (EA) during boreal winters of 1979-2019. The results show that the development of NACV is closely associated with blocking over the Ural Mountains (UB) upstream and eastern Siberia to mid-North Pacific (SPB) downstream. Here we focus on the initial periods before the peak day of NACV events. It is found that the strong NACV events are usually induced by the initial-UB situation, leading to the greatest temperature drop in EA. While the weak NACV events may be associated with the initial-SPB condition, which can bring ..