Geophysical Research Letters (Jan 2024)

Mutating ENSO Impact on Northwest Pacific Tropical Cyclones Under Global Warming

  • Liang Shi,
  • Ruifen Zhan,
  • Jiuwei Zhao,
  • Jong‐Seong Kug

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL105864
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 51, no. 1
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract A prominent feature of the western North Pacific tropical cyclone genesis frequency (TCGF) anomaly in response to El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a distinct west‐east dipole structure in the present‐day (PD) climate. Here, large ensemble high‐resolution simulations show that the current dipole may transform into a monopole under global warming (GW). In the PD climate, the ENSO‐induced dipole effect on TCGF is mainly observed in late autumn. However, GW accelerates this effect into the summer by amplifying atmospheric circulation anomalies. Consequently, this leads to a significant increase in the coastal TCGF during the development phase of El Niño under GW. Meanwhile, it weakens the anomalous anticyclonic circulation during late autumn, leading to an increase in coastal TCGF during the mature phase of El Niño, and vice versa. Therefore, the combined effect suggests a potential trend toward spatial homogenization during ENSO phases under GW.

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