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Winter weather impacted by ocean currents, UArizona study says

As the cooler temperatures start to settle in, a new study by a University of Arizona professor and Ming Zhao, a physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, shows that the ocean current could impact the extreme weather.

By: Tina Giuliano

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As the cooler temperatures start to settle in, a new study by a University of Arizona professor and Ming Zhao, a physical scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, shows that the ocean current could impact the extreme weather.

Throughout the ocean, there is a conveyor belt called Atlantic meridional overturning circulation or AMOC. It basically churns the water, moving around the hot and cold water throughout the ocean.

"If this transport slows down as the result of climate change, the atmosphere must transport more heat elsewhere through enhanced north and south heat exchange," he said. "That can induce more extreme weather."

He said the conclusion of this study is that AMOC slow down can create extreme cold weather.

"In the future climate, the extreme cold weather it depends on the combination - the combined effect of amoc slow down and green house gas warming," Yin said.

Yin and Zhao used a global climate model to measure the impact of the AMOC on extreme cold weather in the United States. Yin said the study was inspired by Texas's extreme weather in February and other extreme weather events in past years.

"It's a nonlinear response, so there are many factors that are at play," Yin said. "But that's our takeaway is that global warming can intensify the extremes."

The upcoming season is alsoa La Niña winter which brings dry air and above average temperatures. But the National Weather Service Tucson Lance Tripoli said despite the above average temperatures, it's important to cover your plants and pipes this winter.

"Because we are getting less than normal precipitation the air will be dryer than normal," he said "And when the air is dryer than normal the temperature swings will have greater variances in the day to night temperature swings."

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