Abstract
The dramatic global climate variability during the period from 1982 to 1984 has presented a unique opportunity to diagnose and interpret the role of air/sea interactions over the tropical oceans. Recent reviews have summarized the observational and numerical evidence for air/sea interactions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean associated with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon1–3. Here we present details of the atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic sector between 1983 and 1984. During the latter half of 1983, the atmospheric circulation over the equatorial Atlantic underwent a dramatic reversal: surface trade winds were substantially reduced; surface pressurs decreased; and cloudiness and rainfall increased over the ocean and adjacent regions of north-east Brazil. These regional changes over the equatorial Atlantic coincided with planetary-scale adjustments in the tropical atmosphere. While the atmospheric circulation over the tropical Pacific was experiencing an extraordinary departure from normal during 1983, as evidenced by a reversal in direction of the surface winds, the circulation over the Atlantic was in a building-up phase with stronger than usual surface winds. As the atmospheric circulation over the Pacific returned to normal during the latter half of 1983, the trade winds over the Atlantic relaxed.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Philander, S. G. H. Nature 302, 295–301 (1983).
Gill, A. E. & Rasmusson, E. M. Nature 306, 226–234 (1983).
Rasmusson, E. M. & Wallace, J. M. Science 222, 1195–1202 (1983).
Quiroz, R. S. Mon. Weath. Rev. 111, 1685–1706 (1983).
Chen, W. Y. Mon. Weath. Rev. 111, 2371–2384 (1983).
Ropelewski, C. F. Mon. Weath. Rev. 112, 591–609 (1984).
Bergman, K. H. Mon. Weath. Rev. 112, 1441–1456 (1984).
Quiroz, R. S. Mon. Weath. Rev. 112, 1894–1912 (1984).
Wagner, A. J. Mon. Weath. Rev. 113, 149–169 (1985).
Ropelewski, C. F. Mon. Weath. Rev. 113, 664–679 (1985).
Keshavamurty, R. N. J. atmos. Sci. 39, 1241–1259 (1982).
Blackmon, M. L., Geisler, J. E. & Pitcher, E. J. J. atmos. Sci. 40, 1410–1425 (1983).
Shukla, J. & Wallace, J. M. J. atmos. Sci. 40, 1613–1630 (1983).
Weare, B. C. Q. Jl R. met. Soc. 103, 467–478 (1977).
Merle, J., Fieux, M. & Hisgard, P. Deep Sea Res. 26 (Suppl. II), 77–102 (1979).
Weare, B. C., Navato, A. R. & Newell, R. E. J. Phys. Oceanogr. 6, 671–678 (1976).
Horel, J. D. Mon. Weath. Rev. 110, 1863–1878 (1982).
Reynolds, R. W. NOAA Tech. Rep. 31 (1982).
Philander, S. G. H. Nature 322, 236–238 (1986).
Lamb, P. J., Peppler, R. A. & Hastenrath, S. Nature 322, 238–243 (1986).
Palmer, J. N. Nature 322, 251–253 (1986).
Hisard, P., Henin, C., Houghton, R., Piton, B. & Rual, R. Nature 322, 243–245 (1986).
Katz, E. J., Hisard, P., Verstraete, J. M. & Garzoli, G. L. Nature 322, 245–247 (1986).
Weisberg, R. W. & Colin, C. Nature 322, 240–243 (1986).
Kousky, V. E., Kagano, M. T. & Cavalcanti, I. F. A., 36A, 490–504 (1984).
Hastenrath, S. & Heller, L. Q. Jl met. Soc. 103, 77–92 (1977).
Lamb, P. J. Mon. Weath. Rev. 106, 482–491 (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Horel, J., Kousky, V. & Kagano, M. Atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic sector during 1983 and 1984. Nature 322, 248–251 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/322248a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/322248a0
This article is cited by
-
Role of Atlantic air–sea interaction in modulating the effect of Tibetan Plateau heating on the upstream climate over Afro-Eurasia–Atlantic regions
Climate Dynamics (2019)
-
West African monsoon decadal variability and surface-related forcings: second West African Monsoon Modeling and Evaluation Project Experiment (WAMME II)
Climate Dynamics (2016)
-
Zonal structure and seasonal variability of the Atlantic Equatorial Undercurrent
Climate Dynamics (2014)
-
Mass Mortality of Coral Reef Ascidians Following the 1997/1998 El Niño Event
Hydrobiologia (2006)
-
Remotely forced variability in the tropical Atlantic Ocean
Climate Dynamics (2004)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.