Articles | Volume 24, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4451-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4451-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Wintertime extreme warming events in the high Arctic: characteristics, drivers, trends, and the role of atmospheric rivers
Weiming Ma
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Atmospheric, Climate, and Earth Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
Atmospheric, Climate, and Earth Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
Gang Chen
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Yun Qian
Atmospheric, Climate, and Earth Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
Ian Baxter
Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Earth Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Yiling Huo
Atmospheric, Climate, and Earth Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
Mark W. Seefeldt
National Snow Ice and Data Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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Cited
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A Deep Learning Approach to Detecting Atmospheric Rivers in the Arctic S. McGetrick et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17010061
- Tree planting is no climate solution at northern high latitudes J. Kristensen et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01573-4
- Model-observation discrepancies in Arctic moisture intrusions: causes and pathways for improved simulation W. Ma et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-026-01400-0
- Weather and climate extremes in a changing Arctic X. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00724-4
- The anomalously warm summer of 2023 over Greenland as compared to previous record melt summers of 2012 and 2019 A. Mchedlishvili et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-2895-2026
- Atlantic meridional overturning circulation slowdown modulates atmospheric rivers in a warmer climate M. Mimi et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72555-w
- Impact, drivers and pathways of two Arctic atmospheric rivers in April 2020 L. Avilés-Podgurski et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1051-2026
- Moisture budget estimates derived from airborne observations in an Arctic atmospheric river during its dissipation H. Dorff et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8329-2025
- Changes in sea ice concentration explain half of the winter warming of the Arctic surface Y. Huo et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02548-y
- A worldwide climatology of extreme air masses J. Ryan et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-025-05917-x
- Topographic effects of Svalbard on warm and moist air intrusions into the Central Arctic J. Landwehrs et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-341-2026
- Quantifying the impacts of atmospheric rivers on the surface energy budget of the Arctic based on reanalysis C. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4671-2025
- Adaptability of an opposed free-piston Stirling heat pump for heating in ultra-cold regions X. Feng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.131910
13 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A Deep Learning Approach to Detecting Atmospheric Rivers in the Arctic S. McGetrick et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17010061
- Tree planting is no climate solution at northern high latitudes J. Kristensen et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01573-4
- Model-observation discrepancies in Arctic moisture intrusions: causes and pathways for improved simulation W. Ma et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-026-01400-0
- Weather and climate extremes in a changing Arctic X. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00724-4
- The anomalously warm summer of 2023 over Greenland as compared to previous record melt summers of 2012 and 2019 A. Mchedlishvili et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-2895-2026
- Atlantic meridional overturning circulation slowdown modulates atmospheric rivers in a warmer climate M. Mimi et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72555-w
- Impact, drivers and pathways of two Arctic atmospheric rivers in April 2020 L. Avilés-Podgurski et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1051-2026
- Moisture budget estimates derived from airborne observations in an Arctic atmospheric river during its dissipation H. Dorff et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-8329-2025
- Changes in sea ice concentration explain half of the winter warming of the Arctic surface Y. Huo et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02548-y
- A worldwide climatology of extreme air masses J. Ryan et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-025-05917-x
- Topographic effects of Svalbard on warm and moist air intrusions into the Central Arctic J. Landwehrs et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-341-2026
- Quantifying the impacts of atmospheric rivers on the surface energy budget of the Arctic based on reanalysis C. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4671-2025
- Adaptability of an opposed free-piston Stirling heat pump for heating in ultra-cold regions X. Feng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2026.131910
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 03 Sep 2026
Short summary
Extreme warming events with surface temperature going above 0°C can occur in the high-Arctic winter. Although reanalysis data show that these events were short-lived and occurred rarely during 1980–2021, they have become more frequent, stronger, and longer lasting latterly. A dipole pattern, comprising high- and low-pressure systems, is found to be the key in driving them. These findings have implications for the recent changes in sea ice, hydrological cycle, and ecosystem over the Arctic.
Extreme warming events with surface temperature going above 0°C can occur in the high-Arctic...
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