More Like '55

The images shown below depict time-section plots @ 5H between 20N° and 90°N using NCEP daily data (operational and re-analysis) of CLIMO...current...and CPC/s seven La Nina years for the period 15 November through 07 December.

Any similarities / analogs between current conditions and conditions from past La Nina years?

1955...perhaps?


CLIMO..........Current..........1970..........1988

1950..........1955..........1973..........1975

The winter of '55 / '56 featured a strong La Nina that began in early '54 and continued for almost two years until the very end of '56. PDO was negative...as were most winters back then. PDO these days has bi-polar tendencies. QBO flipped E in January -- it/s E now having peaked in OCT. AO ranks 36 out of 57 years. NAO ranks 52 out of 57 years.

'55 doesn/t show up on any analog for this winter...but there it is. Best qualitative match with mid-level geo-potential heights during the past three weeks.


Make your own...
Time Plots / Hovmoller diagrams

Image credit:
NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences Division, Boulder Colorado