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Subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) prediction is a global effort to forecast the state of the atmosphere and ocean with lead times between two weeks and a season. This study explores the feasibility of S2S prediction of the ocean using a variety of tools including statistical analysis, a statistical-dynamical mixed layer model, and a regional, high-resolution ocean circulation model based on physical principles. Ocean predictability on S2S timescales is analyzed by compositing winter sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the North Atlantic with respect to the state of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). It is found that statistically significant, large-scale SST changes, particularly along the eastern seaboard of North America, can be related to the MJO. This signal is shown to be driven by anomalous air–sea heat fluxes caused by atmospheric perturbations in response to the MJO. The high-resolution model of the Gulf of Maine and Scotian Shelf is used to downscale the mean ocean response to the MJO. The model is able to capture the observed relationship between the MJO and SST in the northwest Atlantic. It is also shown that the anomalous atmospheric circulation in response to the MJO leads to anomalous upwelling on the Scotian Shelf. Overall, this study demonstrates that it is feasible, and of value, to use regional ocean models for S2S prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have investigated the contribution of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to the North Indian Ocean (NIO) tropical cyclone (TC) activity and seasonal predictability. A statistical seasonal prediction model was developed for the NIO region tropical cyclone genesis, trajectories and landfalls using the Southern Oscillation index (SOI: as a metric of ENSO) as a predictor. The forecast model utilised kernel density estimation (KDE), a generalised additive model (GAM), Euler integration, and a country mask. TCs from the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre were analysed over the 35-year period from 1979 to 2013. KDE was used to model the distribution of cyclone genesis points and the cyclone tracks were estimated using the GAM, with velocities fit as smooth functions of location according to ENSO phase and TC season. The best predictor lead time scales for TC forecast potential were assessed from 1 to 6 months. We found that the SOI (as a proxy for ENSO) is a good predictor of TC behaviour 2-months in advance (70% skill). Two hindcast validation methods were applied to assess the reliability of the model. The model was found to be skillful in hindcasting NIO region TC activity for the pre and post monsoon season. The distribution of TC genesis, movement and landfall probabilities over the study period, as well as the hindcast probabilities of TC landfall during ENSO events, matched well against observations over most of the study domain. Overall, we found that the phase of ENSO has the potential to improve NIO region TC seasonal forecast skill by about 15% over climatological persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]