Meteorological influences of SST anomaly over the East Asian marginal sea on subpolar and polar regions: A case of an extratropical cyclone on 5–8 November 2006.

Abstract: The eddy-resolving Japan Sea (East Sea) data assimilation affects the mid-level troposphere via vertical wind in the early stage of an explosively developing extratropical cyclone on 5–8 November 2006, and its influence further propagates toward the subpolar and polar regions. Two types of atmospheric responses (convective and gravity-wave patterns) to a sea surface temperature (SST) difference resulting from the ocean data assimilation are found in the early stage of the cyclone development over the western and central Japan Sea. A gravity-wave (convective) pattern appears when the near-surface atmosphere is stable (unstable). The atmospheric signals induced by the SST anomaly resulting from assimilation of the ocean circulation model are subject to advection and can deform with time owing to nonlinearity and instability. The differences in atmospheric and surface temperatures are widely and rapidly spread over the polar region by strong synoptic-scale cyclonic advection. On the other hand, the SST effects on vertical flow and precipitation are limited to narrow areas around the northern Japan Sea and the Pacific cold front in the fully developed stage. Such a developing cyclone is potentially important as a transporter of the meteorological influence over the Japan Sea toward the polar region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]