A Climatology of Wintertime Barrier Winds off Southeast Greenland

摘要: A climatology of barrier winds along the southeastern coast Greenland is presented based on 20 yr winter months (1989‐2008) from ECMWF Interim Reanalysis (ERA-Interim). Barrier wind events occur predominantly at two locations: Denmark Strait North (DSN; 67.78N, 25.38W) and South (DSS; 64.98N, 35.98W). Events stronger than m s 21 average once per week during with considerable interannual variability—from 7 to winter. The monthly frequency correlates Atlantic oscillation (NAO) index a correlation coefficient 0.57 (0.31) DSN (DSS). associated total turbulent heat fluxes for (area averaged) were typically about 200 W 22 peak values 400 common in smaller regions. Area-averaged surface stresses between 0.5 1 N . Total precipitation rates larger DSS DSN, both less mm h shown have large range as result 2-m air temperature. Two classes winds—warm cold—were investigated found develop different synoptic-scale situations. Warm developed when there was blocking high pressure over Nordic seas, while cold owed their presence train cyclones channeling through region.