Barnes E. A., 2013: Revisiting the evidence linking Arctic amplification to extreme weather in midlatitudes. Geophys. Res. Lett.,40, 4734-4739, .https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.5088010.1002/grl.508804eac873e26e3495cfdaa4b0a5b97ec51http%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1002%2Fgrl.50880%2Ffullhttp://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/grl.50880Previous studies have suggested that Arctic amplification has caused planetary-scale waves to elongate meridionally and slow down, resulting in more frequent blocking patterns and extreme weather. Here trends in the meridional extent of atmospheric waves over North America and the North Atlantic are investigated in three reanalyses, and it is demonstrated that previously reported positive trends are likely an artifact of the methodology. No significant decrease in planetary-scale wave phase speeds are found except in October-November-December, but this trend is sensitive to the analysis parameters. Moreover, the frequency of blocking occurrence exhibits no significant increase in any season in any of the three reanalyses, further supporting the lack of trends in wave speed and meridional extent. This work highlights that observed trends in midlatitude weather patterns are complex and likely not simply understood in terms of Arctic amplification alone.
Blackport R., P. J. Kushner, 2017: Isolating the atmospheric circulation response to Arctic sea ice loss in the coupled climate system.J. Climate,30,2163-2185, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0257.1.10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0257.1e9113aa8260329a8aacfb91c57a86f27http%3A%2F%2Fadsabs.harvard.edu%2Fabs%2F2017EGUGA..1916837Khttp://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0257.1In the coupled climate system, projected global warming drives extensive sea-ice loss, but sea-ice loss drives warming that amplifies and can be confounded with the global warming process. This makes it challenging to cleanly attribute the atmospheric circulation response to sea-ice loss within coupled earth-system model (ESM) simulations of greenhouse warming. In this study, many centuries of output from coupled ocean/atmosphere/land/sea-ice ESM simulations driven separately by sea-ice albedo reduction and by projected greenhouse-dominated radiative forcing are combined to cleanly isolate the hemispheric scale response of the circulation to sea-ice loss. To isolate the sea-ice loss signal, a pattern scaling approach is proposed in which the local multidecadal mean atmospheric response is assumed to be separately proportional to the total sea-ice loss and to the total low latitude ocean surface warming. The proposed approach estimates the response to Arctic sea-ice loss with low latitude ocean temperatures fixed and vice versa. The sea-ice response includes a high northern latitude easterly zonal wind response, an equatorward shift of the eddy driven jet, a weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex, an anticyclonic sea level pressure anomaly over coastal Eurasia, a cyclonic sea level pressure anomaly over the North Pacific, and increased wintertime precipitation over the west coast of North America. Many of these responses are opposed by the response to low-latitude surface warming with sea ice fixed. However, both sea-ice loss and low latitude surface warming act in concert to reduce storm track strength throughout the mid and high latitudes. The responses are similar in two related versions of the National Center for Atmospheric Research earth system models, apart from the stratospheric polar vortex response. Evidence is presented that internal variability can easily contaminate the estimates if not enough independent climate states are used to construct them. References: Blackport, R. and P. Kushner, 2017: Isolating the atmospheric circulation response to Arctic sea-ice loss in the coupled climate system. J. Climate, in press. Blackport, R. and P. Kushner, 2016: The Transient and Equilibrium Climate Response to Rapid Summertime Sea Ice Loss in CCSM4. J. Climate, 29, 401-417, doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0284.1.
Blunden J., D. S. Arndt, 2012: State of the climate in 2011. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 93, S1-S282, https://doi.org/10.1175/2012BAMSStateoftheClimate.1.10.1175/2012BAMSStateoftheClimate.1http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/2012BAMSStateoftheClimate.1
Cohen, J., Coauthors, 2014: Recent Arctic amplification and extreme mid-latitude weather.Nature Geoscience,7,627-637, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2234.10.1038/ngeo22344cd471caba2fba3502432bd1eab5ae32http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Fabstractpagefinder%2F10.1038%2Fngeo2234http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/ngeo2234The Arctic region has warmed more than twice as fast as the global average a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. The rapid Arctic warming has contributed to dramatic melting of Arctic sea ice and spring snow cover, at a pace greater than that simulated by climate models. These profound changes to the Arctic system have coincided with a period of ostensibly more frequent extreme weather events across the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes, including severe winters. The possibility of a link between Arctic change and mid-latitude weather has spurred research activities that reveal three potential dynamical pathways linking Arctic amplification to mid-latitude weather: changes in storm tracks, the jet stream, and planetary waves and their associated energy propagation. Through changes in these key atmospheric features, it is possible, in principle, for sea ice and snow cover to jointly influence mid-latitude weather. However, because of incomplete knowledge of how high-latitude climate change influences these phenomena, combined with sparse and short data records, and imperfect models, large uncertainties regarding the magnitude of such an influence remain. We conclude that improved process understanding, sustained and additional Arctic observations, and better coordinated modelling studies will be needed to advance our understanding of the influences on mid-latitude weather and extreme events.
Coumou D., S. Rahmstorf, 2012: A decade of weather extremes.Nature Climate Change,2,491-496, https://doi.org/10.1038/NCLIMATE1452.10.1038/NCLIMATE14525ffd26da4621ff41af3132dee6e6b4a7http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Fnclimate%2Fjournal%2Fv2%2Fn7%2Fabs%2Fnclimate1452.htmlhttp://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v2/n7/abs/nclimate1452.htmlThe ostensibly large number of recent extreme weather events has triggered intensive discussions, both in- and outside the scientific community, on whether they are related to global warming. Here, we review the evidence and argue that for some types of extreme -- notably heatwaves, but also precipitation extremes -- there is now strong evidence linking specific events or an increase in their numbers to the human influence on climate. For other types of extreme, such as storms, the available evidence is less conclusive, but based on observed trends and basic physical concepts it is nevertheless plausible to expect an increase.
Francis J. A., S. J. Vavrus, 2012: Evidence linking Arctic amplification to extreme weather in mid-latitudes,Geophys. Res. Lett.,39,L06801, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051000.10.1029/2012GL051000c6c56c6a021edd43d82f7e1fc8bad5d9http%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1029%2F2012GL051000%2Ffullhttp://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.419.8599warming in high northern latitudes relative to the northern hemisphere is evident in lower-tropospheric temperatures and in 1000-to-500 hPa thicknesses. Daily fields of 500 hPa heights from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis are analyzed over N. America and the N. Atlantic to assess changes in north-south (Rossby) wave characteristics associated with AA and the relaxation of poleward thickness gradients. Two effects are identified that each contribute to a slower eastward progression of Rossby waves in the upper-level flow: 1) weakened zonal winds, and 2) increased wave amplitude. These effects are particularly evident in autumn and winter consistent with sea-ice loss, but are also apparent in summer, possibly related to earlier snow melt on high-latitude land. Slower progression of upper-level waves would cause associated weather patterns in mid-latitudes to be more persistent, which may lead to an increased probability of extreme weather events that result from prolonged conditions, such as drought, flooding, cold spells, and heat waves. Citation: Francis, J. A., and S. J. Vavrus (2012), Evidence linking Arctic amplification to extreme
Honda M., J. Inoue, and S. Yamane, 2009: Influence of low Arctic sea-ice minima on anomalously cold Eurasian winters,Geophys. Res. Lett.,36,L08707, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL037079.10.1029/2008GL03707911ff7459b32da24cee92554351efd9cbhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cabdirect.org%2Fabstracts%2F20103055291.htmlhttp://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/20103055291.htmlInfluence of low Arctic sea-ice minima in early autumn on the wintertime climate over Eurasia is investigated. Observational evidence shows that significant cold anomalies over the Far East in early winter and zonally elongated cold anomalies from Europe to Far East in late winter are associated with the decrease of the Arctic sea-ice cover in the preceding summer-to-autumn seasons. Results fro...
Huang, J. B, Coauthors, 2017: Recently amplified arctic warming has contributed to a continual global warming trend. Nature Climate Change,https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-017-0009-5.c5210b6cf8b38d36427d5fe62e486360http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41558-017-0009-5
Huang S. S., X. Q. Yang, and Q. Xie, 1992: The effects of the Arctic sea ice on the variations of atmospheric general circulation and climate. Acta Meteorologic Sinica, 6, 1- 14.4c2b75b74d700e31495e2be89229b0c8http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cqvip.com%2FQK%2F88418X%2F199201%2F1005135191.htmlhttp://www.cqvip.com/QK/88418X/199201/1005135191.htmlThe SST anomaly of the central-eastern equatorial Pacific and the arctic sea ice anomalies of the four districts located respectively in 160ºE-110ºW,110ºW-20ºW,70ºE-160ºE and 20ºW-70ºE are taken as five separate factors.And the relationship between each factor and the atmospheric general circulation and the climate is investigated by observational analysis and numerical experiments.It is shown that the effects of the arctic sea ice anomalies on the variations of atmospheric circulation and climate are comparable to or even in some cases greater than that of EI Nino events.So one should pay much attention to the study of polar sea ice anomalies in climate research.http://www.cqvip.com/QK/88418X/199201/1005135191.html
Jeffries M. O., J. E. Overland , and D. Perovich, 2013: The Arctic shifts to a new normal. Physics Today, 66, 35-40, https://doi.org/10.1063/PT.3. 2147.
Kim B.-M., S.-W. Son, S.-K. Min, J.-H. Jeong, S.-J. Kim, X. D. Zhang, T. Shim, and J.-H. Yoon, 2014: Weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex by Arctic sea-ice loss,Nature Communications,5,4646, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5646.10.1038/ncomms5646251813900c34446785d2f1fe02375ca8641143f2http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Fncomms%2F2014%2F140902%2Fncomms5646%2Fabs%2Fncomms5646.htmlhttp://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/ncomms5646Successive cold winters of severely low temperatures in recent years have had critical social and economic impacts on the mid-latitude continents in the Northern Hemisphere. Although these cold winters are thought to be partly driven by dramatic losses of Arctic sea-ice, the mechanism that links sea-ice loss to cold winters remains a subject of debate. Here, by conducting observational analyses and model experiments, we show how Arctic sea-ice loss and cold winters in extra-polar regions are dynamically connected through the polar stratosphere. We find that decreased sea-ice cover during early winter months (November-December), especially over the Barents-Kara seas, enhances the upward propagation of planetary-scale waves with wavenumbers of 1 and 2, subsequently weakening the stratospheric polar vortex in mid-winter (January-February). The weakened polar vortex preferentially induces a negative phase of Arctic Oscillation at the surface, resulting in low temperatures in mid-latitudes.
Kwok R., D. A. Rothrock, 2009: Decline in Arctic sea ice thickness from submarine and ICESat records: 1958-2008,Geophys. Res. Lett.,36,L15501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL039035.10.1029/2009GL039035c5ec0cebbff77b8a52738d9037afb510http%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1029%2F2009GL039035%2Ffullhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2009GL039035/fullThe decline of sea ice thickness in the Arctic Ocean from ICESat (2003-2008) is placed in the context of estimates from 42 years of submarine records (1958-2000) described by Rothrock et al. (1999, 2008). While the earlier 1999 work provides a longer historical record of the regional changes, the latter offers a more refined analysis, over a sizable portion of the Arctic Ocean supported by a much stronger and richer data set. Within the data release area (DRA) of declassified submarine sonar measurements (covering 藴38% of the Arctic Ocean), the overall mean winter thickness of 3.64 m in 1980 can be compared to a 1.89 m mean during the last winter of the ICESat record攁n astonishing decrease of 1.75 m in thickness. Between 1975 and 2000, the steepest rate of decrease is -0.08 m/yr in 1990 compared to a slightly higher winter/summer rate of -0.10/-0.20 m/yr in the five-year ICESat record (2003-2008). Prior to 1997, ice extent in the DRA was >90% during the summer minimum. This can be contrasted to the gradual decrease in the early 2000s followed by an abrupt drop to <55% during the record setting minimum in 2007. This combined analysis shows a long-term trend of sea ice thinning over submarine and ICESat records that span five decades.
McCusker K. E., J. C. Fyfe, and M. Sigmond, 2016: Twenty-five winters of unexpected Eurasian cooling unlikely due to arctic sea-ice loss.Nature Geoscience,9,838-842, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2820.10.1038/ngeo282086ebb2cb4509993b8b6992484cd04e67http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Fngeo%2Fjournal%2Fv9%2Fn11%2Fngeo2820%2Fmetricshttp://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/ngeo2820Winter cooling over Eurasia has been suggested to be linked to Arctic sea-ice loss. Climate model simulations reveal no evidence for such a link and instead suggest that a persistent atmospheric circulation pattern is responsible.
Meier W. N., J. Stroeve, A. Barrett, and F. Fetterer, 2012: A simple approach to providing a more consistent Arctic sea ice extent time series from the 1950s to present,The Cryosphere,6,1359-1368,https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1359-2012.10.5194/tc-6-1359-20128bc59a471d75464f29819a46b10fd831http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oalib.com%2Fpaper%2F2723409http://www.the-cryosphere.net/6/1359/2012/Observations for passive microwave satellite sensors have provided a continuous and consistent record of sea ice extent since late 1978. Earlier records, compiled from ice charts and other sources exist, but are not consistent with the satellite record. Here, a method is presented to adjust a compilation of pre-satellite sources to remove discontinuities between the two periods and create a more consistent combined 59-yr timeseries spanning 1953-2011. This adjusted combined timeseries shows more realistic behavior across the transition between the two individual timeseries and thus provides higher confidence in trend estimates from 1953 through 2011. The long-term timeseries is used to calculate linear trend estimates and compare them with trend estimates from the satellite period. The results indicate that trends through the 1960s were largely positive (though not statistically significant) and then turned negative by the mid-1970s and have been consistently negative since, reaching statistical significance (at the 95% confidence level) by the late 1980s. The trend for September (when Arctic extent reaches its seasonal minimum) for the satellite period, 1979-2011 is -12.9% decade, nearly double the 1953-2011 trend of -6.8% decade(relative to the 1981-2010 mean). The recent decade (2002-2011) stands out as a period of persistent decline in ice extent. The combined 59-yr timeseries puts the strong observed decline in the Arctic sea ice cover during 1979-2011 in a longer-term context and provides a useful resource for comparisons with historical model estimates.
Overland, J. E., Coauthors, 2016: Nonlinear response of mid-latitude weather to the changing Arctic.Nature Climate Change,6,992-999, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3121.10.1038/nclimate3121042c9149fc49589ba72cc4cbab4b151dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Fnclimate%2Fjournal%2Fv6%2Fn11%2Ffig_tab%2Fnclimate3121_F5.htmlhttp://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nclimate3121Are continuing changes in the Arctic influencing wind patterns and the occurrence of extreme weather events in northern mid-latitudes? The chaotic nature of atmospheric circulation precludes easy answers. The topic is a major science challenge, as continued Arctic temperature increases are an inevitable aspect of anthropogenic climate change. We propose a perspective that rejects simple cause-and-effect pathways and notes diagnostic challenges in interpreting atmospheric dynamics. We present a way forward based on understanding multiple processes that lead to uncertainties in Arctic and mid-latitude weather and climate linkages. We emphasize community coordination for both scientific progress and communication to a broader public.
Smith D. M., N. J. Dunstone, A. A. Scaife, E. K. Fiedler, D. Copsey, and S. C. Hardiman, 2017: Atmospheric response to Arctic and Antarctic sea ice: The importance of ocean-atmosphere coupling and the background state.J. Climate,30,4547-4565, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0564.1.10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0564.1146d605b0c4a75edaf78f20c68212dd6http%3A%2F%2Fadsabs.harvard.edu%2Fabs%2F2017JCli...30.4547Shttp://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0564.1
Stroeve J. C., V. Kattsov, A. Barrett, M. Serreze, T. Pavlova, M. Holland , and W. N. Meier, 2012: Trends in Arctic sea ice extent from CMIP5,CMIP3 and observations.Geophys. Res. Lett.,39,L16502, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL052676.10.1029/2012GL052676657d5b008b5a4b7563f58f378a4546eahttp%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1029%2F2012GL052676%2Ffullhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2012GL052676/fullThe rapid retreat and thinning of the Arctic sea ice cover over the past several decades is one of the most striking manifestations of global climate change. Previous research revealed that the observed downward trend in September ice extent exceeded simulated trends from most models participating in the World Climate Research Programme Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (CMIP3). We show here that as a group, simulated trends from the models contributing to CMIP5 are more consistent with observations over the satellite era (1979-2011). Trends from most ensemble members and models nevertheless remain smaller than the observed value. Pointing to strong impacts of internal climate variability, 16% of the ensemble member trends over the satellite era are statistically indistinguishable from zero. Results from the CMIP5 models do not appear to have appreciably reduced uncertainty as to when a seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean will be realized.
Vihma T., 2014: Effects of Arctic sea ice decline on weather and climate: A review.Surveys in Geophysics,35,1175-1214, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-014-9284-0.10.1007/s10712-014-9284-077da958a10209d7918a429ac5f8df01chttp%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2F10.1007%2Fs10712-014-9284-0http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10712-014-9284-0The areal extent, concentration and thickness of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas have strongly decreased during the recent decades, but cold, snow-rich winters have been common over mid-latitude land areas since 2005. A review is presented on studies addressing the local and remote effects of the sea ice decline on weather and climate. It is evident that the reduction in sea ice cover has increased the heat flux from the ocean to atmosphere in autumn and early winter. This has locally increased air temperature, moisture, and cloud cover and reduced the static stability in the lower troposphere. Several studies based on observations, atmospheric reanalyses, and model experiments suggest that the sea ice decline, together with increased snow cover in Eurasia, favours circulation patterns resembling the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation and Arctic Oscillation. The suggested large-scale pressure patterns include a high over Eurasia, which favours cold winters in Europe and northeastern Eurasia. A high over the western and a low over the eastern North America have also been suggested, favouring advection of Arctic air masses to North America. Mid-latitude winter weather is, however, affected by several other factors, which generate a large inter-annual variability and often mask the effects of sea ice decline. In addition, the small sample of years with a large sea ice loss makes it difficult to distinguish the effects directly attributable to sea ice conditions. Several studies suggest that, with advancing global warming, cold winters in mid-latitude continents will no longer be common during the second half of the twenty-first century. Recent studies have also suggested causal links between the sea ice decline and summer precipitation in Europe, the Mediterranean, and East Asia.
Wallace J. M., I. M. Held, D. W. J. Thompson, K. E. Trenberth, and J. E. Walsh, 2014: Global warming and winter weather.Science,343,729-730, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.343.6172.729.10.1126/science.343.6172.7292453195382fe21d5fa572c5ffb9cfd325d2ac105http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fpubmed%2F24531953http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi/10.1126/science.343.6172.729Authors: John M. Wallace, Isaac M. Held, David W. J. Thompson, Kevin E. Trenberth, John E. Walsh
Wang M. Y., J. E. Overland, 2012: A sea ice free summer Arctic within 30 years: An update from CMIP5 models,Geophys. Res. Lett.,39,L18501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL052868.10.1029/2012GL052868d7d10d1cac4b9a72e6650d3aec8618e5http%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1029%2F2012GL052868%2Fpdfhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2012GL052868/pdfSeptember 2008 followed 2007 as the second sequential year with an extreme summer Arctic sea ice extent minimum. Although such a sea ice loss was not indicated until much later in the century in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report, many models show an accelerating decline in the summer minimum sea ice extent during the 21st century. Using the observed 2007/2008 September sea ice extents as a starting point, we predict an expected value for a nearly sea ice free Arctic in September by the year 2037. The first quartile of the distribution for the timing of September sea ice loss will be reached by 2028. Our analysis is based on projections from six IPCC models, selected subject to an observational constraints. Uncertainty in the timing of a sea ice free Arctic in September is determined based on both within-model contributions from natural variability and between-model differences.
Zhang X. D., 2010: Sensitivity of Arctic summer sea ice coverage to global warming forcing: Towards reducing uncertainty in Arctic climate change projections.Tellus A,62,220-227, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0870.2010.00441.x.10.1111/j.1600-0870.2010.00441.xe66761d12429f529a86c1fee4e8bef1dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.tandfonline.com%2Fdoi%2Fabs%2F10.1111%2Fj.1600-0870.2009.00441.xhttp://blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/tea.2010.62.issue-3Substantial uncertainties have emerged in Arctic climate change projections by the fourth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report climate models. In particular, the models as a group considerably underestimate the recent accelerating sea ice reduction. To better understand the uncertainties, we evaluated sensitivities of summer sea ice coverage to global warming forcing in models and observations. The result suggests that the uncertainties result from the large range of sensitivities involved in the computation of sea ice mass balance by the climate models, specifically with the changes in sea ice area (SIA) ranging from 0.09 × 106 to 611.23 × 106 km2 in response to 1.0 K increase of air temperature. The sensitivities also vary largely across ensemble members in the same model, indicating impacts of initial condition on evolution of feedback strength with model integrations. Through observationally constraining, the selected model runs by the sensitivity analysis well captured the observed changes in SIA and surface air temperatures and greatly reduced their future projection uncertainties to a certain range from the currently announced one. The projected ice-free summer Arctic Ocean may occur as early as in the late 2030s using a criterion of 80% SIA loss and the Arctic regional mean surface air temperature will be likely increased by 8.5 ± 2.5 °C in winter and 3.7 ± 0.9 °C in summer by the end of this century.
Zhang X. D., J. E. Walsh, 2006: Toward a seasonally ice-covered Arctic Ocean: Scenarios from the IPCC AR4 model simulations.J. Climate,19,1730-1747, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI3767.1.10.1175/JCLI3767.1c9f922fbec12b03fbb51b27ae7ba3ad7http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioone.org%2Fservlet%2Flinkout%3Fsuffix%3Dbibr41%26amp%3Bdbid%3D16%26amp%3Bdoi%3D10.1657%252F1938-4246-44.4.483%26amp%3Bkey%3D10.1175%252FJCLI3767.1http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/JCLI3767.1
Zhang X. D., A. Sorteberg, J. Zhang, R. Gerdes, and J. C. Comiso, 2008: Recent radical shifts of atmospheric circulations and rapid changes in Arctic climate system,Geophys. Res. Lett.,35,L22701, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL035607.10.1029/2008GL0356076cc495fa3921c951fdf9ebde40b2ff41http%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1029%2F2008GL035607%2Ffullhttp://doi.wiley.com/10.1029/2008GL035607Arctic climate system change has accelerated tremendously since the beginning of this century, and a strikingly extreme sea-ice loss occurred in summer 2007. However, the greenhouse-gas-emissions forcing has only increased gradually and the driving role in Arctic climate change of the positively-polarized Arctic/North Atlantic Oscillation (AO/NAO) trend has been substantially weakened. Although various contributing factors have been examined, the fundamental physical process, which orchestrates these contributors to drive the acceleration and the latest extreme event, remains unknown. We report on drastic, systematic spatial changes in atmospheric circulations, showing a sudden jump from the conventional tri-polar AO/NAO to an unprecedented dipolar leading pattern, following accelerated northeastward shifts of the AO/NAO centers of action. These shifts provide an accelerating impetus for the recent rapid Arctic climate system changes, perhaps shedding light on recent arguments about a tipping point of global-warming-forced climate change in the Arctic. The radical spatial shift is a precursor to the observed extreme change event, demonstrating skilful information for future prediction.